Hair Care Tips for Men Over 50

Aside from your skin and body, you should also take good care of your hair to look great in your 50s. Here are hair care tips and tricks so you can develop a healthy and effective routine for your hair.

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9 Essential Hair Care Tips for Your 50s

1. Always Bring a Comb

You might think that applying too many products to your hair will help you maintain your hairstyle all day. However, this is a no-no, especially when you're over 50.

As an alternative, carry a comb with you at all times and treat it as your best friend. It'll not only keep your hair up, but it'll also maintain your hair's natural shine.

Use a short and wide comb to make your hairstyle last throughout the day. Wet it first before you touch up your hair for a neat, clean look.

2. Invest in the Right Hair Care Products

If you treat your hair like skin wherein you have a step-by-step routine, ensure to apply only the best products. From shampoo to hair gel, take time to research the best ingredients for your hair.

As much as possible, don't resort to all-in-one products. As you age, your hair produces less oil, and its growth slows down. With this, you must apply special products that'll provide the lost nutrients that your hair needs.

Choose items that are made of natural ingredients. Avoid these harsh chemicals that'll only do damage to your hair:

• Parabens
• Petrochemicals
• Phthalates
• Sulfates
• Silicones

It's also important that you determine the type of scalp you have:

• Normal scalp: This means that your scalp is in its best possible shape, and your hair can be easily managed. Since your scalp has already a sufficient amount of oil, you won't have a hard time shopping for products. Just look for a shampoo with both cleaning and moisturizing properties.
• Oily scalp: If you feel like your hair is greasy, you may reduce its oiliness by avoiding hydrating and moisturizing shampoos. Instead, use products with “daily clarifying”, “strengthening”, or “balancing” on them to split up excess oils.
• Dry scalp: Choose shampoos that offer hydration and moisture to your scalp. Look for tea tree oil ingredient, which has substantial moisturizing properties. Keep away from products labeled as “volumizing”, “strengthening”, and “fortifying”.

3. Avoid Hair Product Overuse

You may still use hairspray, hair gels, and waxes to achieve the style you're aiming for. However, avoid overdoing it. It'll just make your hair appear heavy and unnatural.

To help you decide on the right product for your desired style, here's a quick guide:

• Wax: There's no doubt that this product can hold your hairstyle in place. However, since it's oil-based, it can be more difficult to remove it from your hair.
• Clays and muds: Compared with the other products, these two are dryer, so they provide less shine for your hair.
• Gel: Use this product if you want your hair to stay in place and achieve a wet look at the same time. It provides that high-hold, high-shine effect on your hair.
• Putty: This product also keeps your style in place, but it doesn't shine and harden your hair as gel does.
• Paste: For men with medium to long hair, this is your best option as you can easily and evenly apply it. Plus, it's water-based so it's easier to wash out.
• Pomade: This product makes your hair shiny but has a lesser hold compared with others. This is the most ideal product if you want to achieve a retro look.
• Sea salt spray: Use this if you want your hair to appear matte and textured yet natural-looking.

4. Get Groomed

It's essential that you regularly go to your barber to take better care of your hair. It's recommended that you visit a barbershop at least once every month.

Getting groomed doesn't only include having a haircut. For instance, it also involves treating the ends of your hair since they're exposed every day to different elements such as heat. If left untreated, it can result in split ends which can damage your hair.

Seek professional help from barbers and stylists. They know better how to manage your hair and offer recommendations based on what you want to achieve.

5. Work Your Gray

Normally, gray strands start to appear in your 50s. This happens when cells don't produce pigments anymore.

Taking care of gray hair may be different from other colors. Gray strands tend to be stiffer, and they're more absorbent. This means that your hair might gather dust and smoke more easily.

These pollutants are what make your gray hair yellowish. To get rid of these yellow tones, use a silver shampoo. In addition, apply a hair mask designed for gray hair. These will moisturize your hair to make it look fresh and vibrant.

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6. Take It Easy

Be careful when washing and styling your hair. Treat it with the utmost care, and don't be too aggressive when handling it.

After getting out of the shower, don't rub your hair vigorously with a towel. If your hair's still wet, it's more exposed to damage. The friction from rubbing will weaken your strands as well as lead to frizziness and split ends.

Instead, be easy on your hair by shaking out excess water and patting it dry.

If you're going to blow dry your hair, switch the setting to the lowest heat. Then, hold it away from your scalp. Exposing your hair to high temperatures for too long may cause dryness and brittleness.

If you have long hair and your strands are twisted together, don't forcefully pull them apart with a comb. Be gentle and take your time in removing the tangles.

7. Sleep

You might be wondering, “What does sleep have to do with my hair?”

Your sleeping pattern has a significant impact on the health of your hair. When you're asleep, your body is in repair and recovery modes, which have positive effects on your looks, including your hair.

Sleep improves your blood flow, so your hair follicles receive a substantial amount of nutrients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you get at least seven quality hours of sleep every night.

8. Use Hair Conditioner

With aging comes a decrease in natural scalp oil. To replenish your hair's moisture, use a conditioner.

However, there are different types of conditioner, and how often you use it can affect your hair:

• Deep conditioner: This type of conditioner is designed for very damaged hair. Leave this on for at least 30 minutes to hydrate your hair. Use it every month or two.
• Leave-in conditioner: From the name itself, you may leave this conditioner on your hair until your next wash. It's formulated for hair that's moderately dry. Apply it at least once a week.
• Cleansing conditioner: This doesn't only condition your strands; it also cleans them. You don't need to apply shampoo prior to using this type of conditioner. If your hair is fine or oily, this is your best option. You may apply it as often as you want.
• Rinse-out conditioner: Perhaps the most common conditioner, this type is generally applied after shampooing. If your hair is oily, you may use it a few times weekly. Meanwhile, if you have dry hair, using it more frequently will benefit your hair.

9. Wear Hats Sparingly

If wearing caps or hats is part of your style, keep in mind not to overdo it. Hats that are too tight can affect the flow of your blood going to your hair follicles.

Additionally, they tend to pull your strands too hard. These can lead to both hair loss and damage. As an alternative, you may wear hats that are loose-fitting.