How to Prevent Losing Gray Hair

Prevent losing gray hair by nourishing it daily to keep it soft and moisturized.

Gray hair happens when pigment-producing cells gradually die off, making the hair follicle strands white or grayish. As your hair ages and turns gray, it can lose its luster, elasticity, moisture and strength, causing it to be brittle and susceptible to split ends and breakage. The good news is that you can prevent this type of hair loss. Careful hair care and management can restore damaged gray hair to a healthy state.

Things You'll Need

• Shampoo
• Protein-based, color treated conditioner
• Hair blow dryer
• Hair gloss
• Lowlight
• Shears

Instructions

1. Apply a moderate amount of specially formulated shampoo for gray hair textures. Choose products that contain blue tints which enhance the gray hair. Use these specially formulated shampoos to condition the hair without stripping it of its natural oils. Nourish the scalp and the hair follicles daily with a leave-in, protein-based conditioner.

2. Apply a protein-based conditioner to your hair three to five times a week. Sit under a heated blow dryer for 15 to 25 minutes so that the conditioner can penetrate weak, brittle gray hair. Invest in quality moisturizing formulas made specifically for gray hair.

3. Schedule a hair appointment with a licensed beautician. Ask the beautician to use specially formulated conditioners to treat your gray hair and to massage your scalp to increase blood flow and circulation. This can help increase hair growth.

4. Schedule regular hair appointments with a salon that you trust (and with a licensed beautician experienced in caring for weak or damaged hair) to maintain healthy gray hair. Avoid chemical treatments. Consider getting gentle salon treatments instead--allow the gray hair to strengthen up over time. Gradually add lowlights for definition and glosses for shine.

5. Trim your ends every three to four weeks. Split ends are common in gray hair when the follicles become drier and more brittle. Trim about a ½ inch off of the ends with hair shears to prevent gray hair from breaking off.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid applying too much heat to your hair. Remember, gray hair is more susceptible to dryness and breakage. Heat from curling and flat irons can further weaken the hair follicles, bringing on more hair loss damage.

References

• Ladies Home Journal: How to Love Your Gray Hair
• Gray Hair Management: Gray Hair