No matter how well you take care of your hair there may be times when you have consistent bad hair days or it just looks old. We suggest ways to rejuvenate your hair and take off two years off your current age.

Giving Life to Old Hair
As you get older so does your hair. However, hair can last a very long time. This was documented by the recent recovery of the 3,200-year hair of Pharaoh Rames II being returned to Egyptian authorities.

As you age, your hair becomes finer (he shaft has a smaller diameter), less abundant, has lower sebum and becomes grey.

These changes result in hair which has less body, is drier, less shiny and less manageable. The scope of how your hair ages is a function of its exposure to sun, surf, turf and numerous shampoos, coloring, artificial drying, and hair sprays.

Your hair's also thinner and grows slower, because its affected by hormonal levels. Overall, older hair is also duller and begins to lose it pigment and turns grey or white.

Your hair defines your age
Many of us spend lots of money on our clothes, but don't pay enough attention to our hair. Yet, our hair really defines how old we look. Years ago, shampoo maker Pantene conducted "back of head tests." The same model was photographed from behind in two pictures.

In one shot, the woman's hair was roughed up and frayed, while in the other, it was smooth, silky, and shiny. Panelists had five seconds to assess the back of the woman's head. Predictably, the woman with the disheveled hair was repeatedly deemed older. Fortunately, restoring your hair's health is fairly easy.

What you can do about old hair

• There are really three things you can do about old hair:
• Purchase a wig or hair piece to wear when you have those bad hair days,
• Take better care of it when you wash and dry it, and
• Spend more time styling it.

Get a good wig or hair piece
A good friend of mine illustrated the role that good hair plays in how old a woman looks. She had a lot of bad hair days and her hair was really damaged. Instead of just settling for her own hair, she went out and bought a human hair wig. It was not very expensive either. It cost about $150. This wig totally transformed her look and has made her look youthful and sexy. Men know that she's wearing a wig, but they loved it. Here's what that wig had going for it:

1. It was made of human hair,
2. It was shoulder length,
3. Had a very shiny and youthful appearance, and
4. Had good highlights.

She takes very good care of her own hair and styles it. However, when she is in a hurry or is just having a bad hair day, she puts on the wig and that does the trick.

For hair that is very damaged or just difficult to manage, consider inexpensive synthetic wigs. One lady I met at a Washington DC wig shop called Esther's Wig in Silver Spring Maryland told me that she buys a a synthetic wig every six weeks. The wigs cost about the same as a quality cut at a hair salon. You just throw them away when they look bad or shaggy. She went on to explain that her look changed constantly and she liked the variety.

Taking care of your hair
By taking better care of your hair and styling it properly, you can expect to shave off 2 years from your current age. That's achievable in several months. Here's what I suggest:

1. Before you step into the shower, brush your hair from front to back with a stiff boar-bristle brush. This will stimulate circulation and prevent the buildup of hair styling products.
2. Be very gentle when washing your hair and use a good shampoo and conditioner. If you are really concerned about allergies and the relative health of shampoos, take a look at Skin Deep, a listing of thousand of cosmetics and beauty products that are rated for hazardous substances. The lower the number (green) the safer the product; more hazardous products are colored red.
3. Avoid hot water. Instead, wet your hair with warm water. Apply shampoo at the nape of the neck and shampoo the hairline first, followed by the top of your head,
4. Gently massage your entire scalp at least three times to push nutrients into the hair bulb and free your hair follicles of clogging deposits,
5. After rinsing your hair thoroughly, apply your conditioner. Don't over do it though. If you apply a conditioner outside the shower, wrap a "steam towel" (a wet towel that's been micro waved for two minutes) around your head and leave it on for 30-60 seconds. The steam will make moisturizing conditioners work more effectively by allowing the conditioner to be evenly absorbed into each hair strand,
6. Finish with a cool-water rinse, which is not only stimulating but also helps tighten scalp pores, firm hair fibers, reduce hair limpness, and increase sheen and body, and
7. Keep that hair drier far away from your scalp. Notice that many professional hair stylists keep the dryer about 24 inches from your scalp. Don't use the high heat setting either.