Get Younger Hair

Forget your make-up and our clothes, it’s your new hairstyle that can really knock years off. Here are the secret behind the scissors.

Your skin may show your age, but your hair gives you away too – especially if you’ve had the same old style for years. If your look hasn’t changed since you were a teenager, you probably look like you’re living in another decade! And if your hair is in bad condition, it will say a lot about your health and vitality – youthful hair swings and shines. So it’s crucial to take care of your locks if you don’t want them to betray your age.
Your hair becomes weaker and thinner naturally over the years – this can start from as young as 35, and often becomes really noticeable around the menopause. Hair needs a good supply of blood to grow, which is no problem when you’re in your youth. But as you get older, all sorts of factors, including stress, can adversely affect blood supply, which leads to a loss of natural pigment and moisture levels. Each follicle produces less hair too, so it grows more slowly.

But despite this, there’s plenty you can do to de-age and revitalise your hair – try some of these tips:

• Pack in the protein Hair is almost 100 per cent protein, so add plenty of lean meat and fish to your diet. Try to eat protein in the mornings when the blood supply feeding your hair follicles isat its most active – cottage cheese with fresh berries is one idea for a great, protein-packed breakfast.

• Eat essential fats These help supply your hair with essential nutrients – good for thicker and stronger growth. Find them in oily fish, nuts and seeds.

• Drink water Your hair needs hydration as much as your skin – try to drink six to eight glasses of water a day.

• Manage your stress levels When you get stressed your body uses up energy and nutrients more quickly so there’s less available for less important parts of your body, such as your hair. This means hair can lack shine and strength, and be harder to style. So take steps to reduce stress – try our tips on meditation (p87).

• Don’t smoke It reduces blood supply and therefore the delivery of essential nutrients to feed your hair follicles.

• Protect your hair Environmental factors like sun, pollution, rain and wind make hair drier, less manageable and more susceptible to damage. Styling products with UV and pollution filters canhelp, and wear a hat or headscarf to protect your hair from the elements. If you go swimming, make sure you rinse your hair with fresh water afterwards to get rid of salt or chlorine.

Bring out the best
Aside from lifestyle changes, a new hairstyle is a great way to knock years off your hair – and you! For example, a good cut can exaggerate your best features, hide your worst ones and even make you look slimmer!
Face-framing layers, a fringe, height on the crown, and a loose casual style could all take 10 years off you. But hair that’s overstyled and overneat isn’t great. For instance, Sharon Osbourne’s surgeon has done some great work, but toning down that colour and softening her style could make her look even younger – more like Susan Sarandon, Goldie Hawn and Meg Ryan, who all have flattering, loose, casual hair. It’s pretty and feminine.

Great hair colour is important too. A lot can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing so if you’re in any doubts about which colour to go for, leave it to the experts. Youthful colour is multi-dimensional so the colour has light reflective particles in it that make it shine and sparkle. Regardless of whether you go for all-over colour, highlights, or lowlights – as you get older you should go a little lighter to lift your skin tone. Going too dark or too bright (think brassy blonde) will make you look paler and older.

High maintenance
Once you’ve got a great cut and colour, maintaining it is vital. Get your hair trimmed and your roots touched up regularly – how often will obviously depend on your hair growth. You could also give yourself a daily scalp massage with your fingertips while you shampoo your hair. This encourages healthy growth and gets the blood supply rushing to your follicles.
Using a weekly hair mask will make your hair feel softer and look shinier. They penetrate the cuticle or outer layer of your hair and deposit nourishing ingredients into the inner structure or cortex. Why not try making your own hair masks from mashed avocado or banana? The essential fats in avocado and the B vitamins in bananas are great hair boosters.

Hair that is not groomed and styled can be unflattering and ageing, so even though we’re anti-ageing your hair, that doesn’t mean you can steer clear of the hair straighteners or curling tongs. The most important thing is to use a protective spray or cream on your hair first to reduce heat damage. Try not to apply the heat for too long – air-dry first and use heat to finish off your style. Look for appliances that use ionic technology – they attract negative atoms from the atmosphere, which helps your hair retain its moisture levels.

For the perfect finish use products such as hairsprays and serums to add shine and hold. They use polymers to hold your hair in place and give it shine. They won’t cause any damage because the ingredients are washed away when you next shampoo. They’re just like your lipstick – the finishing touch to your stay-young hairstyle!

Naturally Longer locks

‘Whatever your age it’s certainly true that good nutrient levels are essential for a healthy scalp and great-looking hair,’ says Dr Caroline Longmore of Galen Naturopathic Centres.

She recommends taking the following supplements:

Alpha lipoic acid An antioxidant, which helps your body turn food into the energy that all your cells need, plus it fights free-radical damage to the cells.
Magnesium helps your body to make protein, which is what your hair is mostly made from.
Silica This is great for strengthening your hair and making it shine.
Zinc It promotes cell reproduction which could lead to stronger, healthier-looking hair.
Essential fatty acids help to maintain the health of your scalp and keep your hair shiny and nourished. Good sources are fish oils or flaxseed oil.

Expert: Andrew Barton- the international creative director for Seks Salons, where he’s responsible for developing the latest hairdressing techniques. He’s also an expert on channel 4’s 10 Years Younger and regularly appears on other shows such as GMTV.

Words:  Rebecca Speechley