8 Medical Reasons: Why Hair Becoming Curly With Age

Have you ever woken up to a springy and curly grey hair? It may cause panic or anxiety. Most people freak out and attempt pulling off the hair. Usually, grey hairs signal aging, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. So, to know why hair becoming curly with age you should go through the article.

The truth is, a lot of things happen to our bodies when we age, and greying and shrinking of hair is part of it. Typically your once straight hair might start coiling itself, and there are several explanations to this occurrence.

When you’re aging, there is an alteration in the hair follicles. Most of these changes range from microscopic,hormonal, biochemical, or environmental factors.

Here, we shall examine why hair becoming curly with age is normal. Let’s begin.

Why Hair Becoming Curly With Age?

As medical research we have know the many reasons “why hair becoming curly with age”. Here I have tried to explain according some explanation from experts and listed below.

Low hair production due to age

As you grow older, you’ll likely note a change in the hair texture and color. With age, hair grows slowly and starts falling out. With time, there’s low production of hair from the follicles, and this causes thinning and brittleness. When this happens, new hair that grows becomes coarser and curly.

Exposure to heat

 

Grooming your hair is essential, as maintaining a natural hair may be cumbersome. It generally involves exposure to ultraviolet light, daily combing, and blow-drying. It also involves other methods of hair straightening that contribute to changes in hair texture and appearance.

Combing will cause the weak hair to come off; straightening will also have similar effects on your hair. Likewise,heat damages the proteins found in hair, and it loses moisture. This exposure makes the hair thin out with time, and when one grows old, the hair will start coiling.

Use of relaxers and hair dyes

Other than heat exposure, some people go to the extent of applying chemicals commonly known as relaxers. These chemicals help in straightening, curling, or perming. It helps give your hair a new look and adds a touch of elegance. Despite these, chemicals are dangerous and harm your hair.

Similarly, the application of hair dyes on a permanent or temporary basis affects the texture and appearance of your hair.

Just like any other body organ, the hair doesn’t live forever. The maximum lifespan of a single hair is six years from the day it stems from follicles.

When using chemicals and in daily hair maintenance, all your hair can’t remain intact for such a long period.With time you’ll realize that your hair thins and dries out. As you age, the hair will begin curling and shrinking.

Exposure to the environment

You may avoid chemicals, but this will not save you from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. The environment out here is harsh, and in one way or the other, your hair is at risk of change in texture, shininess, and appearance.

Exposure to direct sunlight without moisturizing your hair leads to dryness and brittleness. Over time, this leads to curly hair. Some of the stressors found in the surroundings include toxin sand pollution. Other environmental factors include variations in temperature and humidity which damage the follicles

These may cause your scalp to be sensitive, which is a danger to the hair follicles. In worse case scenarios, it may lead to dry scalp and itchiness.

Some dust particles may settle on the scalp. Continuous exposure leads to weakened hair, and therefore your hair becomes twisted.

Such kind of exposure will affect the hair follicles or roots from where your hair stems. As a result, your hair weakens and wears out with time. At this point, you’re likely to find hair coiling and curling.

Lifestyle choices

Our bodies are what we eat. A good diet leads to a healthy body and healthy hair. Some nutrients found in the food will naturally support the hair follicles. It thus leads to the production of healthy hair.

Poor diet choices will affect your hair follicles, and as you age, they’ll be less production of hair. Smoking, excessive alcohol, and drug abuse are poor diet choices that will affect your hair production. The few hairs remaining will thin and begin to coil.

In addition, stress affects the growth of hair. When you have constant stress from family, work, or external forces, this compromises the growth of healthy hair. The hair follicles will no produce healthy hair, and you’ll notice hair falling.

Genetics

Your straight hair can naturally turn curly due to the gene factor. For some time, your hair will remain straight until such a stage in life or old age you realize your hair has lost its straightness and has begun to curl. Probably the curly gene has been silent, but due to age, it’s been activated affecting the straightening of your hair.

Drugs or medication

Some triggers, such as drug use or any reason, may cause changes to your hair. Older adults may be in constant medication for various conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and more.These treatments affect your hair follicles and may cause the production of curly hair.

Hormonal changes

In mid-life, you’ll notice your hair becoming finer and will start thinning. It is normally expected as the hair follicle changes from straight to flat.

Hormonal changes can also cause your hair to change from straight to curls. It happens mostly in women when they reach menopause and post-menopause. There’s a scientific explanation to this,the hair follicle muscles changes at the bottom during menopause. In a worse situation, the hair thins and starts to curl.

Therefore changes in hormones affect the hair follicles, which change in shape from straight to a curved or oval shape, thus affecting the appearance of your hair.

Conclusion

Why did my hair go from straight to curly? Hair curling with age is a natural occurrence. However, some factors, such as environment, diet, and medication, may accelerate this occurrence. Chemical use and heat will lead to damage to the hair follicles and cuticle.

It’s important to minimize the use of chemicals, heat, and properly take care of hair through the use of moisturizing products. Additionally, eating a diet and exercising helps keep the hair healthy even in old age.