Aging and Thinning Afro Hair Tips

Your hair regimen may look different as you age. Whether you have natural or relaxed hair, your tresses will change with age due to factors like diet, hormonal changes, or intake of some medication. The textured hair naturally becomes drier with age, and the strands can weaken without proper care. Nonetheless, your style can still flourish with some additional TLC. Here are some simple aging and thinning hair tips that you may find helpful:

1. Keep the Right Protein-Moisture Balance

Hair follicles usually shrink as we get older because of the slowed growth cycle and collagen loss. With the glands in your scalp also producing less oil, you may experience hair thinning and loss. Keeping the right protein and moisture balance helps to retain the strength and elasticity of your mane.

2. Deep Condition Weekly

One of the ways to achieve protein-moisture balance is a weekly deep conditioner treatment to maintain the structural integrity of your hair. Look for products containing moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, and water. Products with common proteins like keratin, hydrolyzed silk, and hydrolyzed wheat also penetrate deeper into the hair and lock in the moisture.

3. Go for Low-Manipulation Hairstyles

High-manipulation hairstyles involve high tension and daily restyling that increase the risk of hair loss known as traction alopecia. Due to the constant tension on the follicles, traction alopecia is common among Black women. By choosing low-manipulation styles, you will give your hair a break from all the years of pulling and tugging, allowing it to thrive. The two-strand twists and Bantu knots are great low-maintenance hairstyles that you can consider. A Teeny-Weeny Afro (TWA) is another great choice to prevent afro hair thinning.

4. Switch to Mild Relaxers

Elevate Black Health does not recommend using relaxers of any type, however if you do, choose relaxers with caution as your hair ages. Relaxers are often touched up every 6-8 weeks or 4 weeks for shorter hair. Unfortunately, they tend to break the bonds on the hair and the strict regular maintenance can lead to damage. To protect your hair from thinning, consider using a mild relaxer, keep your trims regular, moisturize, and deep condition.

5. Keep Heat Styling on the Minimal

If you have to, use as little heat as possible. Although gray hair can be coarser, using a lower heat setting will help to protect it. Always remember to use a heat protectant as a buffer.

6. Additional Tips

Thinning hair is a common problem in black women, but you can have it under control with the right practices. Some few additional tips include:

Increase your daily intake of zinc and protein in your diet
Massaging your scalp to stimulate blood flow and encourage hair growth
Consider natural remedies like rinsing your hair with onion juice or apple cider vinegar to improve circulation and increase hair volume