Seen At 11: Age-Proofing Your Hair

NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- As we get older, we spend more time and money on products that help keep us looking young. But it's not only our skin and body that show signs of aging.

What can we do to recapture that youthful sheen to our hair? CBS 2's Kristine Johnson talked to the experts to find out.

We can color our hair to cover gray or try the latest processes and styles for a youthful look, but the fact remains that our hair still ages as we do.

"People expect changes in the skin and the body and the eyesight, so on and so forth," Philip Kingsley said. "What they don't think about is the skin of the scalp is aging, and the scalp causes aging hair."

Kingsley is a tricologist, someone who's specialized in hair and scalp treatments for nearly half a century. He said the first sign of aging hair is thinning strands.

For 71-year-old Beverly Morris, hair loss started to become an issue.

"We've got this here, where the hair got so thin and fine – like baby hair – and when it reaches a specific diameter, it doesn't grow long," Kingsley said.

There's one recommendation that can help stall the aging process, though.

"I wash my hair -- believe it or not -- every day, and I didn't do that before," Morris said.

Kingsley said diet is another major factor for youthful-looking locks. Proteins in meat, fish, chicken and eggs are vital to help hair grow strong and healthy.

Other symptoms of aging hair require treatments that literally go to the root of the problem.

"I found that my hair was looking very dull and very dry," 56-year-old Marcia Diamond said. "I do color my hair, and I found the coloring wasn't holding, and the gray was coming through a lot quicker."

Diamond underwent professional treatments to stimulate and exfoliate her scalp, and used a hair mask to moisturize and condition. The treatment, including a scalp massage, costs about $90.

There are also less expensive options that address many symptoms of aging hair.

A recipe for a homemade hair mask uses avocado, eggs, oil, heavy cream and water. The ingredients are whisked together and applied, wrapping hair in plastic wrap.

"My whole day is set by if I'm having a good hair day or a bad hair day," 51-year-old Alison Nadler said.

Nadler is just starting to see evidence of aging hair in wisps and the hairline and a loss of sheen.

"You can certainly stop it from getting worse and improve it, because when we start treating it, it will look fantastic," Kingsley said. "It looks pretty good already."

Kingley said just like other aspects of aging, it's never too early to start treating your hair, and your scalp, too.