So…we have made it to our 50’s! Just in time to watch our mates (and maybe ourselves) start the decade with “midlife crisis”…and also start our own body’s transformation into menopause and the realization that we have probably NOT saved enough for our retirement in our 60’s. It is not ALL doom and gloom, however. We now have a better idea of where we want to go in life, who we really are and what we like to do.

Hopefully we have great friends, family and careers that can take the “freak” out of “freak out”! In our 50’s we try to tame the grays and look for female hair loss treatments as our hair starts to thin due to the change of hormones or newly prescribed medications in our systems. How can we “stop” time?

A natural hair loss treatment starts with making sure that our bodies are continuing to take in the proper nutrition and especially enough water. Gray hairs are coarser and duller now and good cleansing shampoos and light conditioners along with making sure that we are keeping hydrated will give our hair and scalp a means of combating a quicker death of our aging hair follicles. Hydration keeps cells plump and light moisturizers and conditioners keep our skin and scalp pores from clogging. Clogged follicles are actually suffocating new hair growth! So make sure to use a shampoo without sulfates (soapy bubbles leave soapy scum!).

Another way to combat aging is to maintain a great exercise routine. This not only tones and gives our muscles a chance to fight fat, it also increases circulation. Increased circulation is one of the best treatments for thinning hair, and along with exercise a new laser hair comb is a great option to increase nutrition-rich blood to each hungry hair follicle. The new laser hair therapy for women is a simple to use (20-30 minutes every other day) hair loss treatment that is affordable and now sold for home use. I recommend the Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser for all of these qualities.

The 50’s are still fraught with stressors from worry about job loss, paying for college tuition, work vs. parenting/relationship time, etc., and some of us may be given new medications to combat these problems. Medications for normal body changes such as blood pressure and cholesterol elevation, joint or back pain also seem to be the “norm” at least in all of the TV and magazine ads! Although sometime these medications are necessary and taken correctly, they do cause other symptoms such as changes in our skin and hair.

Take ANY medications responsibly and see your doctor if uncomfortable changes or symptoms come to your attention. There are natural ways to combat dry mouth, hair and skin changes. Hair regrowth drugs such as minoxidil in Rogaine are also now being used by men and women to combat hair loss. If that is the route you choose to take, the laser hair therapy for women mentioned above is also safe to use as a thinning hair treatment along with these medications.

Shorter hair styles, highlights (just don’t overdo the harsh chemicals) and occasional oil or “hair mask” treatments will keep hair looking younger too. Be careful of harsh dyes, teasing (we don’t want to break what we are trying to keep!) chlorine and hair pieces or extensions that are too heavy and actually pull out more hair (what a vicious cycle that would be!) than they replace. The laser hair brush for hair loss is also safe to use with any hair dyes, treatments, or shampoos. It is a great addition to our healthy ways to keep our hair full, shiny and looking like we were at least back in those Fabulous Forties again!

Next up is a look at hair in our 60s. Keep your eyes posted for our series “Ageless Beauty…One Decade at a Time”!

Ageless Beauty for our Hair:

One Decade at a Time

Once we reach the age of 40 we usually have our job/marriage/family situation figured out. Some stress remains, but by now we either have less of it or have learned to cope with it better. However…just as hormones change EVERYTHING for us in our 20s…they’re BAAAAACK!

Hormone imbalance or Perimenopause plays little tricks on our brains, eyesight, skin and hair. Please consult a doctor first to rule out thyroid, anemia or other issues, but if you are just a normal 40-something, hair will start to thin and become fewer and farther between. As your scalp dries (like your skin) your hair follicles have a harder and harder time producing luscious locks. There is help, however, and the latest technology is the Personal Hair Therapy Laser by Nutreve. This laser does NOT remove hair…it stimulates the production of terminal hair (or thicker, darker shinier hair) of your youth.

This laser hair brush stimulates and improves hair growth and does not in any way interfere with your use of other important products that also help your hair’s comeback. The other new product that hair in our 40s can use is a great conditioner. It needs to be one that is not heavy as we do not want it to leave residue on our scalp to clog the very pores (follicles) that we are trying to help. We can also go in for extra oil treatments that are now referred to as “hair masks” to add shine and hydrate the hair shaft.

The laser hair comb also does not compete with the use of Minoxidil. This medication can be put on any areas of your head that may especially need treatment such as a receding hairline or balding patches.

We also need to make sure, that as at any age, we are getting the proper nutrition and vitamins. Usually we ARE the moms now…and our own mom no longer keeps reminding us of how to take care of our bodies by eating properly and taking our vitamins. Rest also plays a huge part in our overall health at this point. How long has it been since you got 8 hours??? All of these things our moms used to tell us are actually true. (Call her and let her know that you realize it now, and she was RIGHT!) Amazing…we must be maturing!

What about those gray hairs??? They are sneaking in by way of our temples, hairline and right on top so they can be seen in our part (showoffs!) Grays always want to be the center of attention, but we need to give them the boot! Whether you use the home treatment routine or just head out to the salon, color is very important for a youthful look. Treatment for thinning hair used to be done at the doctor’s or licensed salon just as hair coloring was. Now, there are amazing products on the market from permanent dyes, hennas, and my favorite, root touch up…so that we can tackle our grays at home.

We also have the new technology of laser hair therapy for home use. The salon can now come to us!

Speaking of salons though, getting a great haircut at home is still tough. How many friends do we have that are that good with scissors? Salons are still the go-to for a great style. As we “mature” though…we need to think of a newer style not just as fads come and go, but as our hair comes (hopefully with the new laser hair therapy for women) and goes.

Shorter styles don’t drag down the hair like longer ones do. But too short starts to show other imperfections that are creeping up. Bangs are now PERFECT for not only taking some of hair’s weight off, but hiding wrinkles or Botox-gone-bad too! Watch those split ends and balding patches by the temples as a too short cut or too many layers just perpetuates these problems. Salons are still the best at highlights to, and as we age we need to spark up our hair color by lightening in general or at least highlighting around the face to give us a brighter look (and outlook)!

So, do as Mom taught you with the old admonitions for better nutrition, vitamins and sleep, but add some new technology such as hair masks and even a laser hair brush for hair loss issues. Thinning hair does NOT have to happen to YOU!

Look for our next article as we check out hair in our 50s. Keep your eyes posted for our series “Ageless Beauty for our Hair…One Decade at a Time”!

Shedding is not only for dogs and cats! We shed hair too. There is a time and an amount that is totally normal for shedding hair, and there are also chemical reasons that shedding is increased…but for most of us, excessive shedding signals something else!

Thinning hair and hair loss affects most of us especially later in life. Normal hair shedding averages 100 hairs per day, but we may notice that sometimes we feel like there are so many more hairs going down the drain or are on our pillows. We need to check into why this is happening and the sooner the better. We may have been told by our doctor that medical treatments or the medicines we are taking may cause this, or we may be under a doctor’s care for excessive stress. In these cases, it all makes sense. However, we also need to consider sudden changes to our diet that we may have undertaken on our own and how that may affect our hair production and retention. Age can also be a factor as our hair follicles age right along with the rest of us!

If we are not under any medical, mental or physical changes that can explain excessive hair loss, then something can be done to stop the process by nourishing our hair from the insides of our scalp out through the tips of each hair. The Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser is just one of the tools out there that can help. Along with eating a healthy diet, making sure that our scalp is clean and free of heavy oils that clog follicles (just like heavy skin creams clog our skin pores), this solution for thinning hair actually stimulates the natural blood flow to each hair follicle bringing nutrients faster for a healthier start to the growth phase of each hair. The laser hair brush is eased over every area that is thinning (for a period of 20-30 minutes once every other day) to provide this stimulation. The cool, red laser light is dispersed through 35 laser diodes on a slightly curved surface that conforms to your scalp for efficiency and comfort. A stand that holds the laser comb can also be used so that you can be reading or using your hands for other tasks for saving time in a busier schedule.

I have checked into volumizing hair shampoos, conditioners and sprays that begin by masking the problem, but they eventually exacerbate the problem by clogging up the very “works” of the area of our hair’s production! Oils and “hair masks” are wonderful for the hair shaft…but again these do not hit the “root” of the problem…our hair follicle. When so many millions men and women in the U.S. alone are estimated to experience hair loss at some point in their lives, scientists have finally come up with a great solution that involves a one-time cost, and will work on all hair types, ethnicities, genders and also works right alongside any shampoos or medications (Monoxidil, Rogaine) that one may be taking already for hair loss. There are no contraindications regarding effectiveness of either when done in conjunction.

It looks like I can now take one worry off my list. I can look forward to using the latest technology of the laser hair brush to ward off my scalp’s signs of aging…excessive hair shedding and thinning!

I am 39 years old and my hair has gone from beautiful, thick hair to hair that is thinning and making me feel so self conscious. I am a busy Mom, wife and an office worker and I don’t have lots of hours to spend at a salon or testing and messing with hair products that promise you the world and deliver nothing. I am looking for a female hair loss treatment that is safe, easy, and fast.

This is becoming a more and more common comment I hear from my friends (actually of all ages) at parties, meetings and kid’s play dates. So, I decided to look into it myself and get “us” some answers on thinning hair treatment that might be available.

After an exhaustive internet search that turned up pills (I don’t want to take any medications!), surgery (no way!), hair “fillers/fibers” (they embarrassingly would fall out at the worst times), color scalp sprays (you can TELL), wigs (not quite yet), volumizing shampoos (they coat the scalp and eventually make it worse), scalp creams (ditto) and a laser hair comb (Now that sounds like new technology!).

Since either the option was out of the question (drugs, surgery) or had been tried by some friends already (all the rest) I decided to investigate the only one which no one knew much about…laser hair therapy.

It seems that the laser hair brush or comb is actually a technology that has been around for at least 20 years. However, up until lately, treatment involved going to a dermatologist or a licensed salon or hair studio for treatments that lasted for up to an hour and needed to be taken at least 2-3 times per week. Now, this laser treatment can be done at home, saving travel time, energy and gas. This easy-to-use hair care device takes only a 15-30 minute treatment at home every other day.

So now, before each treatment I just grab a book, relax under my laser hair brush on its hands-free stand, and turn it on and the timer reminds me when my treatment time is up! I just gradually move my head every few minutes to make sure that the lasers have reached every area that is thinning. My new in-home treatment is restoring my worn-out, tired hair follicles to healthy ones that are producing fuller, healthier hair shafts. It is nourishing my thinning hair and promoting existing hair growth from within the follicle.

It’s never too late to start defying the signs of aging…and it’s never too soon! I’m glad my friends could talk about their common concerns. This gave me the opportunity to research a condition that was troubling me, and now I can share my findings and enthusiasm about this female hair loss treatment.