Remember when your hair used to be soft, shiny, and bouncy like in a Miss Clairol commercial? But after decades of coloring, sitting in the sun, blow-drying, ratting, teasing, globs of Dippity Do, and suffering through menopause it’s become dull, dry, and lifeless. Well, it doesn’t have to be like that. Here are 5 tips on how to repair damaged hair and give it a more youthful look.
1. Stay wet and wild
Hair health comes from within and the most important thing you can do is stay hydrated. Think of your hair as if it were a potted plant. Without enough water, it will wilt and die.
2. Nourish it with foods that contain biotin to repair damaged hair
Biotin, which is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, will strengthen your hair, and nails, and improve your complexion.
Eggs are an excellent source of biotin. However, If you only eat egg whites, you may find yourself with a biotin deficiency. The solution is to eat whole eggs because they’re a perfect form of protein and will give you the biotin you need.
Eating fatty fish like salmon is another good way to consume biotin. Add it to your diet at least twice a week to repair damaged hair and bring back its natural oils.
Other natural sources of biotin include nuts, sunflower seeds, legumes, cauliflower, bananas, avocado, whole grains, milk, and red meat. (especially organ meat)
If you don’t think you are getting enough you can take a supplement. But, if you hate swallowing capsules, try it in gummy form. After a while, your hair, skin, and nails will begin to look amazing.
3. Treat your hair regularly
After shampooing, you can try applying a dime-sized portion of Argan oil and work it into your ends or use it as a hot oil treatment. If you have fine hair, stay away from sulfites and use a volumizing shampoo that can help plump up the roots and add nutrients back to depleted strands. Work in a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to get rid of buildup.
If your hair is thinning, use hair products that are formulated to encourage new growth.
4. Quit abusing your hair
Don’t wash it every day. Give it a few days in between shampoos to rebuild its natural oils.
Go easy with your blow dryer or curling iron or stop using them altogether. Try to get your hair cut so it will drip dry without styling. If you must use a blow dryer, set it to a cooler temperature.
Avoid using hairspray, mousse, or other stiffening products because they’ll dry out your hair and make it look dull.
If you aren’t ready to go gray, consider using non-toxic hair color products. Madison Reed has an outstanding line of products that do not contain ammonia, resorcinol, parabens, phthalates, gluten & PPD. Read my review here. They also have a wonderful gloss you can apply between hair color appointments to revive your color job and give it some shine.
5. Use a good hairbrush
The Agave Healing Oil Smooth and Shine Paddle Brush is a perfect detangler. You can add a little oil to your hair and brush it through for more shine. It’s made of bamboo with Nano-ionic mineral-infused bristles.
Hopefully, you’ll use some of these tips to repair damaged hair so your locks will come back to life again even though you’re over 50. At least it couldn’t hurt.
Enjoy these “vintage” hair commercials.
How do you keep your hair in shape over 50? Please leave a comment below.
OMG I used to use dippity do! I need to treat my hair, you are so right. Good reminders today and what i needed to hear when I needed to hear it!
LOL! I’m glad you found my article on hair repair useful. We really abused our heads back then.
I just got my haircut yesterday and I’m always told with my hair I’ll never have shine. I don’t wash it every day and have used Argan oil (or Moroccan). I drink 64 oz water/day. I want some shine! The brush sounds great and I love your ideas here. Thanks so much for this post. I’ll going to pursue your advice!
You may want to try the biotin supplements. They are good for hair, nails, and skin. I usually don’t promote supplements, but biotin is helpful for all sorts of things. I have a friend who has long, gray hair and who survived breast cancer. Her hair is gorgeous. She says it was the biotin that made the difference.
When I was a kid I would hear old tales about brushing your hair 100 strokes a day to have beautiful hair. Since breast cancer 12 years ago, and a lack of estrogen, my hair is really thing. I’ve been brushing it at night… Not 100 strokes, but I figure 20 or 30 is better than nothing. We’ll see. About the biotin… Since it promotes the growth of fast growing cells like hair, nails and… cancer cells, I’ve steered away from biotin. I’ve also read where it doesn’t promote new growth, but does keep what you have healthier. xoxo, Brenda
That’s interesting about the biotin affect on cancer. I was reading if your DNA is damaged then high doses of biotin can cause a problem. In general, I don’t promote supplements and believe high doses of any vitamin is damaging. Biotin taken from food sources is always the best but a low-dose of a supplement should be OK for most people. If you have had cancer, you may want to be careful about taking it. And some studies say it actually helps people with cancer. https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/new-perspectives-in-cancer-therapy-the-biotinantitumor-molecule-conjugates-2161-0444.S1-004.php?aid=26373