BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAging changes in hair and nailsYour hair and nails help protect your body. They also keep the temperature of your body steady. As you age, your hair and nails begin to change. HAIR CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS Hair color change. This is one of the clearest signs of aging. Hair color is due to a pigment called melanin, which hair follicles produce. Hair follicles are structures in the skin that make and grow hair. With aging, the follicles make less melanin, and this causes gray hair. Graying often begins in the 30s.MelaninMelanin is a natural substance that gives color (pigment) to: HairSkinThe iris of the eye It is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Mel...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Scalp hair often starts graying at the temples and extends to the top of the scalp. Hair color becomes lighter, eventually turning white.Body and facial hair also turn gray, but most often, this happens later than scalp hair. Hair in the armpit, chest, and pubic area may gray less or not at all.Graying is largely determined by your genes. Gray hair tends to occur earlier in white people and later in Asians. Nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other products will not stop or decrease the rate of graying.Hair thickness change. Hair is made of many protein strands. A single hair has a normal life between 2 and 7 years. That hair then falls out and is replaced with a new hair. How much hair you have on your body and head is also determined by your genes.Nearly everyone has some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth also slows.Hair lossPartial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hair strands become smaller and have less pigment. So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair. Many hair follicles stop producing new hairs.Men may start showing signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old. Many men are nearly bald by age 60. A type of baldness related to the normal function of the male hormone testosterone is called male-pattern baldness. Hair loss may be at the temples or at the top of the head.BaldnessPartial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Male-pattern baldnessMale pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Women can develop a similar type of baldness as they age. This is called female-pattern baldness. Hair becomes less dense and the scalp may become visible.Female-pattern baldnessFemale pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article As you age, your body and face also lose hair. Women's remaining facial hair may get coarser, most often on the chin and around the lips. Men may grow longer and coarser eyebrow, ear, and nose hair.Contact your health care provider if you have sudden hair loss. This can be a symptom of a health problem. NAIL CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS Your nails also change with age. They grow more slowly and may become dull and brittle. They may also become yellowed and opaque.Nails, particularly toenails, may become hard and thick. Ingrown toenails may be more common. The tips of the fingernails may break.Lengthwise ridges may develop in the fingernails and toenails.Check with your provider if your nails develop pits, ridges, lines, changes in shape, or other changes. These can be related to iron deficiency, kidney disease, and nutritional deficiencies.OTHER CHANGESAs you grow older, you will have other changes, including:In the skin In the skinAging changes in the skin are a group of common conditions and developments that occur as people grow older.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In the faceIn the faceThe appearance of the face and neck typically changes with age. Loss of muscle tone and thinning skin gives the face a flabby or drooping appearance...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesBall JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW. Skin, hair, and nails. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Siedel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 9.Tosti A. Diseases of hair and nails. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 413.Walston JD. Common clinical sequelae of aging. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 22.AllVideoImagesTogHair follicle of young person - illustration Hair color is caused by a pigment (melanin) that is produced by the hair follicle. With aging, the follicle produces less melanin.Hair follicle of young personillustrationAged hair follicle - illustration Aged hair follicles are no longer as prepared for new hair growth.Aged hair follicleillustrationAging changes in nails - illustration The nails change with aging, growing more slowly, and becoming dull and brittle. The color may change from translucent to yellowed and opaque. Nails, especially toenails, may become hard and thick and ingrown toenails may be more common. The tips of the fingernails may fragment. Sometimes, lengthwise (longitudinal) ridges will develop in the fingernails and toenails. This can be a normal aging change. However, some nail changes can be caused by infections, nutritional problems, trauma, and other problems.Aging changes in nailsillustrationHair follicle of young person - illustration Hair color is caused by a pigment (melanin) that is produced by the hair follicle. With aging, the follicle produces less melanin.Hair follicle of young personillustrationAged hair follicle - illustration Aged hair follicles are no longer as prepared for new hair growth.Aged hair follicleillustrationAging changes in nails - illustration The nails change with aging, growing more slowly, and becoming dull and brittle. The color may change from translucent to yellowed and opaque. Nails, especially toenails, may become hard and thick and ingrown toenails may be more common. The tips of the fingernails may fragment. Sometimes, lengthwise (longitudinal) ridges will develop in the fingernails and toenails. This can be a normal aging change. However, some nail changes can be caused by infections, nutritional problems, trauma, and other problems.Aging changes in nailsillustrationA Closer Look Melanoma and other skin cancers - InDepth(In-Depth)Psoriasis-In-Depth(In-Depth)Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - InDepth(In-Depth)Vitamins and Phytonutrients - InDepth(In-Depth)Related Information Review Date: 7/21/2022 Reviewed By: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Aging changes in hair and nailsYour hair and nails help protect your body. They also keep the temperature of your body steady. As you age, your hair and nails begin to change. HAIR CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS Hair color change. This is one of the clearest signs of aging. Hair color is due to a pigment called melanin, which hair follicles produce. Hair follicles are structures in the skin that make and grow hair. With aging, the follicles make less melanin, and this causes gray hair. Graying often begins in the 30s.MelaninMelanin is a natural substance that gives color (pigment) to: HairSkinThe iris of the eye It is produced by cells in the skin called melanocytes. Mel...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Scalp hair often starts graying at the temples and extends to the top of the scalp. Hair color becomes lighter, eventually turning white.Body and facial hair also turn gray, but most often, this happens later than scalp hair. Hair in the armpit, chest, and pubic area may gray less or not at all.Graying is largely determined by your genes. Gray hair tends to occur earlier in white people and later in Asians. Nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other products will not stop or decrease the rate of graying.Hair thickness change. Hair is made of many protein strands. A single hair has a normal life between 2 and 7 years. That hair then falls out and is replaced with a new hair. How much hair you have on your body and head is also determined by your genes.Nearly everyone has some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth also slows.Hair lossPartial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hair strands become smaller and have less pigment. So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair. Many hair follicles stop producing new hairs.Men may start showing signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old. Many men are nearly bald by age 60. A type of baldness related to the normal function of the male hormone testosterone is called male-pattern baldness. Hair loss may be at the temples or at the top of the head.BaldnessPartial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Male-pattern baldnessMale pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Women can develop a similar type of baldness as they age. This is called female-pattern baldness. Hair becomes less dense and the scalp may become visible.Female-pattern baldnessFemale pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article As you age, your body and face also lose hair. Women's remaining facial hair may get coarser, most often on the chin and around the lips. Men may grow longer and coarser eyebrow, ear, and nose hair.Contact your health care provider if you have sudden hair loss. This can be a symptom of a health problem. NAIL CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS Your nails also change with age. They grow more slowly and may become dull and brittle. They may also become yellowed and opaque.Nails, particularly toenails, may become hard and thick. Ingrown toenails may be more common. The tips of the fingernails may break.Lengthwise ridges may develop in the fingernails and toenails.Check with your provider if your nails develop pits, ridges, lines, changes in shape, or other changes. These can be related to iron deficiency, kidney disease, and nutritional deficiencies.OTHER CHANGESAs you grow older, you will have other changes, including:In the skin In the skinAging changes in the skin are a group of common conditions and developments that occur as people grow older.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In the faceIn the faceThe appearance of the face and neck typically changes with age. Loss of muscle tone and thinning skin gives the face a flabby or drooping appearance...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesBall JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW. Skin, hair, and nails. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Siedel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 9.Tosti A. Diseases of hair and nails. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 413.Walston JD. Common clinical sequelae of aging. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 22.