Hair today gone tomorrow?

Gray of thinning hair can be the first sign of aging. Most changes in hair color and thickness are natural, and you do not even have to be that old, as graying may begin as early as your 30s, notes Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

Hair color comes from pigments produced by follicles. As a person ages, these follicles progressively produce less pigment. Gray hair has some pigment, and white hair has none at all. Moreover, with age, almost everyone experiences some hair loss because the rate of growth slows. Baldness or bald patches are much more common in men than women, but both sexes can be affected.

Typical male-pattern baldness involves a receding hairline and thinning around the crown. With females, hair may thin all over the head or just on the crown. Some women develop a particular pattern of hair loss because of genetics, age, or the male hormone testosterone.

Hair loss also can occur because of diseases such as diabetes, lupus, thyroid disorders, and alopecia areata; certain medications and chemotherapy; high fever, severe illness, or surgery; inadequate protein or iron in the diet, of poor nourishment caused by fad diets or an eating disorder; or chemicals used for dying, bleaching, straightening, or perming hair.

If you notice unusual hair changes or suspect there is an underlying medical problem, see a physician. For hair loss due to heredity, age, hormones, or certain medical conditions, the topical medication minoxidil can help grow or prevent more hair loss.

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