3 Expert Tips On How To Care For Aging Hair & Reverse Loss

Nutrition plays a vital role in overall health. And while the nutrition and hair health connection can sometimes be misunderstood, Nathan says eating a balanced, robust diet is one of the key ways you can support hair health long term. 

“We know in medicine from observation of people who have inherited disorders of vitamin metabolism or severe malnutrition, that hair growth is absolutely dependent on basic nutrients and overall internal health. No questions there,” she says. “So crash diets, very restrictive diets, or diets completely devoid of protein can cause hair loss.” 

She goes onto explain why: “When your body goes into panic mode and tries to conserve resources your hair will be among the first to suffer because it's not an essential function, so your resources are gonna be routed elsewhere.” 

The solution is basic, but time-tested: Eat a robust, varied diet full of nutrients. 

She notes protein is especially important. “Make sure you're getting enough protein because protein is needed to make hair. Our hair is primarily keratin, which is protein. It is that simple,” she says. “And most healthy women should aim for about 40 to 60 grams of protein per day, and I do think that's a lot more than many of us are getting.” Other experts suggest aiming for upwards of 100 grams per day. It's safe to say we could all be more mindful of eating enough protein.

Stress related hair loss is not a new concept. In fact, interest in the topic piqued during the pandemic. This was largely due to the physical stress brought on from COVID itself, as well as the heightened anxiety around loss and lockdown. These were major stressors that kicked off what’s called telogen effluvium. 

But it’s not just big stressors (like illness, loss, and so on) that can affect hair growth—new research indicates that low-level, chronic stress has the same potential. 

“There’s some growing evidence that low levels of chronic stress, so we're talking day-to-day stress, can actually elevate our stress hormones like cortisol, which can in turn gradually shorten the hair growth cycle and ultimately turn off our hair follicles,” says Nathan. 

So high-pressure jobs, burnout, and anxiety-inducing personal circumstances can all lead to increased hair loss over time—thanks to their cumulative effect on our cortisol levels. 

Just another reminder that it’s critical to find stress management that you can practice regularly. Nathan recommends meditation (her personal modality), time outside, exercise, and connection. “Eat well, prioritize sleep, take walks, and foster really close friendships. Those are the keys to health, happiness, and beauty,” she says.

Advertisement

While lots of the work is internal—how we care for our hair and scalp externally will be one of the most important variables in how the hair ages. First things first, Nathan notes, reduce your use of heat styling, chemical processing, and avoid ingredients that are known irritants for the scalp and hair follicle (like silicones or fragrance).

If you want to actively encourage growth and thickness, opt for scalp treatments or serums: “If someone is looking for a natural topical treatment for hair loss, I think there’s really exciting data about topical caffeine and turmeric,” she says. 

Caffeine has been shown to stimulate hair growth1 and also counteract the potentially damaging effects of hormones and stress on the hair follicle And turmeric, “is another ingredient to look for, especially if you're prone to a particularly dry or irritated scalp. This can help get your scalp in really good shape for growing healthy hair. And there's also some early data that turmeric may help block DHT2, a hormone associated with hair thinning,” she says.

For more hair health advice, tune in: 

Advertisement