KEY TAKEAWAYS: Aging hair can give your clients a run for their money. But with an expert like you at the helm – and these industry-leading tips – you can help your clients' hair age gracefully, vibrantly, and beautifully.
Updated: August 8, 2025
Aging is a natural part of life – and let’s be real – it’s also a beautiful reminder of the journeys we’ve taken, the wisdom we’ve earned, and the milestones we’ve celebrated. But while aging is inevitable, how it shows up in our hair doesn’t have to be left entirely to fate.
For many clients, the first signs of aging make their debut right at the top of their head – long before fine lines or wrinkles become visible.
Changes in texture, moisture, density, or color can shift how someone sees themselves in the mirror. Gray hairs may begin to sparkle through, strands may lose their shine, or the once-rich hue may start to fade. And when our hair changes, it can make our overall appearance feel different, sometimes duller, more fragile, or less vibrant than before.
The 10 Signs of Aging Hair Every Stylist Should Know About (& How to Treat)
As beauty professionals, we know hair isn’t just hair. It’s confidence, personality, and identity. It’s the crown our clients wear every single day. When that crown starts showing signs of change, they’ll turn to us for expert advice, targeted treatments, and at-home strategies that can truly make a difference.
"For many clients, the first signs of aging make their debut right at the top of their head – long before fine lines or wrinkles become visible."
From subtle texture shifts to significant color loss, the signs of aging hair can creep in gradually or seem to appear almost overnight. The key is knowing what to look for, how to explain these changes to clients, and, most importantly, how to help them turn things around.
That’s why we’ve created this list of the 10 most common warning signs of aging hair. Plus our pro-approved tips to slow, stop, or even reverse their impact.
Because aging may be inevitable…but keeping hair healthy, youthful, and full of life? That’s where your artistry comes in.
Gray or Graying Hair
One of the very first signs of aging hair is the appearance of gray strands. This change happens when melanocytes – the pigment-producing cells in hair follicles – slow down or stop producing melanin. Without this pigment, hair becomes white or gray.
Most clients first notice this in their 30s or 40s, but genetics, stress, and lifestyle factors can make it appear earlier. While many still opt for professional color to fully cover grays, more clients than ever are embracing silver as a bold style statement. Your role as a stylist is to guide them, whether that means seamless blending techniques, low-maintenance root smudges, or full-on silver transformations with toning and glossing to keep the shade fresh and flattering.
Dry Hair
Aging hair can become drier, due to shrinking oil glands that keep natural oil from reaching the hair as it should, according to Florida dermatologist Heather Hilary-Lloyd, in an article from the Huffington Post.
A simple remedy for age-related dryness is adding moisture and oil. Moisturizing with gentle shampoos and conditioners, followed by a hair serum or oil, will help keep hair soft and manageable.
Thinning Hair
Aging hair follicles can also create thinning hair, which can make a person appear as though he or she is going bald. We produce about 100 hairs a day; however, if the hair is more fragile and breaking at a faster rate than it grows, thinning can occur.
Myoxin is known to give hair a fuller look. Other natural remedies for thinning hair include avocado oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera juice.
Brittle Hair
When hair is too dry, it lacks the elasticity to withstand handling from combs, hair bands and clips, which can cause breakage.
When hair is brittle, ditch the chemicals and hot tools. Instead, add protein-rich conditioner to strengthen the bonds within the hair. Also consider a biotin supplement, which encourages healthy hair production and reduces the appearance of weathered hair.
Loss of Hair Volume
Since a loss of volume can make hair appear thin, avoid heavy products, as they can weigh the hair down.
Think big by trying products that are lightweight while adding volume, such as volumizing tonics. Another technique to try is for the person to hold his or her head upside-down when blow-drying to release more mass.
Dull Hair
Lack of shine, which can be caused by environmental factors such as smoking, hormonal imbalances, a buildup of product, pollution, or overexposure to the sun can all lead to hair dullness over time.
Clarify hair at least once a month to rid tresses of any nutrient-blocking residue; follow with a hydrating conditioner. Top with nourishing oils such as olive, vitamin E, or apricot oil to help hair gain the shine and clarity it lacks.
Fading Hair Color
According to an article on the Library of Congress website, the chemical eumelanin produces dark color, while phaeomelanin contributes to light hues. When these two blend in varying degrees, an array of hair colors occurs.
As we age, these pigment-producing cells deteriorate, leaving behind grays and fading natural hair colors. Nothing can bring back hair’s rich natural color, but you can help make it more vibrant by implementing deep conditioning, glossing, and serums to the haircare regimen.
Texture Changes in Hair
Hair texture changes can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, such as those that occur in pregnancy or menopause, and texture changes can also happen during an illness or chemotherapy.
Also, hair’s texture alters naturally every five to seven years. Though we don’t know exactly why this occurs, hormones may be one of the biggest culprits. The only remedy is to simply go with the flow of changes in hair and adjust your haircare regimen accordingly.
Course or Courser Hair
You may also notice products that once restored hair to health are now ineffective. This can happen because the cuticle layer of hair thins as we age, giving it less ability to lock in moisture.
Additionally, people tend to color-treat hair more often as they get older, which can also contribute to a drier, wirier texture.
As tempting as it might be, never pluck gray hairs, as it can cause them to become rougher in comparison to the rest of hair. Weekly deep-conditioning and glossing treatments also work wonders for adding softness.
Stressed Hair
Stress can negatively impact the hair, inside and out. While stress doesn’t actually turn your hair gray or white, it can hasten the process when you begin to grow some gray hairs in your 30s or 40s.
There are many ways to manage stress. Find what works best for you and your clients—a head massage, deep breathing, or healing treatments are great ways to implement relaxation into your day.
Aging hair isn’t something to fear, it’s simply something to understand and address with skill, empathy, and the right tools.
By spotting these signs early and recommending targeted salon treatments alongside smart at-home care, you can help clients keep their hair healthy, vibrant, and full of life at any age. Staying educated on the latest techniques and science behind aging hair will position you as their trusted beauty partner for years to come.
Want more pro-level tips, advanced techniques, and beauty business insights? Explore Elite Beauty Society’s hairstylist resources to keep your skills sharp, your knowledge current, and your clients coming back for the results only you can deliver.
Your FAQs About Aging Hair
Meet Hanna Marcus, the Founder and Head Copy Gal behind Boundless Copy, a one-of-a-kind copywriting agency that specializes in big, bold brand voice and industry-disrupting copy that’s all about resonating with the right audience.
Hanna has proudly teamed up with Elite Beauty Society for several years as their go-to copywriter on all things beauty, small biz marketing, and brand voice development. She’s big on feeling-first writing–her personal soapbox is that the best copy starts with telling a story.
When she’s not writing cheeky, converting copy for clients, she’s mentoring other aspiring copywriters and creating digital copywriting resources designed for service pros and focused on taking the stress out of DIY copywriting.
