Medically reviewed by William Truswell, MD

• Your hair texture can shift with age as your hair structure, hormones, and oil production change. 
• You may notice finer or thinner strands, looser curls, more frizz, less shine, and dryness.
• Gentle hair care, sun protection, and good nutrition can help your hair stay healthy.

If your hair feels different than it did a decade ago, you are not imagining it. Texture changes can be a normal part of aging due to shifts in your hair structure, hormones, and oil production.

1. Hair Structure Changes

Each strand of hair has a follicle (the part underneath your skin that grows and supports the hair) and a shaft (the part above your skin). Both change with age and can affect your hair’s thickness, curl pattern, and texture. Changes in stem cell production and scalp circulation can also affect hair structure.

Hair Follicle Changes

As you age, your hair follicles may shrink, change shape, and grow fewer hairs. They also spend less time growing hair and more time resting and shedding. Your metabolism, or energy production, also slows with age, which may affect your follicles.

Together, these changes can lead to:

• Changes in curl pattern, such as straight hair becoming wavy or curls loosening
• Finer, thinner strands
• Less volume and fullness
• Slower hair growth and more shedding
• Hair that feels dry, rough, or frizzy

Hair Shaft Changes

Your hair shaft is made mostly of keratin, a protein that gives hair strength and shape. Years of chemical treatments, heat styling, and sun exposure can wear down the protective outer layer of the hair shaft. 

These changes can make your hair:

• Dull and dry
• Less flexible
• More likely to tangle, split, or break
• Rough or frizzy

How Graying Changes the Structure of Your Hair

Each hair follicle holds stem cells that become either the cells that build the hair strand or melanin, the pigment that gives your hair color. As you age, the melanin reserve decreases. When your follicles make less melanin, your hair turns gray, silver, or white. 

Because these same stem cells also help build the hair strand, this decline can change your hair texture, too. Gray and white hairs may feel coarse, wiry, stiff, or unruly. 

Changes in Scalp Circulation

Your scalp circulation decreases with age, reducing the blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen to your follicles. This may contribute to slower growth, thinning, shedding, and breakage.

2. Hormonal Shifts

As you age, your hormone levels rise and fall, and these shifts affect your hair texture. 

Female Reproductive Hormones

Estrogen (the primary female reproductive hormone) keeps your hair in its active growth phase, helping your strands grow faster, longer, and thicker. When females go through perimenopause and menopause (the end of menstruation), estrogen drops. This can lead to thinner, drier hair; slower growth; and a wider part.

Androgens

Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are androgens, which are the primary male reproductive hormones. Females make smaller amounts, too. Shifts in androgen levels can shrink your scalp follicles, leading to finer hair on your scalp and coarser hair on your face. 

For females in perimenopause and menopause, dropping estrogen can make androgens more dominant. You may notice darker facial hair on your chin and upper lip.

Stress and Sleep Hormones

Middle age can increase stress and disrupt sleep due to caregiving and busy schedules. Higher stress levels and poor sleep increase cortisol, a stress hormone, which can disrupt your hair growth cycle and contribute to increased shedding.

3. Less Oil Production

Your hair follicles contain sebaceous (oil) glands. As you get older, these glands slow down and produce less sebum, a thick, waxy oil that keeps your hair moisturized, shiny, and soft. With less natural oils to coat your hair shaft, your hair may become: 

• Dry or frizzy
• Dull, with less shine 
• Fragile and more prone to breakage
• Thin

Other Reasons Your Hair Texture May Change

Aging is not the only thing that affects your hair texture. Other causes include:

• Certain medications and medical treatments, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation
• Cumulative hair damage from chemical treatments, like hair color, perms, or relaxers 
• Excessive brushing, combing, hair washing, blow drying, and heat styling
• Genetics
• Hormone imbalances or thyroid disorders
• Nutritional deficiencies, like low biotin, zinc, iron, or vitamin D
• Smoking 
• Sun exposure

How To Care for Changing Hair Texture as You Age

Here are a few hair care tips to help protect your hair’s strength and shine:

• Wash for your hair type: Wash oily hair more often and dry or curly hair less often to avoid excess dryness.
• Apply conditioner: After washing your hair, apply conditioner to the ends of fine or straight hair and from root to tip on dry or curly hair.
• Handle wet hair gently: Consider using a wide-tooth comb to detangle wet hair. Avoid brushing curly hair once it is dry.
• Loosen tight styles: Tight ponytails, braids, and extensions can cause hair breakage.
• Protect your hair from the sun: Wear a wide-brimmed hat outdoors to shield it from sun exposure.
• Turn down the heat: Use the lowest heat setting on styling tools, and apply a heat protectant before using. Air dry when possible.

Diet

Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients that support healthy hair growth, including:

• B vitamins: Eggs, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and whole grains
• Iron: Beans, lentils, leafy greens, and lean meats
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish, flaxseed, and walnuts
• Protein: Eggs, fish, lean meats, and legumes
• Vitamin C: Berries, citrus fruits, peppers, and tomatoes
• Vitamin D: Eggs, fatty fish, and fortified dairy products
• Zinc: Nuts, seeds, shellfish, and whole grains

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in conditions of the skin, hair, and nails) if hair texture changes occur along with:

• Fatigue, body aches, or weight changes
• Rapid hair breakage, thinning, or shedding
• Scalp pain, redness, itching, or rash

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Kristina Dawson