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The most visible change we see when aging is the new non-pigmented hair showing up. The grey hair is typically caused by a change in activity of the melanocytes (cells responsible for coloring) in the follicle. Greying and white hair also have different structures than when the hair had its color. 

Everyone dreads the day when the typical hair combing is stopped by a shiny gray hair hiding in the mix of them all. Shelly is no exception. She was able to pluck the few grey anomalies, but they have just about taken over. She just turned 50 and her beautiful black hair suddenly looks like salt and pepper. Whether you choose to embrace the change or break out the hair dye, your hair routine may need some adjustments.

Why does hair texture change when it turns grey?

When hair strands start to turn grey, the cuticle scales become smaller and coarser. The hair will increase production of keratin cells along the center of the hair shaft. This is why a medulla is more common with age. Hair will become sensitive to things it may have not had difficulties with before. Sunlight and heat are much more damaging and can cause bleaching and yellowing respectively, and dye products will have difficulty saturating hair as well, absorbing at different rates.

To help combat bleaching, yellowing, and brassy hair, use clarifying shampoos to reduce build-up and UV protectant ingredients. to keep the cuticle layer protected.

Why is grey hair difficult to color?

Spotty hair dye or even loss of color is more common because of the new medullas and lack of proteins that would absorb the new pigment. Many people gaining salt and pepper hair get frustrated when the color washes out after only two weeks. This comes from the structural and texture changes that come with new hormonal changes during aging.

As we age, these melanocytes change shape and have a reduction of pigmentation. Unfortunately, it can’t be something we can run or hide from. Genetics usually determines when those pesky little greys will make their debut. Early loss of pigment can be a sign of some auto-immune diseases, thyroid diseases, Vitamin B12 deficiency, and is a risk factor for heavy smokers. 

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References

Kwon, OS, et al. “Hair Graying Pattern Depends on Gender, Onset Age and Smoking Habits.” Acta Dermato Venereologica, vol. 92, no. 2, 2012, pp. 160–161., doi:10.2340/00015555-1181. 

Kaplan, P. D., et al. “Grey Hair: Clinical Investigation into Changes in Hair Fibres with Loss of Pigmentation in a Photoprotected Population.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, vol. 33, no. 2, 2011, pp. 171–182., doi:10.1111/j.1468-2494.2010.00614.x. 

Richena, M., et al. “Yellowing and Bleaching of Grey Hair Caused by Photo and Thermal Degradation.” Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, vol. 138, 2014, pp. 172–181., doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2014.05.017. 

Kwon, OS, et al. “Hair Graying Pattern Depends on Gender, Onset Age and Smoking Habits.” Acta Dermato Venereologica, vol. 92, no. 2, 2012, pp. 160–161., doi:10.2340/00015555-1181. 

What do the cities Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Minneapolis have in common? They are the top cities with hard water in the United States! This means that the water has higher levels of dissolved minerals, usually calcium and magnesium, which can show up as a white calcium carbonate deposit. It is widely believed that hard water contributes to brittleness, breakage, and in severe cases discoloration of the cortex proteins. While the deposits are not a health concern, they can wreak havoc to your hair routine! 

What does this mean for your hair?

These calcium carbonate deposits are very small, but show up as an overall dullness or even a yellow tinge in lighter colored hair. The discoloration happens when elevated levels of magnesium and calcium penetrate the cuticle and the metal ions attach to the proteins in the cortex.

This ionization will change the charge of the proteins (i.e. change the pH of the hair), attracting color deposits and causing lifting in the cuticle layers.  Changes in  pH allows the layers to open and close dynamically, and when the pH is alkaline the layers lift and become more vulnerable to damage. In other words, these deposits will create an alkaline environment and an abrasive contact that leads to discoloration, splits, tangling and increased porosity!

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With all this in mine, how do you protect your hair from these deposits? Aside from adding a water softener filter to the water source, you can remove these deposits using a chelating agent! Chelating agents actively bind minerals, breaking the bonds they would have with your hair, allowing them to fully rinse out. To help you out, most chelating shampoos are labeled as either chelating or hard water shampoos.  You will often find EDTA (or a derivative) as one of the last ingredients in a product. In this case, the  ingredient is acting as a stabilizer in a low concentration and will not effectively remove hard water buildup.

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Look for these ingredients higher in the ingredients list:

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If you have difficulty finding a product, there is an alternative method for clarifying hard water buildup is a simple Apple Cider Vinegar rinse (1 Cup water + 1-2 Tablespoons of ACV). ACV is slightly acidic, and in low concentrations can be used to lower the alkaline environment caused by hard water. This will also help loosen the bonds to let them rinse out. 

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References

Luqman, Muhammad Waqas, et al. “To Evaluate and Compare Changes in Baseline Strength of Hairs after Treating Them with Deionized Water and Hard Water and Its Role in Hair Breakage.” International Journal of Trichology, vol. 10, no. 3, May 2018, pp. 113–117. EBSCOhost, doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_115_16.

Luqman, Muhammad Waqas, et al. “Effect of Topical Application of Hard Water in Weakening of Hair in Men.” JOURNAL OF THE PAKISTAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, vol. 66, no. 9, Sept. 2016, pp. 1132–1136. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edswsc&AN=000386138300020&site=eds-live.

Srinivasan, Gautham, et al. “Effects of Hard Water on Hair.” International Journal of Trichology, vol. 5, no. 3, July 2013, pp. 137–139. EBSCOhost, doi:10.4103/0974-7753.125609.

Alahmmed, Lujain M., et al. “Scanning Electron Microscopy Study of Hair Shaft Changes Related to Hardness of Water.” Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, vol. 83, no. 6, Nov. 2017, p. 740. EBSCOhost, doi:10.4103/ijdvl.IJDVL_1119_16.

It’s no secret that our hair is always at the mercy of the current weather/climate. Whether you’re in constant humidity in Florida, or constant dryness in Las Vegas, it can be hard to achieve the perfect curls, waves, or straight locks. This post was inspired by one of our customers who, bless her heart, has all four seasons. From hot and humid summers to cold and dry winters, her hair certainly experiences it all. In this post, we’ll cover how to manage your hair during every season.

What are Humectants?

Humectants are a type of ingredient that can help moisturize your hair, creating soft and supple hair. They work to evenly disperse moisture from the scalp down the entire hair strand because they help propel your natural oils (sebum). This is why using humectants in your conditioner can help add shine to the hair shaft.

Humectants are hygroscopic (water attracting). This means that humectants draw water from whatever source is available. This is not a problem when the dew points are moderate but when the air is excessively humid or dry, your hair will likely react with the changing climate. Products with strong occlusive properties are a must when using humectants in your stylers. 

What products need humectants?

We recommend that you use humectants in your conditioner, especially if you have low elasticity or high porosity hair. Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm is a great example of a product with humectants. Notice the high concentration of propylene glycol. (Added benefit: It is not heavy and does not build-up easily on the hair making it a great choice for fine hair.)

If you choose to avoid humectants in your styling products, you can instead lock in moisture using a film-forming humectant. Film-forming humectants are awesome for low-porosity hair but can work on all hair types. They create a film on the hair but are very light. They work to slow water loss and soften hair. And voila! Your frizzy locks are maintained. Film-forming humectants are also ideal because they are water soluble and thus will not build-up on the hair. Some of our favorite film-forming humectants are found in Giovanni LA Natural Styling Gel – Strong Hold. It has a high concentration of hydroxyethylcellulose and has plant extracts. 

One more added plus, film-forming humectants work great in a wide range of climates. So for our friends in the desert and dense humidity, this can work for you! 

Residual product build-up remaining after washing. Using water soluble occlusives, like film-forming humectant may help prevent residual buildup.

Very little residual product build-up remaining after washing. This is a great added benefit for using water soluble ingredients in your stylers like film-forming humectants.

You may want to avoid humectants high up in the ingredient lists of your styling products to prevent this level of buildup.

Humectants:

Film-forming humectants:

Our virtual product aisle may help as you select new products or better understand those you are currently using. 

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References:

Byung In Ro, and Thomas L. Dawson. “The Role of Sebaceous Gland Activity and Scalp Microfloral Metabolism in the Etiology of Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, vol. 10, no. 3, Dec. 2005, pp. 194–197. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/j.1087-0024.2005.10104.x.

Asnaashari, Solmaz, and Yousef Javadzadeh. “Herbal Medicines For Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia.” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, vol. 26, no. 4, July 2020, pp. 27–35. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cmedm&AN=31221945&site=eds-live.

Pelikh, Olga, et al. “Hair Follicle Targeting with Curcumin Nanocrystals: Influence of the Formulation Properties on the Penetration Efficacy.” Journal of Controlled Release, vol. 329, Jan. 2021, pp. 598–613. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.09.053.

Aging

Menopause. Why? WHY? Sandra’s hair is no longer recognizable to herself. She just turned 52 and has more hair products hiding under her sink than ever before. But all of the bottles are still half full. Might as well use them on the dog. Sandra, you are not alone.  

As we age, our hair starts to go through changes. It’s not the same mane from our early twenties. It may be thinning, with grey hairs popping up rampantly and seems to get dryer faster. This article will review symptoms of aging hair and what it means for your hair care routine. Sandra, you can love your hair just as much as you did in your twenties, but your hair care routine will need to change.

Thinning

Hair length and density are controlled by hormones known as Androgens. As we age, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is introduced during menopause, allowing for an increase in the production of hormones that will change the morphology of your hair. Follicles begin to decrease in our 30’s and will cause thinning density.

Coarseness

The GnRH will also affect the cuticle layer. Since the anagen phase is shortened, the scales will be shorter and more porous. This will increase the hair width, sometimes allowing for the growth of a hollow medulla, and a more sensitive cuticle that can be damaged easily by rough grooming practices that would work before. Take care to brush gently, avoid going to bed with wet hair, using vigorous styling habits or heat without proper protective styling products to help reduce damage and splits. Products such as deep conditioners will help smooth your hair and help manage the coarse texture.

Dry Scalp

Hair also appears to become dryer as we age. GnRH will reduce oil production (sebum), which is the main moisturizing component for the hair shaft. Hair may need more consistent mechanical distribution practices, such as hair brushing or scalp massage, and the help of moisturizing oil products along the length of the hair. This is dependent on the type of hair, as fine hair will absorb more oil than coarse hair.

Greying

Greying hair is caused by the reduction of melanocyte proteins in the follicle, which produces the pigment for your hair. As we age there will be less of these proteins and a possibility of a new medulla if there was not one already. 

Microscopic picture of gray hair near the root

When we begin greying is typically hereditary and cannot be changed. While some will dye their hair, it is important to remember that the change in structure can make it more difficult to absorb the dye, sometimes causing quick fading or even spotty pigment. Talk with your stylist about the best coloring method that would apply to your hair.

Slow Growth

With GnRH increasing the production of estrogen, the anagen phase of hair is shortened. This means that hair has less time to grow before it will naturally get to the telogen phase and shed, so the length of hair you are used to can change. Supplements have very little evidence of actually increasing hair growth, as it would be a hormonal change rather than a deficiency of collagen or other ingredients. It is shown that a healthy scalp free of build-up with healthy blood flow will encourage more hair growth. A scalp massage and a healthy diet with appropriate levels of protein, vitamin A, Vitamin B12 and, Iron are the best way to have healthier hair. 

So for all of the Sandra’s out there, make sure you choose the right products for your hair and understand that greying hairs are a fact of life. 

Reference: Silver Hair by Lorraine Massey

Richena, M., et al. “Yellowing and Bleaching of Grey Hair Caused by Photo and Thermal Degradation.” Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, vol. 138, Jan. 2014, pp. 172–181. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2014.05.017.

Itou, Takashi. “Morphological Changes in Hair Melanosomes by Aging.” Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, vol. 31, no.5, Sept. 2018, pp. 630-635. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/pcmr.12697.

Massey, Lorraine, and Michele Bender. Silver Hair: Say Goodbye to the Dye– and Let Your Natural Light Shine! Workman Publishing, 2017. 

Notice your hair isn’t as long as it was before? With age, the anagen (growing) phase of hair will begin to end sooner than it used to in our youth. This is controlled by the ever changing levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormones and our diet! While there isn’t much that can be done about the naturally occurring changes in hormones, we can control the food we eat. 

It is important to have a healthy and balanced diet for many reasons, but we will focus on the nutrients that help our hair. Vitamins and nutrients found in foods that can help strengthen your hair and nails include iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and protein.

Sources of Iron

Sources of Vitamin A

Sources of Vitamin B12

If there is no deficiency in your diet, there is little scientific evidence that hair supplements will guarantee an increase in hair growth or strength. If you do have a deficiency in your diet, a multivitamin is helpful as well as, including new sources of vitamins or iron in your diet. Meeting your nutritional needs is the best way to encourage healthy hair growth. Your nutritional needs will change as your body ages.

Another factor of hair growth is scalp health! Your hair needs blood flow to deliver the nutrients to the hair bulb, and excessive buildup or dryness can reduce that flow.

Scalp massage can reduce buildup, bring blood up to the scalp and can relax tension (and who doesn’t want that?). 

References

Al-Azzawi, Farook, and Santiago Palacios. “Hormonal Changes during Menopause.” Maturitas, vol. 63, no. 2, 2009, pp. 135–137., doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2009.03.009.

Goluch-Koniuszy, Zuzanna Sabina. “Nutrition of Women with Hair Loss Problem during the Period of Menopause.” Menopausal Review, vol. 1, 2016, pp. 56–61., doi:10.5114/pm.2016.58776.

Takahashi, Toshie, et al. “Age-Dependent Changes in Damage Processes of Hair Cuticle.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2015, pp. 2–8., doi:10.1111/jocd.12129.

Van Neste, D. J., and D. H. Rushton. “Gender Differences in Scalp Hair Growth Rates Are Maintained but Reduced in Pattern Hair Loss Compared to Controls.” Skin Research and Technology, vol. 22, no. 3, 2015, pp. 363–369., doi:10.1111/srt.12274. 

If your hair is dry, breaking or you are planning on doing a color treatment you may want to change up the proteins in your products!  Everyone deals with protein loss in some way. Chemical treatments like perms, blowouts or coloring/lightning can damage the cuticle layer, creating larger openings for the proteins and oils in the cortex to escape. Swimming in chlorinated pools can cause oxidation of the epicuticle layer, where the proteins in the cuticle are rapidly degraded and small bubble-like sacs form (allworden sacs), allowing for smaller water soluble proteins to slip through. High heat styling, sun damage and mechanical stress to the cuticle layers can also break the hair shaft open, making it difficult to maintain the balance needed for healthy hair. Some, if not all of these things are part of your day to day life, so how can you combat the damage?

Can you repair protein loss due?

Unfortunately, we can’t add protein back into the hair permanently. Protein in the cortex is synthesized in the follicle during the anagen phase. As the hair loses protein over it’s life, it can’t re-synthesize them at the tips of the hair, only at the follicle. This means that any loss of protein would need to be replaced using products, but these products are usually water soluble and will need to be reapplied. This is why many products have hydrolyzed protein already added to them, because it is understood that your hair will inevitably lose protein along the way. 

Protein/Moisture Balance

That said, how do you know if you need more protein? It has to do with the balance of moisture and protein in your hair. If protein is the scaffolding that holds up your hair, moisture is the WD-40 to keep it working! Too much of either component can deteriorate the hair’s structure in different ways.

Over moisturized hair becomes stretchy and elastic which causes structural damage to the cuticle layers. Over moisturized hair often has difficulty keeping it’s form, often causing styles to fall loose quickly or the hair to appear greasy/limp.

Too much protein can cause the cuticle layers to be rigid, and unable to absorb moisture causing the hair to become dry and brittle. Hair with protein buildup will feel like straw, tangle easily and break with little effort. Finding the balance of protein to moisture will be different for every individual, mostly influenced by the porosity of your hair.

Protein comes in many different shapes and sizes and is very versatile. The customizability comes from the molecular weight of each protein.  Smaller hydrolyzed proteins will penetrate the epicuticle, which helps seal in any openings created by fractures or cuticle lifting. A medium to large size protein could help coat the hair shaft, adding shine and reducing frizz similar to a film-forming humectant. This means that using only one type of protein will likely not fill all your hair needs. Combining 2-3 different types is recommended to find the best balance for your hair, and they can be located in styling products, deep conditioners or your regular washing products. 

How Often?

The frequency of application of these hydrolyzed proteins is dependent on your type of hair! Higher porosity hair can quickly absorb products. The raised sections of cuticle layers can easily support larger molecular structures, meaning that bigger proteins like quinoa or gelatin will fill up those spaces easily while smaller structures like hazelnut or wheat would be less efficient. However, easily filling in the gaps also means it is easy to lose added moisture and protein on the surface of the hair. Coarse hair is naturally protein rich, but may still need protein in conditioning products. 

Low porosity hair won’t lose as much protein as high porosity. Protein is often needed when clarifying low porosity hair because it allows small proteins to coat the hair surface right after cleansing. However, stylers with larger protein structures can often weigh down fine hair, causing buildup around the surface and causing dry and brittle feeling hair. It’s important to look for the protein in the ingredients list to determine the relative concentration. (It can be difficult because all ingredients that are less than 1% can be listed in any order and proteins are often found in this section of the list)

Your hair may not fit a category perfectly nor are these hard and fast rules for everyone, but as you get to know your hair and observe its response you will have greater confidence selecting products that work well for you. 

Recommended Protein Types

Proteins tolerated well by low to high porosity types:

In the Virtual Product Aisle, these are known as Small Hydrolyzed Proteins.

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Proteins your normal to high porosity hair will likely tolerate:

In the Virtual Product Aisle, these are known as Large Hydrolyzed Proteins.

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References

Gama, Robson M., et al. “Protective Effect of Conditioner Agents on Hair Treated with Oxidative Hair Dye.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 17, no. 6, Dec. 2018, pp. 1090–1095. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/jocd.12484.

Desantis, Lisa. “KERATIN.” Health, vol. 33, no. 10, Dec. 2019, p. 36. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=139516570&site=eds-live.

“The Best Protein Treatments for Hair; Your Dry, Brittle Hair Is Hungry for Protein — so Saturate It with a Nutrient-Rich Product.” The Guardian (London, England), 18 Jan. 2015. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbro&AN=edsbro.A397824170&site=eds-live.

“HOW TO GET FULLER SHINIER HAIR: Recharge from the inside out with These Transformative Products.” Harper’s Bazaar, no. 3666, Sept. 2018, p. 397. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgac&AN=edsgac.A552305453&site=eds-live.

The pre-shampoo treatment is an oil treatment you apply several hours before clarifying to protect and soften the hair. It is not intended to be used with every wash. For a pre-shampoo treatment, apply a moisturizing oil to the damaged (porous) regions of your hair 2-4 hours before washing (or longer if you prefer to do it overnight). 

Moisturizing Oil Recommendations

Be sure to clarify after you use a pre-shampoo oil. This may seem counterintuitive but by allowing several hours for the oil to absorb, your hair will absorb the oil it needs, and clarifying will help remove excess.

Why do a pre-shampoo treatment?

Before cleansing your hair with a clarifying wash, applying a moisturizing oil will help fill in gaps in the cuticle layer, reducing possible damage from the stripping of the cleansers.

The oil helps prevent the porous regions of your hair from swelling from the intake of water. Hair swelling makes the hair weak and prone to breakage. Pre-shampoo can also help add shine, detangle hair when you wash, soften coarse, wiry hair (ex. gray hair), protect hair from hard water, and improve elasticity if very high.  

To determine how often you should do a pre-shampoo treatment, consider how often you clarify. The more often you clarify, the more often you may want to do this treatment. More coarse hair tends to need this treatment more frequently, while fine hair may rarely find this treatment beneficial. Lastly, those with low porosity hair may only want to use this treatment occasionally or only on the ends of their hair that are higher porosity.

The pre-shampoo step can also be used before swimming to protect the hair from absorbing too much chlorine or saltwater. The oil will help keep the epicuticle layer filled, reducing the loss of water soluble proteins.

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References:

Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2003 Mar-Apr;54(2):175-92. PMID: 12715094.

Basit, Abdul, et al. “Health Improvement of Human Hair and Their Reshaping Using

Recombinant Keratin K31.” Biotechnology Reports, vol. 20, Dec. 2018, p. E00288,

doi:10.1016/j.btre.2018.e00288.

Michelle just hit her 54th birthday and just wishes she could have her smooth hair like she used to in her 20s. Her texture and look of her hair is rough, but it doesn’t end there. It feels damaged so Michelle has become best friends with her hairdresser, getting trims very frequently. When she gets home, she is almost even more discouraged than she was before-the hair cuts almost made her hair feel more rough to the touch. Michelle, we know it’s hard, but hopefully we’ll provide some help.

Why does hair change?

When we get older, our hormone levels are shifting around and causing changes to our hair, skin, nails and everything else! This means that you can’t approach your hair at 45 years old the same way you did when you were 25 years old. One of the changes that can begin as early as your 30’s is coarser hair.

Estrogen controls the amount of time a hair will spend in the Anagen phase. If the levels are lowered, hair will have a shorter growth time, and an increased Anagen phase will correlate with an increased hair width. Since the hair stays in the keratinization phase of the follicle, it will have an increase in width, with a thicker and possibly more porous cuticle. This is why hair porosity and width are commonly more porous/wider as we age. 

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Both images show high porosity in an older client. The cuticle chipping in the first picture and the lifted cuticle scales in the second are indicators.

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What does this mean for your hair?

The change in width and porosity causes the cuticle to be more sensitive to fragmentation by rough hygiene practices. (i.e. scrubbing too hard or brushing wet hair) Hair will appear drier, will be more inclined to tangle, and will reduce in volume. This may cause people to attempt more vigorous styling habits, such as heat styling, which can cause even more damage to the cuticle! The more damaged the cuticle becomes, the worse the issue gets. And now the solution seems further away than it began. Extra care should be taken to ensure the hair is protected from heat to reduce fragmentations or splits and practices like brushing hair when wet or teasing should be reduced. 

Tips: For those who have coarse, higher porosity hair, consider using a pre-shampoo treatment. Oils (sparingly), to help soften the hair and protect from too much water absorption when washing. 

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References

Al-Azzawi, Farook, and Santiago Palacios. “Hormonal Changes during Menopause.” Maturitas, vol. 63, no. 2, 2009, pp. 135–137., doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2009.03.009.

Trueb, RalphM, et al. “A Comment on the Science of Hair Aging.” International Journal of Trichology, vol. 10, no. 6, 2018, p. 245., doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_56_18.

Grotzinger, Andrew D., et al. “Genetic and Environmental Influences on Pubertal Hormones in Human Hair across Development.” 2017, doi:10.1101/152470. 

Piérard-Franchimont, Claudine, and Gérald E. Piérard. “Alterations in Hair Follicle Dynamics in Women.” BioMed Research International, vol. 2013, 2013, pp. 1–5., doi:10.1155/2013/957432. 

Takahashi, Toshie, et al. “Age-Dependent Changes in Damage Processes of Hair Cuticle.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 14, no. 1, 2015, pp. 2–8., doi:10.1111/jocd.12129.