The getting older hair frizz- what you need to know

In a recent Instagram post, Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore said her hair looked like "bird feathers" after a recent trip to the hair salon, writing: "OK when you get older, bleach is hard on the hair! I wanted to lighten up! But what happened was my hair just didn't respond well this time. A few months ago I lightened my hair and it just looked dead! I am was sad. Don't i look sad? This picture is sad! I wanted to do something to feel more attractive to myself and it totally backfired. (sic)"

Thankfully, Drew sought out a treatment from hairdresser Tracey Cunningham to help restore her smooth, silky hair, and reports that her hair is “remarkably and clearly better”. But despite her fixing her hair issues, there are a few questions that Drew’s post has got us asking.

We all know that hair bleach isn’t the best for you, but is it true that it affects you worse when you get older? And what about the so called ‘getting older hair frizz’- myth or truth? As always, we’ve done the research for you, so you don’t have to…

First up, the getting older hair frizz. Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, your hair goes through some less-than-desirable transformations as you age. From going grey, to losing shine, to the individual strands changing in texture, there’s a lot to get used to. And yes, this does include your previously straight strands suddenly growing from your scalp in a… frizzy sort of way.

However, you shouldn’t feel too upset about this- it’s a natural process that we’ll all go through eventually, so really, you should be embracing it. But if you’ve always been keen to show off your hair in the best light, you can try out some hair anti-aging products that should restore and retain moisture so hair looks and feels more soft and smooth. I know, I know, hair anti-aging products sound like complete money wasters, but if you do your online research, there are plenty out there that are worth the try (we’ve heard good things about Pantene Expert Collection Age Defy line, if you want a place to start).

If you want to look after your hair without necessarily paying for a whole host of targeted treatments, you can make a change by being more selective with your shampoos and conditioners. Make sure to avoid anything that’s high in ammonia and alcohol because those ingredients will dry out your hair. Instead, go for products with moisturizing ingredients such as olive oil.

And what about bleaching aging hair? There’s nothing to say that bleach has any worse of an effect on the hair of an older person, but it’s true that because your hair quality is reduced, and more prone to damage, anyway, this may lead to the bleach generally causing more breakage and split ends than it usually does.

If you’re in your forties or above and still want to bleach your hair, that’s no problem- but we recommend visiting an experienced hairdresser to get the job done properly. They will be able to colour your hair using methods that cause the least damage, not to mention create a much better overall look than you can achieve from a five pound hair dye.