(Another fun fact: While men experience their thickest hair in their 20s, many women experience their thickest head of hair in this decade.)
"Your hair bundles peak at around 12 years old." Then, sadly, as you age, bundles of four become bundles of three, bundles of three become bundles of two, and it's all downhill from there. End result: hair appears thinner and less full.
Hair will generally be at its best in the early 20s, says Burg, because “hair shafts are thick and cuticles are tight.” Women may see changes if they are stressed, extreme dieting or using contraception.
Consider the Weather
“The first is in July and August and the second—and more significant—is November and December into half of January.” The hair is thickest in the summer to serve as protection from the sun.
But there's one seasonal change that affects both men and women that's not often discussed — seasonal hair loss. It's most common in the summer and fall months, and with a little attention, it's possible to minimize your seasonal shedding each year.
Although we usually associate hair loss with middle age, it's quite common to begin to lose hair before the age of 25. In fact, research shows that approximately 16 percent of men between 18 and 29 years of age are affected by moderate to extensive hair loss.
By the time you turn 30, you have a 25% chance of displaying some balding. By age 50, 50% of men have at least some noticeable hair loss. By age 60, about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern. While hair loss is more common as you get older, it doesn't necessarily make it any easier to accept.
Can thin hair become thicker again? A person cannot change the texture of their hair. However, the hair may grow back after chemotherapy or pregnancy, for example.
To find out your hair's density, take a front section of your hair and pull it to the side. If you can visibly see sections of your scalp underneath or through the hair, then your hair is thin. If you barely see your scalp at all, your hair is thick.
Seasonal shedding often occurs during the fall months, such as September and October, and at some point in the spring, like April and May. This timeline often coincides with the second half of the hair growth cycle, where more hairs are shed.
Surprisingly this change typically begins around age 25, but as we now know, the hair follicle plays a huge role in the texture of our hair. So, as our skin loses elasticity and the follicle becomes weaker, it's not so surprising that hair is the next thing affected.
The typical hair growth cycle for most people is about four to seven years. This is often where the thought comes in that your hair is brand new every seven years. Technically, it is because by this time, the hair has cycled out and new hair is growing.
It's a cliché for good reason, apparently – longer hair can be ageing as we get older. This is especially true if you're starting to see some grey strands, Neil Moodie, session stylish and Viviscal ambassador, tells us. It might be worth considering a cut, if this is you.
Genetic factors appear to play a major role in determining hair texture—straight, wavy, or curly—and the thickness of individual strands of hair. Studies suggest that different genes influence hair texture and thickness in people of different ethnic backgrounds.
Genetics also affect where facial hair grows and when your beard reaches its full potential. “From ages 18 to 30, most beards continue to develop in thickness and coarseness,” he says. “So if you're 18 and wondering why you don't have a full beard yet, it just may not be time.”
Hair diameter and type both had a small effect on attractiveness perception compared with the larger effect of color. Thick hair was perceived least attractive, with no statistical difference of minimum vs. mean diameter (mean vs.
Hair follicles come in different shapes and sizes, affecting hair texture and width. Some people have wider follicles-and therefore, thicker hair strands-than other people. Genetics influence hair thickness, but other factors like hormones and age are important factors, too.
“Fine” hair references the thickness of the strand, as with the texture test we described above. Having “thin” hair references the density of the follicles, or how close individual strands are to each other. It's entirely possible to have hair that is both fine and thick, or coarse and thin.
Over time, your hair may become more curly, straight, thin, or coarse. Many of these changes are brought on by the maturation process, but there are also plenty of reasons why this could be happening that have nothing to do with age. Stress, diet, and hormone changes all play a part in your hair's texture.
More than 90% of Han Chinese, 70% of Japanese and Thai people, and 60% to 90% of Native Americans carry the “thick hair" version of the gene. Meanwhile it's almost nonexistent in people of African and European descent. Both age and sex can also affect your hair shaft thickness.
Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most girls attain their peak height by age 16, but some may continue growing through age 20.
Certain races have higher rates of hair loss compared to others. Caucasians have the highest rates out of all the ethnic groups. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Native American Indians, Inuits, and Chinese have the lowest rates.