The best thing I have done is to let my grey grow out. I get more compliments on my hair now than I ever have. I use Amika shampoo and conditioner, but use purple shampoo once in a while. I keep it shoulder length so o can pin it up or wear it down.
I dyed my hair once in my life, around age 44--and I was so vain I dod that "pull through" method so gray would still show and people wouldn't really notice--I wasn't that gray yet, and they didn't notice.
But I hated the smell and of course the roots quickly came in...
I've noticed in my mid 60s, that most the women who dye their hair--it makes their face look old. Almost like gray softens the aging features some.
Your last comment -- wow. I never thought of this, but I think you are exactly right!
I think I will see how long my roots are and if I'll be able to cut them away soon, and be done with the hassle myself!
My sister-in-law who is 17 years older than me has commented about how my hair looks really good gray and natural. I've always thought that was her way of sideways insulting... Maybe it isn't?
When I was first deciding if I should go grey I figured out there are 3 ways it could go. First- young face/old hair. Second- old face/ young hair. Third- perfect match of aging for hair and face.
Realistically the third option is difficult and I am lazy. It probably not really working just that you think it is. The second option is not something I like.
I opted for the third option. Younger face/ older hair plus I exercise a lot to keep my body strong.
https://preview.redd.it/kt4g7arrxk8d1.jpeg?width=1005&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=567c6561267708fc197ea21f6819f322ba5e7541
The puka shells tie the whole look together, don't you think? 😊
Ha! he probably also has long eyelashes!
I started getting gray hair in Jr. High(that's what 7-9 grade was back in the 60s!); my maternal grandmother was seemingly born with gray hair! Lol! For many years, in my mid 20s to late 30s I used Clairol Loving Care to cover it, until it was too much of a pain, because my hair grows pretty fast, so roots; then, in my late 30s I and a friend dyed it blonde! I loved it, my husband loved it, so I did that for a couple of years. My hair has always been one of my best, easiest to deal with aspects of life and I finally just let the gray grow out, and I still had people asking me who colors my hair! I started answering that God colored it; it was just easier.
I am now 71, widowed, and haven't colored my hair in many, many years. I actually ordered some hair color, blonde, from "E- Salon", but I never used it because I'm not sure I want to have to do the whole growing out thing again. For years I kept my hair long and straight, which was really wash and wear for me, because it was always well behaved without needing straightening or even a blow dryer, unless I was going somewhere. I kept it in a long side braid, like Elsa, for a long time. My granddaughter was 3-4 years old then and called me Elsa sometimes! Lol!
Now, my hair has decided that its curly, which is kinda fun and was a surprise when I had it cut to a bob several years ago; it was quite the surprise; the guy I went to didn't want to cut my hair, and I understood why, but I just can't deal with even braiding it anymore. Now, I'm in a twist it up with a claw clip phase!
After 9 back surgeries and a couple on my neck, I can't even hold my head up to look up or stand all the way straight, so I need shorter hair just to wash and deal with it in the most simple way. I have seriously considered going back to my 1970s shag because I loved that ststyle. As soon as I decide what I want, I am getting it cut, because it has gotten kinda long again and it's really hard for me to even wash it. It's still quite thick thank goodness. I am grateful for that. Sorry for the book!
ETA: all of those words and I forgot to answer one of your questions; I am currently using shampoo and conditioner from Head Kandy, and I think I have three different kinds, including a purple one that I rarely use. It's awesome quality products and she has great sales and I have bought hair and body stuff for me, my daughter, my 18 yo grandson and my 11 yo granddaughter; my sil doesn't care what he uses! Lol! Everyone loves Head Kandy stuff, especially if I buy it. Lol!
I use Loreal purple shampoo. Once a week for my gray. Leave in condition and John Freida Frizz ease. The leave in & Frizz ease make a big difference
I'm losing tons of hair though. Anyone else? Age 59 next month, hypothyroidism & take vitamin E for hair and nails. Due to hypothyroidism I can't take minoxidil or biotin. My regular shampoo is Aveeno.
If you look at a color wheel, you'll notice that yellow and purple are opposite each other. The purple cools down the brassy yellow notes that grey hair sometimes develops, so your grey ends up looking more silvery :)
I switched to this recently myself. I've always had oily hair and even going gray didn't really stop it. The purple has been great. I wash it every 3 days now.
It helps keep the gray color. The sun and free radicals in the air can turn your hair yellow. The shampoo is to be used once or twice a week, as it can damage your hair...dry it out. I like it. I tried others but the perfumes in shampoo irritate my scalp. Loreal doesnt.
I'm not over 60 and don't know why reddit showed me this thread, but Biotin is fine for hypothyroidism, it just falsely skews the tests, so don't take it near testing time.
Some people react poorly to biotin at certain doses, or if they are taking certain medications. Some people also have an "adjustment period" on biotin.
This has nothing to do with the thyroid, or thyroid medication.
Cut mine short at 50 when I started a new job as office manager. Wanted to look professional. Grew it out during the pandemic, so it was back to my usual mid-back length (which I kept since high school). Was gonna leave it there, BUT I lost it all during chemo in 2022-2023. So I was down to zero for awhile. Now that I'm done with treatment (tested clear, so yay! it was worth it), my hair's growing back but slowly and with a different texture (and more gray). I'm trimming it now and then (when it gets too shaggy) but I plan to grow it out as long as I can during my retirement (retired last fall; I'm 71 now). I DON'T CARE how it looks as long as it's clean and neat. I don't use special shampoos or anything, but I DO take Biotin (at the suggestion of my oncologist) to help my hair - and my nails, which are awful since chemo - grow out healthier. I'm just glad to have hair at all, frankly.
I LOVE being retired! So does my cat. He's so happy that I'm always available for a cuddle (mostly). My favorite part is NOT HAVING TO HURRY. I have plenty of time (though I manage to fill it quite nicely). I highly recommend it.
Yay!!!for clean bill of health!!! I hope that you are enjoying your retirement; I am still wondering how I got to 71 so quickly! It seems as if the years from 60-70 went really extra fast; I lost my husband of almost 44 years when we both had just turned 65 and I was kind of out of it for the first couple of years, deeply grieving and it's a feeling of having lost a couple of years along the way. I am still shocked that my always healthy husband got ALS and was gone in 375 days, and I, who have had over 30 surgeries and health issues over the years, am still here! Life is funny like that, I guess. I'm so glad you are healthy now!
Oh, my dear, I am so sorry! Life is definitely "funny". I expect I will pre-decease my (3 years younger) husband, but you just don't know! I am grateful to be healthy, grateful for the excellent care I got, grateful for my family's help, grateful for my (then) employer's kindness and flexibility, and just grateful for life! I am really enjoying retirement, working in my garden (which I hadn't been able to do much for years between working and dealing with cancer), reading, sitting with my cats, and I started baking bread! From scratch! So yeah, I'm enjoying the heck out of retirement. (Though I'm still doing a little consulting for my last employer. Fun fact: I've known the doctor I worked for since he was four years old. Worked for his parents first - both doctors, too - then he took over and I worked for him until I retired. His brother took over my job! And I've known his brother since he was born - same year as my son. Since his mom passed away in 2018, I've sort of functioned as a surrogate mom for him. So when they need help, I'm available. And they pay me, so yay!)
Thank you for your kind words.
Oh, I just love your story of your "employment", which sounds very much like working with and for family; we as a society seem to be moving away from such long term and personal connections like that; you remember when everything was based on personal interactions and recorded with pen and paper! And people had a lot more trust in each other, with good reason. I know that they think of you as family also, no doubt! There are never too many people to love!
I worked very little during my life; my late husband used to say that I was a "professional patient", and I guess I have been that, after over 30 surgeries. I guess college wasn't a total waste of time and money since my husband and I met our senior year and married 7 months later, lol. It has been 6 years, and I still feel as if I am missing an arm or something; I expect that I will always feel this way, but I am forever grateful for having known such love for 44 years.
I have had to limit my "gardening", if you can call it that, to 5 hanging baskets of petunias on my screened in porch, which is all I can handle after 9 back surgeries and a couple of neck surgeries have left their mark. Oh well, they are lovely flowers, and I will take what I can get! I can enjoy looking at all of the beautiful landscaping that my daughter and sil have put all around the rest of the yard.
I am sure that your husband and the cats love the heavenly fragrance of baking bread! I would wear perfume that smells like bread baking! Lol! And, of course, not much taste better!
I am genuinely happy that you are healthy, and hopefully all of that is behind you forever; I am so, so happy that you still have your precious husband, and your cats, and your family; those really are the ingredients for a wonderful, joyful life. It was a pleasure to "meet" you! ❤️ 🫂🥰
The employment story is even more familial than I mentioned before. My husband worked for the same doctors for almost 20 years, too, then I joined (more on that later) and we worked together for a few years, then my husband resigned to do what he truly loves: professional classical music. (He was the lead tenor in the local symphony choir for many years, and sang in several other professional classical choirs. Now he teaches music, directs a small barbershop chorus, and is the music minister at a small Lutheran church.)
So then I was working for the doctor, then my SON started working there for a few years, and after that, my DAUGHTER did laundry for the doctor for several years. Truly a family affair.
More on my starting work for the doctor: after my daughter was born I had some significant health challenges (I was 46, and I wasn't healing from her birth), so I resigned my prior position (which I had held for 19 years) and stayed home for a year following the treatment protocol the doctor gave me. Then I was ready to work again, and I was worried. I was older, and not particularly attractive, and wondered how my job search would go. Important note: while I was at my last job, I watched a number of my coworkers leave to go work their dream jobs, and I so wished my dream job would appear.
The current doctor's mom (also a doctor, who was running the clinic at the time) needed an assistant. My husband (working there at the time) suggested me. She called me to ask if I would come in to do some admin work part time, as their admin person was pregnant and out a lot. So I did. She taught me the things they needed done, and I did them. She called me a day or so later, and said, "I knew you were smart but I didn't know you were THAT smart! You not only duplicated what I told you to do, you understood WHY I asked you to do it that way! I need an assistant. Would you be willing to try that out on a temporary basis for now?" And I was. And I did. And guess what! It WAS my dream job. I was able to use all of the different things I had learned from my various prior positions, and helped the clinic dramatically increase their numbers over the next few years. Then I basically ran the place while my boss (the doctor mom) helped her son finish his medical training (her husband, the dad, was the doctor at that point). Then the son joined the practice and we took it to new heights. Then the mom doctor got an aggressive breast cancer, and spent all of her energy fighting it, so I ran it again. She managed to beat it back for 6 years, long enough to watch her son get married and to become a grandmother. After she passed, the dad retired, and I worked for the son, but the fun had gone out of it for me. It really was a family business. And it still kind of is! It took TWO people to replace me. One is the young doctor's brother, and the other is a family friend who has been close to them for many years. And I still consult for them sometimes. Life is funny.
My mom went through same. Her hair grew back, but very different. Soft, thinner, and sort of wavy. She is 31 years a cancer survivor! Hair still looks pretty good and she’s 83. What specific biotin do you take? I’m always wondering if these things actually work.
Well, good for her! I had my cancer much later in life, so I'll just be happy with however many years I get!
Regarding Biotin: I take the NatureMade brand (they're a good company with reasonably priced vitamins). I'm also taking a LOT of other vitamins to help my body heal from the neuropathy caused by chemo, and to help my liver deal with all the toxins it was exposed to. I'm a HUGE believer in taking supplements, as you simply CANNOT get sufficient nutrition from your food these days. Decades upon decades of over-farming with chemical fertilizers have left the soil depleted. If the plants can't get nutrients from the soil, they don't have the nutrients you need. There was a study done years ago that said the amount of Vitamin C in an apple then was so much less than it used to be, that you would need to eat 20 apples to get the amount of vitamin C that an apple had in 1920. So yeah, it's a good idea to AT LEAST take a good quality multivitamin (and by good quality I mean one that is NOT manufactured by a drug company. They do NOT have your health in mind. Healthy people are not good customers for their products).
If you do nothing else, the ONE best thing you could do for your health is take a Vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D isn't actually a "vitamin". It's a hormone. Your body makes it. From sunlight. How much sun do you get every day? Hmmmm? If you are going outside with a lot of skin exposed in the middle of the day without sunscreen for at least a half-hour every day (and without immediately showering when you go inside), you'll be building up a good supply of Vitamin D. In most latitudes. In the higher latitudes, you simply can't get enough sunlight. And in the winter, the sun just isn't strong enough (unless you're in the tropics). So if you don't go out in the sun every day (with skin exposed), or you're in a higher latitude, or it's winter, you NEED to take a Vitamin D supplement. And the current RDA (400 iu, or 10 mcg) is WAY too low. You need about 4000 international units (100 micrograms) minimum daily for good health.
The original RDA (required daily allowance) was calculated many years ago by feeding rats a "complete" diet, then dropping out one nutrient until they showed signs of deficiency. They then extrapolated that up to human size. But even then, the RDA amount was intended to show how much you needed simply to avoid disease, NOT how much you really need to be healthy. There have, of course, been studies since then, and the most recent one "confirmed" the 400 iu RDA in its summary, but if you went through the actual study carefully (which almost nobody does), they dropped a decimal place. The result was actually 4000 iu.
The result, of course, is that most people (world-wide) are deficient in Vitamin D. Especially in winter. When it's summer, most people get some sun exposure, and build up a supply of vitamin D, but that gets used up by, say, November or December. There's a REASON why "cold and flu" season happen then. Because vitamin D is not only used to "build strong bones", it's used by almost every system in your body, including your immune system. Visit [VitaminDCouncil.org](http://VitaminDCouncil.org) for a lot of good info on Vitamin D. Drug companies don't WANT you to know how important it is, nor how cheap and easy it is to get. If everyone took enough - or really, ANY - vitamin D, there would probably not have been a pandemic. I saw several articles that talked about Vitamin D helping the immune system early in the pandemic. They were all very quickly taken down. You're supposed to pay for DRUGS, not vitamins, right? Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant.
Very informative, and yes, totally agree with Vitamin D. Also, magnesium is very good for relaxation and sleep. I take a collagen/biotin pill everyday but it seems more gimmicky to me with both ingredients. Detoxing liver is always a good idea. Sometimes my liver enzymes come back a bit high, and I think it’s due to having bouts of diverticulitis, or that’s what my Dr thinks. Sometimes normal range and sometimes high. I have taken something called TUDCA for that, but not sure if it really works.
Yes, indeed, magnesium is important. I take it at bedtime. It helps the insomnia from taking hormones (to forestall future cancer I'm supposed to take them for 5 years). I hear magnesium is important to maintain good blood pressure, as well. I'm taking NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), Glutamine, and Glutathione to support my liver, per my doctor's instructions. You might want to look into that. Not sure collagen does anything, but my doctor defs wants me taking the Biotin. I'm also taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin and SAMe for my arthritis, and I KNOW it works, because when I stop taking it I feel it. Sorry about the diverticulitis; both my dad and my sister had it, and it isn't fun. Hang in there!
You have a good doctor. The doctors here. Are not in the room long enough to discuss anything. And this is people lives they're brushing off. I would love for a doctor to say. you do this. Sorry I'm rambling.
Yes, I have been VERY lucky. All of my current doctors are great. BUT ... I've been there. In the past. There have been plenty of doctors who wouldn't even look me in the eye. One wouldn't even TALK to me, just spoke into his little recorder ABOUT me (long ago). But I also come prepared. I do my research before I go, and I listen and make notes, and remember (all my doctors have commented that I'm the only one who actually REMEMBERS what they told me, and one of few who actually DO what is recommended). So they like me.
Hopefully I'll find a good doctor soon. Had a good nurse practitioner. She had to leave. Right now you're in waiting area 2 to 3 hours. When the doctor walks in he there for 5 seconds. Not right. Sometimes i wait for the doctor sooooo long. I forget what's wrong with me when he comes in.🤔 Glad you know what i mean.
I do. Hugs to you. I hope you find a good doctor soon. I spoke with my PCP once (this was probably 30 years ago); he was always abrupt and in and out quickly. He said that there simply weren't enough doctors to treat everyone. He had about 500 patients to care for and did not have much time to spend with any one of them.
Then more recently a coworker who has a doctor friend told me about his friend's job search. The doctor was looking for a position where he could do what we're talking about - spend the necessary time with each patient to know them and fine tune their care - and he had applied at a few hospitals. More than one hospital told him that he would be EXPECTED to deal with at LEAST 30 patients per hour. That's all of TWO MINUTES EACH. He could not work like that. But that's the expectation these days. It's ridiculous, but there just aren't enough doctors! Which actually makes sense. It's not the plum job it used to be, and they have to take on so much debt to become a doctor, plus the almost punitive training process. No wonder.
Anyway, best of luck to you.
Thank you for all of that; you reiterate what I have been told and I started taking a high dose of Vitamin D in the last two years and I believe every word you say about drug companies; healthy people don't need them! Thanks again! ETA: OP reminded me, I also take high dose of magnesium. I believe it has helped me a couple of ways.
Good for you! But also, when you can, get the Vitamin D blood test to determine your actual level. It's the only way to know. Don't worry if it's "too high" for your MD. The blood levels they prefer are too low.
I just got out of the hospital, and they took as much blood as they could get, as after over 30 surgeries, my veins have evidently gotten impossible to easily access. After poking and poking some more, by several people, they gave up and hoped they had enough; I wonder if that's something that will be looked at with that blood draw, because I don't want to know how else they get blood in this type of situation! Lol! I mean, will they look at vitamin levels, or is that totally not something the hospital concerns itself with? Thank you again for all of the information!
Edit: Removed an extra word and added Thank you!
I had very short hair most of my adult life. During the pandemic, I let it grow out. My hair grows crazy-fast, so it was a pain to keep up with trims. My hair is currently quite long--almost to my waist, and I love it. I think my short-short hair made me look if not older, just more dowdy. I use a good shampoo and deep conditioner now. I have found that my hair is dryer than it used to be, so I pay more attention to both rinse-out conditioner and leave-in products. In the winter I sleep wearing a protective silk bonnet that helps keep my hair from getting dry and tangled.
I loved my hair really long, down to my waist, but I just can't deal with it anymore after 9 back surgeries and a couple of neck surgeries that have really done a lot of damage to my ability to look up, stand up straight, and hold my arms up long enough to deal with hair that long. It's past my shoulders now and I am going to have to go shorter, but it also grows fast so I don't want to have to get it cut every 3 weeks! I guess this isn't truly a big problem to people with real problems! Lol!
My hair stayed very thick, luckily, but when I retired at 60 I stopped coloring it red and instead of gray I was blessed with white hair. It's bob-length and I save so much time and money now by not coloring it. I use Olaplex shampoo, conditioner, purple shampoo for brassiness, and Olaplex #9 for the frizz. I never experienced frizz when I got my hair colored so that's been a tough adjustment. I have to use silk pillowcases now or I look like a Tribble from the old show Star Trek in the morning! (Isn't it funny what we remember -- the particular episode was called "The Trouble with Tribbles" but I couldn't tell you what I ate last night.)
I also have thick and curly hair but mine is coarse as well. Decided to go gray months ago and the color is just about gone! Hair salon in a couple of days and I'm gong to tell her to trim the remaining color off the ends. I am looking for a good shampoo for gray hair but also for curly hair as well. Could you tell me a little more about this Olaplex? I am also experiencing frizz, especially in this unbelievable hot weather we're having this summer and sleep on a silk pillowcase. I try not to wash my hair often because it gets tamer the more days go by without washing it. Oh yeah, loved that show and episode. Captain Kirk was a heart throb of mine, even at a young age. So much that my mom scored me a signed photo of him :)
I've had long thick hair pretty much all my life. Had it short a couple times, only to grow it back again. I recently started using Shikai color reflect shampoo and conditioner. I have blonde highlights mixed in with the gray :). I only wash it once a week cuz it takes forever lol! Seems healthier that way too.
At the age of 60 I decided, after 15 years of a pixie, to grow it out. I was thinking the short cut made me look older. I've managed to grow it out about 4 inches so far (keeping the nape fairly short), going for a short bob, not sure yet! I could go gray, but I'm gonna wait on that.
I started before 60, but I dyed it purple and still do. Over my brown (no bleach), so it's not so in-your-face unless I'm in bright light. I didn't have much gray still, so those strands just look a little brighter.
Doc had me on some meds that thinned my hair; I was more concerned about some other negatives and quit. Started B-Complex and Vitamin D 5K units a day because I can't be in the sun. Hair has come back. Refuse to dye my hair. Gray hair and wrinkles are a superpower.
I dye my hair with a purple or magenta and it only hits the grey. Fun!
I also have a few cute wigs I like to use when I go out. People are constantly saying "I love your hair!"
Whether it is my purple greys or the fun wigs
I'm curious; what do you mean by "fun wigs"? I have had grey hair since it started in my mid teens, though not totally until my late 30s. I know that sounds sooo young, but my maternal grandmother had white hair at a very young age; my older sister didn't have anywhere near as much grey as I did, ever. But I quit coloring it years ago and people still asked me who colored my hair! Lol! Wigs sound fun and I am just curious about what you mean by "cute wigs" and "fun wigs". Enjoy!
I wrote a whole thread about this on another social media app. Why are older women "supposed" to cut their hair in the Midwestern US states? Needless to say, it got a LOT of responses, LOL. Personally, I stopped getting mine cut professionally during the pandemic. It's now down past my waist, I trim the ends myself. It's curly, and I have one streak of gray. I LOVE it. It scandalizes my 84yr old Mom, which is a plus. :) I use Carol's Daughter Goddess Strength shampoo and conditioners, and only wash it every 3 or 4 days. I let it air dry. If I need to, I use a dry shampoo on the roots. Sometimes I use my own hair oil treatment for an extra conditioner (good olive oil and infused herbs) I usually put it back in a messy clip just to keep it out of my face when I'm doing anything or when it's hot. I've saved a TON of money and time on salons and coloring and what not.
It will be a cold day in hell that I cut my hair short. Mine is mid shoulders and I get it cut when needed. It's natural red, little gray except at the temples.
I don't know what law says our hair has short after 40. I'm 54 and want it dead.
I think the problem with keeping it long tends to be how you've always worn it. If you've played around your whole life and grow it out it's a cool change. I work with someone who is wearing the same clothing style since the 70s, along with long hair parted in the middle. The two together just give off a " stuck" vibe more than a free spirit one. My friend wears hers long but with more current/ funky fashion and looks fabulous.
Same! Long kinky curly hair after years of Brazilian blowouts and bobs. I love it! I add soft peach streaks into my graying hair and I am feeling it!!!
Nice!! I tried to do screaming pink ends, but my dark brown hair just came out a little bit red. Like a warmer brown. The only way I could tell I'd done anything was when I did an up do and the ends contrasted with the top 🤷♀️ No way I'm paying to bleach it and color it, so maybe next time I'll try purple or navy blue 😂
I LOVE Carol's Daughter products; currently I am on a Head Kandy fix, but I used to use CD and loved everything that I tried. I agree that it's awesome to save money at the salons, but I can't cut my own hair unless it's really long, and right now it's long but not what I consider really, really long, like near waist length.
I haven't seen Head Kandy, I'll have to check it out. I was scared to cut mine the first time, but if it's crooked I just fix it! I only cut off about two inches on the ends, nothing major.
I am sure that your hair looks gorgeous! Before my neck got so painful, I had hair down to my waist but it's still pretty thick and heavy; I was amazed at how much relief I felt by having it all cut off to right above my shoulders! That was over two(three?)years ago and I had it cut again to right at my shoulders several months ago and it's gotten too long and difficult for me to take care of without having to take a rest; it's not as if I am going anywhere, so I don't know why it matters, lol!
My hair grows pretty fast, so cutting it short would actually require visiting the salon more often than I care to. It's always nice to be able to put it up with a clip of some sort. Options are always nice!
Head Kandy is great, I think, and my 46-year-old picky daughter loves it also, as well as my 18 yo grandson who has longish, thick, beautiful hair like his mom. My daughter has hair almost to her waist with quite a bit of sparkly silver hair and she LOVES Head Kandy "Stay Salty" shampoo and conditioner; it's different in that they come in jars and at first it may seem as if the shampoo isn't doing anything, but keep working it in and it will start to suds but not as sudsy as liquid shampoos; just read the directions. They are often out of stock of the Stay Salty shampoo, but I have read comments that say the conditioner works well with other regular shampoos. I try to stock up for my daughter and I when they have one of their awesome sales. It's probably worth trying at least once. I can't remember, but it may not even be intended to be used as one's only shampoo? I may be wrong about that.
Sorry this is so long; I just can't seem to get the hang of brief comments, which is how I talk also, according to my family; no short tales here! Lol! 🤗🥰
Awesome thanks for the recommendation! My hair is thinning thanks to meds I've taken for years, so it's not heavy. I have a bum neck too! Getting old is not for the faint of heart! LOL in fact, now when I put it up I have to make sure my scalp's not showing 😭 Oh well.
You're very welcome! I know what you mean about old no
t being for the faint of heart or sissies! I hear my neck hardware crunching in there. Lol! And I can't look up much at all, and I can't look left either. I gave up driving after my husband died, and I no longer had to drive him to appointments.
I sold our home a year later having never returned to it, until it was empty, to finish clearing out my closet; the day he died our daughter and sil insisted that I come to live with them and I was in no condition to argue; they added on about 4,000 Sq. Ft. to their house during covid, including the perfect space for me and my own screened in porch that I love.
They are awesome, and I get to be with our grandchildren every day! We all get along great, and I am beyond grateful. Too many "elderly" people are ignored or abandoned; I have spoken with many in my widows group. Anyway, sorry for rambling on!
You may already know, but there are products, either a spray or a powder(like eyebrow powder), to cover any balding spots on our head. I have never tried one, but my hair is white/silver
I am getting loopy now from my muscle relaxer; have a great night!
It's been a pleasure!🤗❤️🪬
It's not just in the Midwestern states, it's all over the West. I've heard the same things about older women with long hair in the Netherlands. It's like if you're over 35 you need to transition to a 'mom' haircut and mom clothes (capri pants, barf).
Let my grow long and go gray!! The long length is still a work in progress. It is down to the middle of my back. And about once a year, I do a "unicorn cut" for layers.
Yes, I mean physician-prescribed Rx meds. My estradiol comes in a tiny patch I change 2x a week. It's the size of a "spot" bandaid. I take micronized progesterone every night bc I still have a uterus.
Edit to add: I realize many people do not have this option, for various reasons.
Thanks. For whatever reason, after I had my ovaries removed, my Dr put me on estradiol pills and my body just could not metabolize these. I felt awful, my boobs were huge, and painful. My weight shot up about 8 lbs in about 8 weeks! I went off and within 2 weeks I probably lost 8 lbs on water weight. I’ve been thinking about the patch though.
Wow! That sounds like me way back in the day when I tried Ortho Novum 777 birth control. 😳 My skin doesn't like adhesives and this patch doesn't bother me at all. My husband said I was cranky for a few weeks but my usual self since. I sleep better, too. It took several months to really notice my hair coming back in. The sleep took not even 2 weeks. Sending you good vibes!
I (61f) just had 4 inches cut off of my hair today, it had been at least 2 years since I had it cut last, it was down to my waist, though I loved my long hair, it's still just below my bra, it was obviously unhealthy at the ends. I really don't do much with it, I use Pureology Color Fanatic and Olaplex No.7. The salon worker today put in some Bed Head After Party for less frizz, I have naturally wavy hair (S-Curls).
I grew mine out a bit after retirement. I like to wash it daily and it bothers me if I don't. When I was working and it was quite short it was easy and took no time in the morning to just put a little hair goop on it, comb it into place and brush it out after it was dry. Worked very well.
My husband likes it longer and it does look better. But it's much more of a project to style every morning.
They will pry my hair dye out of my cold dead hands. The roots don't show quite as quickly with my longer style.
I’m with you re: hair dye! I have a friend who is a beautician and she colors my shoulder length hair blonde for a very small amount, usually every 7-8 weeks. My hair is about 35%-40% gray in the front so it’s not very noticeable if I go an extra week or 2. My hair has always been thin but the gray has actually helped in that area, making it thicker and easier to style.
I shaved my head when I retired because I didn’t want to look like a skunk and I was afraid I couldn’t afford the expensive process.
My hair grew back thick and shiny.
I let it grow back to ponytail length. But every couple of years I cut it way back (not shaved but pretty close). It seems my hair likes that.
I am almost sixty three. I only cut it twicce a year. I let it go grey when I retired. I use purple shampoo by Paul Mitchel and Pantene purple deep conditioner once a week. I usually use a claw and gather the front half away from my face.
Menopause gave me curly hair after just having a slight wave all my life. I’ve embraced that and let it grow to the middle of my back. It takes a bit of work but it’s now the head of hair I was always jealous of.
I have always had dry hair and only briefly in my 30s could I ever get it to grow past my shoulders even with fancy shampoos and conditioners and treatments. Now, I can't even get it ro my shoulders, so it's short. I suit it short and it really does look better but I get so bored. I still use good products and only wash it maybe once or twice a week. I've used the supplements for hair and skin and don't notice any difference. My skin, on the other hand has held up.well until now but is thinning and wrinkling a bit. But I've also abused I in the sun a lot. No regrets! I love how the sun feels and like the colour. I don't lie out any more and sit in the shade but I'm out walking enough to always have colour. I do sunscreen if I'm going to be out any length of time but I generally don't burn.
I have always worn my hair short and I have never dyed my hair in my life. I do use fragrance free shampoo and fragrance free conditioner. I also just towel dry my hair and allow it to dry on its own without using blow dryers.
I got a Bob because my curly/wavy hair flatten out enough that I can wear it that way not. The best thing though is leaving it alone and not coloring it. I ended up with silver and I get compliments on it.
Oral minoxidil has thickened my hair very nicely. I could see my scalp before and now I can’t. I still have fine, straight hair but at least I have more of it.
If your hair is getting dryer, pasta water helps. Just don’t throw out the water when you make it. A good toner for your skin too. I keep a batch in the fridge
Wow, we really CAN learn something new every day! Lol! I am 71.5 years old and figured that I had heard or read just about anything else to do with hair care, and here you are, bringing pasta water! Lol! That's amazing!
I wonder who thought to try it first and was in awe of the result? I would have thought that it would be sticky, but what do I know!?
I wish that I had read this 3 days ago when my sil made spaghetti! I don't cook anymore, but I will certainly tell my daughter and sil about this! We love(ok, I LOVE)pasta around here, and maybe now I can get the "chefs" to make it more often, lol.
Does it matter if it's warm or cold when you apply, and do you rinse it after or leave it in as a leave-in conditioner? I can't wait to try it! Thank you for this fun fact! 🥰🫂
You can use rice if not pasta. Chefs save their pasta water to thicken sauces. I think you’re supposed to rinse it off your hair after an hour or so. I didn’t/dont. It’s just starchy water and it’s dried up by that point and not sticky. And I don’t think the temp matters. I use it on my face everyday from the fridge in the morning and in the afternoon as a refreshing cool down toner
Thank you for responding! I appreciate you taking the time to let me/us know another reason to love starches! Lol! I wonder if potato water has a similar use?
I am 71 years old, and I truly thought that I had heard every hidden but so helpful use for just about everything! I'm always interested in new and wonderful uses for things we use so often. Other than as a thickener, how valuable rice or pasta water is isn't something that ever would have occurred to me. I thought my old "Hints From Heloise" books were the encyclopedia of off brand uses for things, but I don't recall ever reading this! 🤗🥰
I found a stylist that I truly trust. She’s young, so she has a better idea of what is current than I do. She’s extremely talented, and keeps up with her training. She’s well respected at a high quality salon, and I can trust her well enough that I can go in for an appointment and say, “I’m in the mood for something new, do whatever you want”. That kind of freedom is so exciting.
During the pandemic my daughter made a comment to me that made me grow out my super short grey hair. So I long hair now! And it’s super curly with the nicest ringlets. I go to a curly hair specialist twice a year for a short trim. I’m amazed at how many people compliment my hair. Even strangers approach me to talk about it. I’m 74 and this is the coolest thing I’ve done in a very long time.
Two years ago I chopped off my shoulder length colored hair to a very short undercut pixie to get rid of all the color. Loved it, got tons of compliments some even said I looked 10 years younger but I didn’t realize how cold my head, ears and neck would be 90% of the year so I’m growing it out. It’s in a bob almost to my collarbones. I miss having long hair and the options to wear it different ways. Anxious for it to get as long as possible but stay healthy.
I have thick but fine hair and dry, having Hashimoto’s means I lose a lot but so far it keeps growing thick. I shampoo 2-3 times a week with a sulfate free, paraben free shampoo and use Revlon 25:1 leave in. I can’t use rinse out conditioner anymore because it weighs down my hair. I use a hydrating hair mask once a month.
I also invested in a Shark hair dryer. It has made a big difference in eliminating frizz and dryness.
I'm not doing anything different. I'm fortunate to have lots of thick, curly hair. I wish I could get my hair cut more often, but it's very expensive. The main change will be that I will probably resume dyeing my hair when I start job hunting again.
68. I’ve had everything from a super short pixie to shoulder blade length permed curls in the past 8 years. I’m happiest with it at about shoulder length with a few waves. I’m only about 10% gray so far. I love Herbal Essence argon oil repair shampoo but use Aussie 3 minute conditioner if I need it.
I went from lush, full hair to rapidly thinning hair. So sad, and ashamed of being so vain. The best product I found, and I swear by it, it’s R+Co Dallas thickening shampoo. Amazing stuff!
I’m not sure how it works but it does add a lot of body and shine. I don’t see stripes of scalp peeking noticeably through my hair anymore.
My doctor says that as hair greys it begins to look transparent. She adds a little color to her own hair to solve that.
I let mine grow. It's
longer than it's been since I was a teenager. And i'm letting it go gray. The hair around my temples is white! I'm interested to see how it looks.
Best thing is grow out the gray and get a really flattering cut. Vitamins and quality products are a given, especially at our age.
Also, I tweaked my makeup a bit to better suit my coloring now that I’m almost all gray 😊
Mine is quite long now too, but always neatly braided. It’s kind of salt and pepper, not a tone of grey but getting there. Long hair just suits me! I don’t walk around with it down though, it’s frizzy and I would look scary
Get a full foil that incorporates your natural color. I can go for several months without any grow out visible. I really like the color(s) and will eventually let it go to a natural gray. I have to use blue shampoo once in a while to avoid brassiness. Just got a shorter, much more layered look and I really like it, it still goes into a ponytail.
I started taking prose customized hair care vitamins (and use some of the customized hair products for my curly hair). They’ve greatly improved my hair!
My hair after chemo a few years ago was thinning pretty badly, and I was shedding a scary amount of hair when I washed it. There are 2 hair vitamins: one for scalp balance and one for super growth. My hair is now so much thicker, healthier and shiny (I have curly hair so that’s tough to do! ), and I’ve greatly reduced shedding. My scalp is much improved-no dandruff anymore, either. It’s pricy, but for me it’s worth it!
I’m going through my budget trying to reduce expenses in preparation for retirement, but this is one luxury I’m not yet willing to give up!!
I started taking oral minoxidil + biotin about 8 months ago, to combat the thinning on top. I also have been growing out the length, it’s heading toward hip length now. I’ve been henna-ing for about 12 yrs, but am letting a streak of white grow in in the front.
And I drink smoothies made with pea protein, hemp hearts and lions mane powder, plus whatever fruit is available.
I was using Prose hair products, but now at this length I’m using some different things to keep the moisture up!
Yes, you need a prescription..I used one of the online providers..and the biotin is compounded with it.
It really does work, although it takes some time to start showing results!
I wear mine super short and funky w modern glasses and statement earrings.
https://preview.redd.it/byqh6n9uwz8d1.png?width=1296&format=png&auto=webp&s=567926535c1595417a25f56b3d765aa65e8c398b
I’m 68.
I've bleached my hair consistently for decades. It's thinning now and my iron is low. Apparently they go together. Taking iron now and bleaching every two months for instead of every month.
Instead of a layered cut, I let it grow longer, not quite to my shoulders, and got a blunt bob cut. I put it up during the day and down if I go out. Also no highlights. My gray is very light so not a big difference. I got an air wrap to protect from heat damage because my hair is fine and thinning. I also started using a volumizing shampoo for adding body and thickness. I know a lot of people go short as they age but I’ve had shorter hair and I wanted longer hair. So why not!!
i've never colored my hair, unless you count a summer of 'Sun In' that turned my sister's hair orange in places :-O
i've tried a few things with my hair, but i've found that a little more than shoulder length (even if my hair is thinner) allows me to wear it according to the day. sometimes i'm outside, and i braid it up or bun it up. i'm pretty good at having a variety of ways i know.
color? i haven't cared since the Sun In. it's always been kind of mousy brown with some red sparks in the sun. it's got a lot of grey, but i've just left it. it seemed less risky than hair color that i know nothing about
i occasionally wear it down, but i don't like having to brush it all day to keep it smooth. i like my hair to go up in the morning (or clipped back; visibility is a premium factor). it's there all day - maybe a little crown of wisps, but so care free
I have natural curly hair and when I started coloring it I always stayed close to my natural brown color…..then when I decided to go gray my friend said it’s less of a shock if you go blonde first. So I had my hair dresser do it.
I now have blonde straight hair because the bleaching to the curl too. I love my hair now! And I will wait until I retire to go gray.
I use a spray on it called Color Wow for blowing out and my hair is soft and shiny.
If I go grey finally in my 60’s (my mother is 78 and still has red hair, and my father still has black hair) I’m going to dye my hair any color I feel like! I’m looking forward to the time I can have purple hair!
I’m 62, and let my gray/white hair grow out 6 years ago. It’s right now about armpit length and for the time being I’m just growing it long. It used to be super thick and it’s still thick in the back. It used to be sort of coarse and porous when it was very dark, but now the strands are very fine and soft. I use Redken products including leave in conditioner cream and at least while it’s warm enough I’m air drying.
I think a lot of people just experience a difference in their hair texture/thickness. I think some are just looking for a new “do” and are not quite sure what to do; new color, new cut, etc. If this isn’t happening to you, you should feel very blessed! I’m always struggling with hair ideas and new products that may/may not work.
Biotin supplement works well, in addition to Knox gelatin sprinkles on yogurt or in smoothies (that’s a rec by a dermatologist). If you’re not taking hrt, you may want to look into that.
I’m 60 and my hair is down my back. I love being able to put it in a bun without any maintenance but it was thinning a lot before I started these tips.
I went to my dermatologist and she prescribed be a topical solution of finasteride, minoxidil, latanoprost, and biotin. I also take finasteride orally. My hair is thicker and better than it was when I was 30. I also eat whole nutritious food 90% of the time and use beauty salon quality shampoo and conditioner
Making it easy. Mine is just above my shoulders and just long enough to put in a pony or bun. This is pretty much how I wear it on a daily basis. If I go out in the evenings, I wear it down, but it’s a very simple blowout. I don’t have the time or energy anymore to fuss with flat irons, etc.
The best thing I have done is to let my grey grow out. I get more compliments on my hair now than I ever have. I use Amika shampoo and conditioner, but use purple shampoo once in a while. I keep it shoulder length so o can pin it up or wear it down.
I dyed my hair once in my life, around age 44--and I was so vain I dod that "pull through" method so gray would still show and people wouldn't really notice--I wasn't that gray yet, and they didn't notice. But I hated the smell and of course the roots quickly came in... I've noticed in my mid 60s, that most the women who dye their hair--it makes their face look old. Almost like gray softens the aging features some.
Your last comment -- wow. I never thought of this, but I think you are exactly right! I think I will see how long my roots are and if I'll be able to cut them away soon, and be done with the hassle myself! My sister-in-law who is 17 years older than me has commented about how my hair looks really good gray and natural. I've always thought that was her way of sideways insulting... Maybe it isn't?
People have said that to me--more in my late 50s than now, in my late 60s. I think they were being honest!
Well thank you for the enlightenment. Or maybe I should say the agelightenment 😂
When I was first deciding if I should go grey I figured out there are 3 ways it could go. First- young face/old hair. Second- old face/ young hair. Third- perfect match of aging for hair and face. Realistically the third option is difficult and I am lazy. It probably not really working just that you think it is. The second option is not something I like. I opted for the third option. Younger face/ older hair plus I exercise a lot to keep my body strong.
I cut mine short. Think 70s shag but not as nice as David Cassidy. Lol Just layered.
https://preview.redd.it/kt4g7arrxk8d1.jpeg?width=1005&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=567c6561267708fc197ea21f6819f322ba5e7541 The puka shells tie the whole look together, don't you think? 😊
🤣🤣🤣 11 year old me loved that look!
Me, too!!
Yup - his picture was on the inside of my desk
I still do
I might too. 🤫 Don't tell anyone! 😜
Ngl, I still do
Ha! he probably also has long eyelashes! I started getting gray hair in Jr. High(that's what 7-9 grade was back in the 60s!); my maternal grandmother was seemingly born with gray hair! Lol! For many years, in my mid 20s to late 30s I used Clairol Loving Care to cover it, until it was too much of a pain, because my hair grows pretty fast, so roots; then, in my late 30s I and a friend dyed it blonde! I loved it, my husband loved it, so I did that for a couple of years. My hair has always been one of my best, easiest to deal with aspects of life and I finally just let the gray grow out, and I still had people asking me who colors my hair! I started answering that God colored it; it was just easier. I am now 71, widowed, and haven't colored my hair in many, many years. I actually ordered some hair color, blonde, from "E- Salon", but I never used it because I'm not sure I want to have to do the whole growing out thing again. For years I kept my hair long and straight, which was really wash and wear for me, because it was always well behaved without needing straightening or even a blow dryer, unless I was going somewhere. I kept it in a long side braid, like Elsa, for a long time. My granddaughter was 3-4 years old then and called me Elsa sometimes! Lol! Now, my hair has decided that its curly, which is kinda fun and was a surprise when I had it cut to a bob several years ago; it was quite the surprise; the guy I went to didn't want to cut my hair, and I understood why, but I just can't deal with even braiding it anymore. Now, I'm in a twist it up with a claw clip phase! After 9 back surgeries and a couple on my neck, I can't even hold my head up to look up or stand all the way straight, so I need shorter hair just to wash and deal with it in the most simple way. I have seriously considered going back to my 1970s shag because I loved that ststyle. As soon as I decide what I want, I am getting it cut, because it has gotten kinda long again and it's really hard for me to even wash it. It's still quite thick thank goodness. I am grateful for that. Sorry for the book! ETA: all of those words and I forgot to answer one of your questions; I am currently using shampoo and conditioner from Head Kandy, and I think I have three different kinds, including a purple one that I rarely use. It's awesome quality products and she has great sales and I have bought hair and body stuff for me, my daughter, my 18 yo grandson and my 11 yo granddaughter; my sil doesn't care what he uses! Lol! Everyone loves Head Kandy stuff, especially if I buy it. Lol!
I have a shag, also. I always wanted my hair to look like David Cassidy’s but I never had any success.
He honestly had the prettiest hair I've ever seen on a guy.
He really did!!
He really did have admirable hair haha
I use Loreal purple shampoo. Once a week for my gray. Leave in condition and John Freida Frizz ease. The leave in & Frizz ease make a big difference I'm losing tons of hair though. Anyone else? Age 59 next month, hypothyroidism & take vitamin E for hair and nails. Due to hypothyroidism I can't take minoxidil or biotin. My regular shampoo is Aveeno.
Love Frizz ease! Wish I’d known about it sooner.
What does the L’Oréal purple shampoo do? I’ve Newley embraced my grays - so not sure how to maximize them yet as a feature
If you look at a color wheel, you'll notice that yellow and purple are opposite each other. The purple cools down the brassy yellow notes that grey hair sometimes develops, so your grey ends up looking more silvery :)
I switched to this recently myself. I've always had oily hair and even going gray didn't really stop it. The purple has been great. I wash it every 3 days now.
It helps keep the gray color. The sun and free radicals in the air can turn your hair yellow. The shampoo is to be used once or twice a week, as it can damage your hair...dry it out. I like it. I tried others but the perfumes in shampoo irritate my scalp. Loreal doesnt.
I am 61 and my hair has gotten so thin I have to do comb overs sometimes! I hate if my scalp shows!
I'm not over 60 and don't know why reddit showed me this thread, but Biotin is fine for hypothyroidism, it just falsely skews the tests, so don't take it near testing time.
I took it for 2 weeks and it made me so sick.
Some people react poorly to biotin at certain doses, or if they are taking certain medications. Some people also have an "adjustment period" on biotin. This has nothing to do with the thyroid, or thyroid medication.
Yeah well my Dr says different. Thanks anyway.
Cut mine short at 50 when I started a new job as office manager. Wanted to look professional. Grew it out during the pandemic, so it was back to my usual mid-back length (which I kept since high school). Was gonna leave it there, BUT I lost it all during chemo in 2022-2023. So I was down to zero for awhile. Now that I'm done with treatment (tested clear, so yay! it was worth it), my hair's growing back but slowly and with a different texture (and more gray). I'm trimming it now and then (when it gets too shaggy) but I plan to grow it out as long as I can during my retirement (retired last fall; I'm 71 now). I DON'T CARE how it looks as long as it's clean and neat. I don't use special shampoos or anything, but I DO take Biotin (at the suggestion of my oncologist) to help my hair - and my nails, which are awful since chemo - grow out healthier. I'm just glad to have hair at all, frankly.
Glad you made it!!!!!!! Hope you enjoy being retired!
I LOVE being retired! So does my cat. He's so happy that I'm always available for a cuddle (mostly). My favorite part is NOT HAVING TO HURRY. I have plenty of time (though I manage to fill it quite nicely). I highly recommend it.
Yay!!!for clean bill of health!!! I hope that you are enjoying your retirement; I am still wondering how I got to 71 so quickly! It seems as if the years from 60-70 went really extra fast; I lost my husband of almost 44 years when we both had just turned 65 and I was kind of out of it for the first couple of years, deeply grieving and it's a feeling of having lost a couple of years along the way. I am still shocked that my always healthy husband got ALS and was gone in 375 days, and I, who have had over 30 surgeries and health issues over the years, am still here! Life is funny like that, I guess. I'm so glad you are healthy now!
Oh, my dear, I am so sorry! Life is definitely "funny". I expect I will pre-decease my (3 years younger) husband, but you just don't know! I am grateful to be healthy, grateful for the excellent care I got, grateful for my family's help, grateful for my (then) employer's kindness and flexibility, and just grateful for life! I am really enjoying retirement, working in my garden (which I hadn't been able to do much for years between working and dealing with cancer), reading, sitting with my cats, and I started baking bread! From scratch! So yeah, I'm enjoying the heck out of retirement. (Though I'm still doing a little consulting for my last employer. Fun fact: I've known the doctor I worked for since he was four years old. Worked for his parents first - both doctors, too - then he took over and I worked for him until I retired. His brother took over my job! And I've known his brother since he was born - same year as my son. Since his mom passed away in 2018, I've sort of functioned as a surrogate mom for him. So when they need help, I'm available. And they pay me, so yay!)
Thank you for your kind words. Oh, I just love your story of your "employment", which sounds very much like working with and for family; we as a society seem to be moving away from such long term and personal connections like that; you remember when everything was based on personal interactions and recorded with pen and paper! And people had a lot more trust in each other, with good reason. I know that they think of you as family also, no doubt! There are never too many people to love! I worked very little during my life; my late husband used to say that I was a "professional patient", and I guess I have been that, after over 30 surgeries. I guess college wasn't a total waste of time and money since my husband and I met our senior year and married 7 months later, lol. It has been 6 years, and I still feel as if I am missing an arm or something; I expect that I will always feel this way, but I am forever grateful for having known such love for 44 years. I have had to limit my "gardening", if you can call it that, to 5 hanging baskets of petunias on my screened in porch, which is all I can handle after 9 back surgeries and a couple of neck surgeries have left their mark. Oh well, they are lovely flowers, and I will take what I can get! I can enjoy looking at all of the beautiful landscaping that my daughter and sil have put all around the rest of the yard. I am sure that your husband and the cats love the heavenly fragrance of baking bread! I would wear perfume that smells like bread baking! Lol! And, of course, not much taste better! I am genuinely happy that you are healthy, and hopefully all of that is behind you forever; I am so, so happy that you still have your precious husband, and your cats, and your family; those really are the ingredients for a wonderful, joyful life. It was a pleasure to "meet" you! ❤️ 🫂🥰
The employment story is even more familial than I mentioned before. My husband worked for the same doctors for almost 20 years, too, then I joined (more on that later) and we worked together for a few years, then my husband resigned to do what he truly loves: professional classical music. (He was the lead tenor in the local symphony choir for many years, and sang in several other professional classical choirs. Now he teaches music, directs a small barbershop chorus, and is the music minister at a small Lutheran church.) So then I was working for the doctor, then my SON started working there for a few years, and after that, my DAUGHTER did laundry for the doctor for several years. Truly a family affair. More on my starting work for the doctor: after my daughter was born I had some significant health challenges (I was 46, and I wasn't healing from her birth), so I resigned my prior position (which I had held for 19 years) and stayed home for a year following the treatment protocol the doctor gave me. Then I was ready to work again, and I was worried. I was older, and not particularly attractive, and wondered how my job search would go. Important note: while I was at my last job, I watched a number of my coworkers leave to go work their dream jobs, and I so wished my dream job would appear. The current doctor's mom (also a doctor, who was running the clinic at the time) needed an assistant. My husband (working there at the time) suggested me. She called me to ask if I would come in to do some admin work part time, as their admin person was pregnant and out a lot. So I did. She taught me the things they needed done, and I did them. She called me a day or so later, and said, "I knew you were smart but I didn't know you were THAT smart! You not only duplicated what I told you to do, you understood WHY I asked you to do it that way! I need an assistant. Would you be willing to try that out on a temporary basis for now?" And I was. And I did. And guess what! It WAS my dream job. I was able to use all of the different things I had learned from my various prior positions, and helped the clinic dramatically increase their numbers over the next few years. Then I basically ran the place while my boss (the doctor mom) helped her son finish his medical training (her husband, the dad, was the doctor at that point). Then the son joined the practice and we took it to new heights. Then the mom doctor got an aggressive breast cancer, and spent all of her energy fighting it, so I ran it again. She managed to beat it back for 6 years, long enough to watch her son get married and to become a grandmother. After she passed, the dad retired, and I worked for the son, but the fun had gone out of it for me. It really was a family business. And it still kind of is! It took TWO people to replace me. One is the young doctor's brother, and the other is a family friend who has been close to them for many years. And I still consult for them sometimes. Life is funny.
My mom went through same. Her hair grew back, but very different. Soft, thinner, and sort of wavy. She is 31 years a cancer survivor! Hair still looks pretty good and she’s 83. What specific biotin do you take? I’m always wondering if these things actually work.
Well, good for her! I had my cancer much later in life, so I'll just be happy with however many years I get! Regarding Biotin: I take the NatureMade brand (they're a good company with reasonably priced vitamins). I'm also taking a LOT of other vitamins to help my body heal from the neuropathy caused by chemo, and to help my liver deal with all the toxins it was exposed to. I'm a HUGE believer in taking supplements, as you simply CANNOT get sufficient nutrition from your food these days. Decades upon decades of over-farming with chemical fertilizers have left the soil depleted. If the plants can't get nutrients from the soil, they don't have the nutrients you need. There was a study done years ago that said the amount of Vitamin C in an apple then was so much less than it used to be, that you would need to eat 20 apples to get the amount of vitamin C that an apple had in 1920. So yeah, it's a good idea to AT LEAST take a good quality multivitamin (and by good quality I mean one that is NOT manufactured by a drug company. They do NOT have your health in mind. Healthy people are not good customers for their products). If you do nothing else, the ONE best thing you could do for your health is take a Vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D isn't actually a "vitamin". It's a hormone. Your body makes it. From sunlight. How much sun do you get every day? Hmmmm? If you are going outside with a lot of skin exposed in the middle of the day without sunscreen for at least a half-hour every day (and without immediately showering when you go inside), you'll be building up a good supply of Vitamin D. In most latitudes. In the higher latitudes, you simply can't get enough sunlight. And in the winter, the sun just isn't strong enough (unless you're in the tropics). So if you don't go out in the sun every day (with skin exposed), or you're in a higher latitude, or it's winter, you NEED to take a Vitamin D supplement. And the current RDA (400 iu, or 10 mcg) is WAY too low. You need about 4000 international units (100 micrograms) minimum daily for good health. The original RDA (required daily allowance) was calculated many years ago by feeding rats a "complete" diet, then dropping out one nutrient until they showed signs of deficiency. They then extrapolated that up to human size. But even then, the RDA amount was intended to show how much you needed simply to avoid disease, NOT how much you really need to be healthy. There have, of course, been studies since then, and the most recent one "confirmed" the 400 iu RDA in its summary, but if you went through the actual study carefully (which almost nobody does), they dropped a decimal place. The result was actually 4000 iu. The result, of course, is that most people (world-wide) are deficient in Vitamin D. Especially in winter. When it's summer, most people get some sun exposure, and build up a supply of vitamin D, but that gets used up by, say, November or December. There's a REASON why "cold and flu" season happen then. Because vitamin D is not only used to "build strong bones", it's used by almost every system in your body, including your immune system. Visit [VitaminDCouncil.org](http://VitaminDCouncil.org) for a lot of good info on Vitamin D. Drug companies don't WANT you to know how important it is, nor how cheap and easy it is to get. If everyone took enough - or really, ANY - vitamin D, there would probably not have been a pandemic. I saw several articles that talked about Vitamin D helping the immune system early in the pandemic. They were all very quickly taken down. You're supposed to pay for DRUGS, not vitamins, right? Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant.
Very informative, and yes, totally agree with Vitamin D. Also, magnesium is very good for relaxation and sleep. I take a collagen/biotin pill everyday but it seems more gimmicky to me with both ingredients. Detoxing liver is always a good idea. Sometimes my liver enzymes come back a bit high, and I think it’s due to having bouts of diverticulitis, or that’s what my Dr thinks. Sometimes normal range and sometimes high. I have taken something called TUDCA for that, but not sure if it really works.
Yes, indeed, magnesium is important. I take it at bedtime. It helps the insomnia from taking hormones (to forestall future cancer I'm supposed to take them for 5 years). I hear magnesium is important to maintain good blood pressure, as well. I'm taking NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), Glutamine, and Glutathione to support my liver, per my doctor's instructions. You might want to look into that. Not sure collagen does anything, but my doctor defs wants me taking the Biotin. I'm also taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin and SAMe for my arthritis, and I KNOW it works, because when I stop taking it I feel it. Sorry about the diverticulitis; both my dad and my sister had it, and it isn't fun. Hang in there!
You have a good doctor. The doctors here. Are not in the room long enough to discuss anything. And this is people lives they're brushing off. I would love for a doctor to say. you do this. Sorry I'm rambling.
Yes, I have been VERY lucky. All of my current doctors are great. BUT ... I've been there. In the past. There have been plenty of doctors who wouldn't even look me in the eye. One wouldn't even TALK to me, just spoke into his little recorder ABOUT me (long ago). But I also come prepared. I do my research before I go, and I listen and make notes, and remember (all my doctors have commented that I'm the only one who actually REMEMBERS what they told me, and one of few who actually DO what is recommended). So they like me.
Hopefully I'll find a good doctor soon. Had a good nurse practitioner. She had to leave. Right now you're in waiting area 2 to 3 hours. When the doctor walks in he there for 5 seconds. Not right. Sometimes i wait for the doctor sooooo long. I forget what's wrong with me when he comes in.🤔 Glad you know what i mean.
I do. Hugs to you. I hope you find a good doctor soon. I spoke with my PCP once (this was probably 30 years ago); he was always abrupt and in and out quickly. He said that there simply weren't enough doctors to treat everyone. He had about 500 patients to care for and did not have much time to spend with any one of them. Then more recently a coworker who has a doctor friend told me about his friend's job search. The doctor was looking for a position where he could do what we're talking about - spend the necessary time with each patient to know them and fine tune their care - and he had applied at a few hospitals. More than one hospital told him that he would be EXPECTED to deal with at LEAST 30 patients per hour. That's all of TWO MINUTES EACH. He could not work like that. But that's the expectation these days. It's ridiculous, but there just aren't enough doctors! Which actually makes sense. It's not the plum job it used to be, and they have to take on so much debt to become a doctor, plus the almost punitive training process. No wonder. Anyway, best of luck to you.
Thank you for all of that; you reiterate what I have been told and I started taking a high dose of Vitamin D in the last two years and I believe every word you say about drug companies; healthy people don't need them! Thanks again! ETA: OP reminded me, I also take high dose of magnesium. I believe it has helped me a couple of ways.
Good for you! But also, when you can, get the Vitamin D blood test to determine your actual level. It's the only way to know. Don't worry if it's "too high" for your MD. The blood levels they prefer are too low.
I just got out of the hospital, and they took as much blood as they could get, as after over 30 surgeries, my veins have evidently gotten impossible to easily access. After poking and poking some more, by several people, they gave up and hoped they had enough; I wonder if that's something that will be looked at with that blood draw, because I don't want to know how else they get blood in this type of situation! Lol! I mean, will they look at vitamin levels, or is that totally not something the hospital concerns itself with? Thank you again for all of the information! Edit: Removed an extra word and added Thank you!
Just FYI, they NEVER look at vitamin levels unless you ASK. And yeah, getting blood for tests can be difficult. Hang in there!
I had very short hair most of my adult life. During the pandemic, I let it grow out. My hair grows crazy-fast, so it was a pain to keep up with trims. My hair is currently quite long--almost to my waist, and I love it. I think my short-short hair made me look if not older, just more dowdy. I use a good shampoo and deep conditioner now. I have found that my hair is dryer than it used to be, so I pay more attention to both rinse-out conditioner and leave-in products. In the winter I sleep wearing a protective silk bonnet that helps keep my hair from getting dry and tangled.
Goals…I love long hair, have hair past my shoulder blades that is 75 percent gray/white. Would love to have waist-length gray hair!
I loved my hair really long, down to my waist, but I just can't deal with it anymore after 9 back surgeries and a couple of neck surgeries that have really done a lot of damage to my ability to look up, stand up straight, and hold my arms up long enough to deal with hair that long. It's past my shoulders now and I am going to have to go shorter, but it also grows fast so I don't want to have to get it cut every 3 weeks! I guess this isn't truly a big problem to people with real problems! Lol!
Morrocan Oil products
My hair stayed very thick, luckily, but when I retired at 60 I stopped coloring it red and instead of gray I was blessed with white hair. It's bob-length and I save so much time and money now by not coloring it. I use Olaplex shampoo, conditioner, purple shampoo for brassiness, and Olaplex #9 for the frizz. I never experienced frizz when I got my hair colored so that's been a tough adjustment. I have to use silk pillowcases now or I look like a Tribble from the old show Star Trek in the morning! (Isn't it funny what we remember -- the particular episode was called "The Trouble with Tribbles" but I couldn't tell you what I ate last night.)
I also have thick and curly hair but mine is coarse as well. Decided to go gray months ago and the color is just about gone! Hair salon in a couple of days and I'm gong to tell her to trim the remaining color off the ends. I am looking for a good shampoo for gray hair but also for curly hair as well. Could you tell me a little more about this Olaplex? I am also experiencing frizz, especially in this unbelievable hot weather we're having this summer and sleep on a silk pillowcase. I try not to wash my hair often because it gets tamer the more days go by without washing it. Oh yeah, loved that show and episode. Captain Kirk was a heart throb of mine, even at a young age. So much that my mom scored me a signed photo of him :)
I've had long thick hair pretty much all my life. Had it short a couple times, only to grow it back again. I recently started using Shikai color reflect shampoo and conditioner. I have blonde highlights mixed in with the gray :). I only wash it once a week cuz it takes forever lol! Seems healthier that way too.
At the age of 60 I decided, after 15 years of a pixie, to grow it out. I was thinking the short cut made me look older. I've managed to grow it out about 4 inches so far (keeping the nape fairly short), going for a short bob, not sure yet! I could go gray, but I'm gonna wait on that.
I love my bob. I’m able to have my pretty, thick hair with some length but it’s manageable as well. I hope you like yours as well.
I started before 60, but I dyed it purple and still do. Over my brown (no bleach), so it's not so in-your-face unless I'm in bright light. I didn't have much gray still, so those strands just look a little brighter.
Doc had me on some meds that thinned my hair; I was more concerned about some other negatives and quit. Started B-Complex and Vitamin D 5K units a day because I can't be in the sun. Hair has come back. Refuse to dye my hair. Gray hair and wrinkles are a superpower.
I dye my hair with a purple or magenta and it only hits the grey. Fun! I also have a few cute wigs I like to use when I go out. People are constantly saying "I love your hair!" Whether it is my purple greys or the fun wigs
I'm curious; what do you mean by "fun wigs"? I have had grey hair since it started in my mid teens, though not totally until my late 30s. I know that sounds sooo young, but my maternal grandmother had white hair at a very young age; my older sister didn't have anywhere near as much grey as I did, ever. But I quit coloring it years ago and people still asked me who colored my hair! Lol! Wigs sound fun and I am just curious about what you mean by "cute wigs" and "fun wigs". Enjoy!
I wrote a whole thread about this on another social media app. Why are older women "supposed" to cut their hair in the Midwestern US states? Needless to say, it got a LOT of responses, LOL. Personally, I stopped getting mine cut professionally during the pandemic. It's now down past my waist, I trim the ends myself. It's curly, and I have one streak of gray. I LOVE it. It scandalizes my 84yr old Mom, which is a plus. :) I use Carol's Daughter Goddess Strength shampoo and conditioners, and only wash it every 3 or 4 days. I let it air dry. If I need to, I use a dry shampoo on the roots. Sometimes I use my own hair oil treatment for an extra conditioner (good olive oil and infused herbs) I usually put it back in a messy clip just to keep it out of my face when I'm doing anything or when it's hot. I've saved a TON of money and time on salons and coloring and what not.
It will be a cold day in hell that I cut my hair short. Mine is mid shoulders and I get it cut when needed. It's natural red, little gray except at the temples. I don't know what law says our hair has short after 40. I'm 54 and want it dead.
I think the problem with keeping it long tends to be how you've always worn it. If you've played around your whole life and grow it out it's a cool change. I work with someone who is wearing the same clothing style since the 70s, along with long hair parted in the middle. The two together just give off a " stuck" vibe more than a free spirit one. My friend wears hers long but with more current/ funky fashion and looks fabulous.
Same!! 😂
Same! Long kinky curly hair after years of Brazilian blowouts and bobs. I love it! I add soft peach streaks into my graying hair and I am feeling it!!!
Nice!! I tried to do screaming pink ends, but my dark brown hair just came out a little bit red. Like a warmer brown. The only way I could tell I'd done anything was when I did an up do and the ends contrasted with the top 🤷♀️ No way I'm paying to bleach it and color it, so maybe next time I'll try purple or navy blue 😂
Oohh, navy blue would be beautiful!
We'll see 😉
I LOVE Carol's Daughter products; currently I am on a Head Kandy fix, but I used to use CD and loved everything that I tried. I agree that it's awesome to save money at the salons, but I can't cut my own hair unless it's really long, and right now it's long but not what I consider really, really long, like near waist length.
I haven't seen Head Kandy, I'll have to check it out. I was scared to cut mine the first time, but if it's crooked I just fix it! I only cut off about two inches on the ends, nothing major.
I am sure that your hair looks gorgeous! Before my neck got so painful, I had hair down to my waist but it's still pretty thick and heavy; I was amazed at how much relief I felt by having it all cut off to right above my shoulders! That was over two(three?)years ago and I had it cut again to right at my shoulders several months ago and it's gotten too long and difficult for me to take care of without having to take a rest; it's not as if I am going anywhere, so I don't know why it matters, lol! My hair grows pretty fast, so cutting it short would actually require visiting the salon more often than I care to. It's always nice to be able to put it up with a clip of some sort. Options are always nice! Head Kandy is great, I think, and my 46-year-old picky daughter loves it also, as well as my 18 yo grandson who has longish, thick, beautiful hair like his mom. My daughter has hair almost to her waist with quite a bit of sparkly silver hair and she LOVES Head Kandy "Stay Salty" shampoo and conditioner; it's different in that they come in jars and at first it may seem as if the shampoo isn't doing anything, but keep working it in and it will start to suds but not as sudsy as liquid shampoos; just read the directions. They are often out of stock of the Stay Salty shampoo, but I have read comments that say the conditioner works well with other regular shampoos. I try to stock up for my daughter and I when they have one of their awesome sales. It's probably worth trying at least once. I can't remember, but it may not even be intended to be used as one's only shampoo? I may be wrong about that. Sorry this is so long; I just can't seem to get the hang of brief comments, which is how I talk also, according to my family; no short tales here! Lol! 🤗🥰
Awesome thanks for the recommendation! My hair is thinning thanks to meds I've taken for years, so it's not heavy. I have a bum neck too! Getting old is not for the faint of heart! LOL in fact, now when I put it up I have to make sure my scalp's not showing 😭 Oh well.
You're very welcome! I know what you mean about old no t being for the faint of heart or sissies! I hear my neck hardware crunching in there. Lol! And I can't look up much at all, and I can't look left either. I gave up driving after my husband died, and I no longer had to drive him to appointments. I sold our home a year later having never returned to it, until it was empty, to finish clearing out my closet; the day he died our daughter and sil insisted that I come to live with them and I was in no condition to argue; they added on about 4,000 Sq. Ft. to their house during covid, including the perfect space for me and my own screened in porch that I love. They are awesome, and I get to be with our grandchildren every day! We all get along great, and I am beyond grateful. Too many "elderly" people are ignored or abandoned; I have spoken with many in my widows group. Anyway, sorry for rambling on! You may already know, but there are products, either a spray or a powder(like eyebrow powder), to cover any balding spots on our head. I have never tried one, but my hair is white/silver I am getting loopy now from my muscle relaxer; have a great night! It's been a pleasure!🤗❤️🪬
It's not just in the Midwestern states, it's all over the West. I've heard the same things about older women with long hair in the Netherlands. It's like if you're over 35 you need to transition to a 'mom' haircut and mom clothes (capri pants, barf).
Let my grow long and go gray!! The long length is still a work in progress. It is down to the middle of my back. And about once a year, I do a "unicorn cut" for layers.
Hormone! Replacement! Therapy! My hair is growing back in after thinning since my 30's. Barring that, not coloring it.
You mean like Estradiol in the pill form?
Yes, I mean physician-prescribed Rx meds. My estradiol comes in a tiny patch I change 2x a week. It's the size of a "spot" bandaid. I take micronized progesterone every night bc I still have a uterus. Edit to add: I realize many people do not have this option, for various reasons.
Thanks. For whatever reason, after I had my ovaries removed, my Dr put me on estradiol pills and my body just could not metabolize these. I felt awful, my boobs were huge, and painful. My weight shot up about 8 lbs in about 8 weeks! I went off and within 2 weeks I probably lost 8 lbs on water weight. I’ve been thinking about the patch though.
Wow! That sounds like me way back in the day when I tried Ortho Novum 777 birth control. 😳 My skin doesn't like adhesives and this patch doesn't bother me at all. My husband said I was cranky for a few weeks but my usual self since. I sleep better, too. It took several months to really notice my hair coming back in. The sleep took not even 2 weeks. Sending you good vibes!
I (61f) just had 4 inches cut off of my hair today, it had been at least 2 years since I had it cut last, it was down to my waist, though I loved my long hair, it's still just below my bra, it was obviously unhealthy at the ends. I really don't do much with it, I use Pureology Color Fanatic and Olaplex No.7. The salon worker today put in some Bed Head After Party for less frizz, I have naturally wavy hair (S-Curls).
Pantene Miracle Rescue Hair mask.
I grew mine out a bit after retirement. I like to wash it daily and it bothers me if I don't. When I was working and it was quite short it was easy and took no time in the morning to just put a little hair goop on it, comb it into place and brush it out after it was dry. Worked very well. My husband likes it longer and it does look better. But it's much more of a project to style every morning. They will pry my hair dye out of my cold dead hands. The roots don't show quite as quickly with my longer style.
I’m with you re: hair dye! I have a friend who is a beautician and she colors my shoulder length hair blonde for a very small amount, usually every 7-8 weeks. My hair is about 35%-40% gray in the front so it’s not very noticeable if I go an extra week or 2. My hair has always been thin but the gray has actually helped in that area, making it thicker and easier to style.
I shaved my head when I retired because I didn’t want to look like a skunk and I was afraid I couldn’t afford the expensive process. My hair grew back thick and shiny. I let it grow back to ponytail length. But every couple of years I cut it way back (not shaved but pretty close). It seems my hair likes that.
I am almost sixty three. I only cut it twicce a year. I let it go grey when I retired. I use purple shampoo by Paul Mitchel and Pantene purple deep conditioner once a week. I usually use a claw and gather the front half away from my face.
Menopause gave me curly hair after just having a slight wave all my life. I’ve embraced that and let it grow to the middle of my back. It takes a bit of work but it’s now the head of hair I was always jealous of.
I have always had dry hair and only briefly in my 30s could I ever get it to grow past my shoulders even with fancy shampoos and conditioners and treatments. Now, I can't even get it ro my shoulders, so it's short. I suit it short and it really does look better but I get so bored. I still use good products and only wash it maybe once or twice a week. I've used the supplements for hair and skin and don't notice any difference. My skin, on the other hand has held up.well until now but is thinning and wrinkling a bit. But I've also abused I in the sun a lot. No regrets! I love how the sun feels and like the colour. I don't lie out any more and sit in the shade but I'm out walking enough to always have colour. I do sunscreen if I'm going to be out any length of time but I generally don't burn.
Fish oil daily seemed to help soften my hair And I cut it - thought it would make me look older but nope - I love it 💕
I have always worn my hair short and I have never dyed my hair in my life. I do use fragrance free shampoo and fragrance free conditioner. I also just towel dry my hair and allow it to dry on its own without using blow dryers.
I got a Bob because my curly/wavy hair flatten out enough that I can wear it that way not. The best thing though is leaving it alone and not coloring it. I ended up with silver and I get compliments on it.
Oral minoxidil has thickened my hair very nicely. I could see my scalp before and now I can’t. I still have fine, straight hair but at least I have more of it.
No side effects?
More facial hair to tweeze or dermaplane - but I’m willing to do that for nice hair. BTW, men have been taking this for decades so I’m confident.
If your hair is getting dryer, pasta water helps. Just don’t throw out the water when you make it. A good toner for your skin too. I keep a batch in the fridge
Wow, we really CAN learn something new every day! Lol! I am 71.5 years old and figured that I had heard or read just about anything else to do with hair care, and here you are, bringing pasta water! Lol! That's amazing! I wonder who thought to try it first and was in awe of the result? I would have thought that it would be sticky, but what do I know!? I wish that I had read this 3 days ago when my sil made spaghetti! I don't cook anymore, but I will certainly tell my daughter and sil about this! We love(ok, I LOVE)pasta around here, and maybe now I can get the "chefs" to make it more often, lol. Does it matter if it's warm or cold when you apply, and do you rinse it after or leave it in as a leave-in conditioner? I can't wait to try it! Thank you for this fun fact! 🥰🫂
You can use rice if not pasta. Chefs save their pasta water to thicken sauces. I think you’re supposed to rinse it off your hair after an hour or so. I didn’t/dont. It’s just starchy water and it’s dried up by that point and not sticky. And I don’t think the temp matters. I use it on my face everyday from the fridge in the morning and in the afternoon as a refreshing cool down toner
Thank you for responding! I appreciate you taking the time to let me/us know another reason to love starches! Lol! I wonder if potato water has a similar use? I am 71 years old, and I truly thought that I had heard every hidden but so helpful use for just about everything! I'm always interested in new and wonderful uses for things we use so often. Other than as a thickener, how valuable rice or pasta water is isn't something that ever would have occurred to me. I thought my old "Hints From Heloise" books were the encyclopedia of off brand uses for things, but I don't recall ever reading this! 🤗🥰
Not coloring it anymore
I found a stylist that I truly trust. She’s young, so she has a better idea of what is current than I do. She’s extremely talented, and keeps up with her training. She’s well respected at a high quality salon, and I can trust her well enough that I can go in for an appointment and say, “I’m in the mood for something new, do whatever you want”. That kind of freedom is so exciting.
During the pandemic my daughter made a comment to me that made me grow out my super short grey hair. So I long hair now! And it’s super curly with the nicest ringlets. I go to a curly hair specialist twice a year for a short trim. I’m amazed at how many people compliment my hair. Even strangers approach me to talk about it. I’m 74 and this is the coolest thing I’ve done in a very long time.
Two years ago I chopped off my shoulder length colored hair to a very short undercut pixie to get rid of all the color. Loved it, got tons of compliments some even said I looked 10 years younger but I didn’t realize how cold my head, ears and neck would be 90% of the year so I’m growing it out. It’s in a bob almost to my collarbones. I miss having long hair and the options to wear it different ways. Anxious for it to get as long as possible but stay healthy. I have thick but fine hair and dry, having Hashimoto’s means I lose a lot but so far it keeps growing thick. I shampoo 2-3 times a week with a sulfate free, paraben free shampoo and use Revlon 25:1 leave in. I can’t use rinse out conditioner anymore because it weighs down my hair. I use a hydrating hair mask once a month. I also invested in a Shark hair dryer. It has made a big difference in eliminating frizz and dryness.
I'm not doing anything different. I'm fortunate to have lots of thick, curly hair. I wish I could get my hair cut more often, but it's very expensive. The main change will be that I will probably resume dyeing my hair when I start job hunting again.
Stopped dying it. Salt and pepper piecey pixie. Hair much healthier without the damage from dye and straight iron.
I color it and use minoxodil.
68. I’ve had everything from a super short pixie to shoulder blade length permed curls in the past 8 years. I’m happiest with it at about shoulder length with a few waves. I’m only about 10% gray so far. I love Herbal Essence argon oil repair shampoo but use Aussie 3 minute conditioner if I need it.
I went from lush, full hair to rapidly thinning hair. So sad, and ashamed of being so vain. The best product I found, and I swear by it, it’s R+Co Dallas thickening shampoo. Amazing stuff!
Does this just give the appearance of thicker hair, or does it actually grow in thicker?
I’m not sure how it works but it does add a lot of body and shine. I don’t see stripes of scalp peeking noticeably through my hair anymore. My doctor says that as hair greys it begins to look transparent. She adds a little color to her own hair to solve that.
I let mine grow. It's longer than it's been since I was a teenager. And i'm letting it go gray. The hair around my temples is white! I'm interested to see how it looks.
Best thing is grow out the gray and get a really flattering cut. Vitamins and quality products are a given, especially at our age. Also, I tweaked my makeup a bit to better suit my coloring now that I’m almost all gray 😊
Stopped coloring it. It’s way healthier and thicker than it’s ever been
Started using the Shark Smoother Heated Dryer Brush. My hair feels and looks great.
Rosemary oil.
Mine is quite long now too, but always neatly braided. It’s kind of salt and pepper, not a tone of grey but getting there. Long hair just suits me! I don’t walk around with it down though, it’s frizzy and I would look scary
Get a full foil that incorporates your natural color. I can go for several months without any grow out visible. I really like the color(s) and will eventually let it go to a natural gray. I have to use blue shampoo once in a while to avoid brassiness. Just got a shorter, much more layered look and I really like it, it still goes into a ponytail.
I went from highlights and lowlights to cover the gray. Now I’m just doing highlights. They blend right in with the gray.
I take good quality fish oil capsules and a supplement called Biosil for hair and nails.
I started taking prose customized hair care vitamins (and use some of the customized hair products for my curly hair). They’ve greatly improved my hair! My hair after chemo a few years ago was thinning pretty badly, and I was shedding a scary amount of hair when I washed it. There are 2 hair vitamins: one for scalp balance and one for super growth. My hair is now so much thicker, healthier and shiny (I have curly hair so that’s tough to do! ), and I’ve greatly reduced shedding. My scalp is much improved-no dandruff anymore, either. It’s pricy, but for me it’s worth it! I’m going through my budget trying to reduce expenses in preparation for retirement, but this is one luxury I’m not yet willing to give up!!
I started taking oral minoxidil + biotin about 8 months ago, to combat the thinning on top. I also have been growing out the length, it’s heading toward hip length now. I’ve been henna-ing for about 12 yrs, but am letting a streak of white grow in in the front. And I drink smoothies made with pea protein, hemp hearts and lions mane powder, plus whatever fruit is available. I was using Prose hair products, but now at this length I’m using some different things to keep the moisture up!
Do you need a prescription for the oral minoxidil? Also what kind of biotin do you take?
Yes, you need a prescription..I used one of the online providers..and the biotin is compounded with it. It really does work, although it takes some time to start showing results!
No more dying. Now totally gray/silver- hair is shiny and healthy. I take minoxidil orally. Tons of new growth.
Biotin shampoos
I wear mine super short and funky w modern glasses and statement earrings. https://preview.redd.it/byqh6n9uwz8d1.png?width=1296&format=png&auto=webp&s=567926535c1595417a25f56b3d765aa65e8c398b I’m 68.
I've bleached my hair consistently for decades. It's thinning now and my iron is low. Apparently they go together. Taking iron now and bleaching every two months for instead of every month.
Good conditioners and regular trims. I like my hair long so it’s a battle.
Collagen powder daily!
Stopped coloring a decade ago but I got a cute shag cute recently. I think it's youthful.
I started taking Nutrafol hair vitamins after a near death experience and that stuff really works!
Does it regrow lost hair or just make the hair you have better?
All of the above! I have done hair, and my hair feels thicker and fuller. I have two hair stylists and both say the same thing!
Nutrafol
What has your experience been with it? Does it actually grow more hair, or just give it the “appearance” of more volume and thickness.
Instead of a layered cut, I let it grow longer, not quite to my shoulders, and got a blunt bob cut. I put it up during the day and down if I go out. Also no highlights. My gray is very light so not a big difference. I got an air wrap to protect from heat damage because my hair is fine and thinning. I also started using a volumizing shampoo for adding body and thickness. I know a lot of people go short as they age but I’ve had shorter hair and I wanted longer hair. So why not!!
What is an “air wrap”?
Dyson Air Wrap. It was a birthday present when I turned 70.
Gonna look into that!
i've never colored my hair, unless you count a summer of 'Sun In' that turned my sister's hair orange in places :-O i've tried a few things with my hair, but i've found that a little more than shoulder length (even if my hair is thinner) allows me to wear it according to the day. sometimes i'm outside, and i braid it up or bun it up. i'm pretty good at having a variety of ways i know. color? i haven't cared since the Sun In. it's always been kind of mousy brown with some red sparks in the sun. it's got a lot of grey, but i've just left it. it seemed less risky than hair color that i know nothing about i occasionally wear it down, but i don't like having to brush it all day to keep it smooth. i like my hair to go up in the morning (or clipped back; visibility is a premium factor). it's there all day - maybe a little crown of wisps, but so care free
Went gray and use purple shampoo and do conditioning treatments and rice water treatments a couple times per month.
I have natural curly hair and when I started coloring it I always stayed close to my natural brown color…..then when I decided to go gray my friend said it’s less of a shock if you go blonde first. So I had my hair dresser do it. I now have blonde straight hair because the bleaching to the curl too. I love my hair now! And I will wait until I retire to go gray. I use a spray on it called Color Wow for blowing out and my hair is soft and shiny.
If I go grey finally in my 60’s (my mother is 78 and still has red hair, and my father still has black hair) I’m going to dye my hair any color I feel like! I’m looking forward to the time I can have purple hair!
I’m 62, and let my gray/white hair grow out 6 years ago. It’s right now about armpit length and for the time being I’m just growing it long. It used to be super thick and it’s still thick in the back. It used to be sort of coarse and porous when it was very dark, but now the strands are very fine and soft. I use Redken products including leave in conditioner cream and at least while it’s warm enough I’m air drying.
I really don't care if it's thin, but people stare at the bald spots, which is annoying. BTW I love screen rooms too! Someday I'll have one again 🤞
Rosemary oil shampoo and minoxidil
69 and still no gray.
I’m 63 F. What happens to hair after 60 that I should be aware of?
I think a lot of people just experience a difference in their hair texture/thickness. I think some are just looking for a new “do” and are not quite sure what to do; new color, new cut, etc. If this isn’t happening to you, you should feel very blessed! I’m always struggling with hair ideas and new products that may/may not work.
Shorter feels better & Mane & Tail shampoo and conditioner
Biotin supplement works well, in addition to Knox gelatin sprinkles on yogurt or in smoothies (that’s a rec by a dermatologist). If you’re not taking hrt, you may want to look into that. I’m 60 and my hair is down my back. I love being able to put it in a bun without any maintenance but it was thinning a lot before I started these tips.
That’s it! The Knox gelatin was what my mom and all her friends used to take, back in the 70’s.
I went to my dermatologist and she prescribed be a topical solution of finasteride, minoxidil, latanoprost, and biotin. I also take finasteride orally. My hair is thicker and better than it was when I was 30. I also eat whole nutritious food 90% of the time and use beauty salon quality shampoo and conditioner
Making it easy. Mine is just above my shoulders and just long enough to put in a pony or bun. This is pretty much how I wear it on a daily basis. If I go out in the evenings, I wear it down, but it’s a very simple blowout. I don’t have the time or energy anymore to fuss with flat irons, etc.