White Hair, Don't Care: Taking Care of the Hair You Have

Style icon Jenna Lyons proudly flaunts her streaks of white hair in photos and thinks they’re cool. Meryl Streep’s white-and-gray ‘do was iconic in The Devil Wears Prada, and now the award-winning actress is rocking the look in real life. Even our Filipino celebrities like Dawn Zulueta, Carmina Villaroel, and Judy Anne Santos have learned to embrace and love their “uban.” While some women like to color their hair, which is perfectly okay, embracing your natural white hair is an awesome way to celebrate and own your unique beauty.

As we age, the pigment cells that store melanin, naturally found in our hair follicles, gradually die. As these pigment cells die, the hair that grows from the follicle gets less melanin and becomes less pigmented. Slowly, the hair shaft or strand becomes a more transparent gray, silver, or white.

People can have black and white hair, or completely gray hair at any age. Some can get white hairs in their early 20s, while others get their first white hairs in their 40s. It all depends on your genes. You will likely get your first white hair when you are the same age as when one of your parents or grandparents first got theirs.

When you see the first signs of white hair, such as a small silver baby hair growing on the top of your head, don’t panic! It’s normal for hair to turn white as we age. Whether you choose to dye it or leave it alone, what’s important is that you keep your hair — all of it, in every color — as healthy as can be. Here’s how you can take care of the hair you have, especially when it starts to show signs of aging. 

Dry hair is a common sign of aging. As we age, our scalp produces less oil due to shrinking oil glands. Without this oil to coat the hair to make it soft and shiny, it can slowly grow brittle and dry. You can treat and replenish dry hair by using products infused with nourishing oils, such as Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo and Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner.

Formulated specifically for brittle, dry hair, this shampoo and conditioner contain Advanced Nutri-Oils that nourish hair at the deepest level, and smoothens roughness. It’s also non-greasy, so you don’t have to worry about it weighing your hair down. The conditioner addresses frizz and coats the hair with moisture, giving it a youthful shine. 

Hair loss is a common sign of aging. Hair growth slows down, while the hairs themselves also become thinner and less pigmented. Hair texture can also change with age. It can become straight, wavy or curly, thin or rough. It’s difficult to predict how hair changes over time, so the best way to address these changes and make sure the hair that you have stays healthy is to visit a hairdresser or stylist and get a haircut. Shorter strands can be stronger and less prone to breakage than longer strands, while giving the appearance of volume. 

Try Dove Hair Fall Rescue Shampoo and Dove Hair Fall Rescue Conditioner, which are formulated to strengthen strands and reduce hair fall by up to 98%. They are formulated with Trichazole Actives, which deliver instant and long-term results. Add bounce and volume to your hair with Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Volume and Bounty Shampoo and Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Volume and Bounty Conditioner. They contain replenishing coconut water, which hydrates and boosts volume by gently cleansing the hair and scalp to reduce build up.

Don’t let your white hair stop you from styling it as you wish. It is, however, important to start using heat protection. Brittle and weak hair is more prone to damage and breakage from styling. If you regularly blow-dry your hair or use tools such as flat irons or curling irons, protect your strands with a heat protectant. It shields hair from damage that can be caused by heat styling, and seals in shine.

White hair? Don’t care! The important thing is the care for the hair you have, no matter what color. Share this article to encourage more women to celebrate their white hair.