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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Lifestyle
Kathy Prendeville & Michelle Cullen

Irish hair expert Pamela Morrissey says covering grey hairs the wrong way is ageing you

Millions of euro has been pumped into the beauty industry when it comes to helping people slow down the effects of ageing with a huge focus on preventing fine lines and wrinkles.

However, little attention is put on the impact our hair can have on how old we look.

Hair care and maintenance can play a massive role in anti-ageing when done right, and the good news is it's actually really easy.

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Owner of a renowned Cork salon and resident stylist on RTE's Today, Pamela Morrissey, has shared her expert tips and tricks for those of us who struggle to keep grey hairs at bay.

"One of the reasons that hair turns grey is because it's not getting enough nourishment," Pam told RSVP Live.

"The circulation decreases at the scalp as we get older, so the blood flow isn't as great as it once was. This interferes with the nourishment the hair gets, and it even affects the pigment. Blood flow is important for holding the natural colour of your hair. Tapping or massaging your scalp for two minutes a day will call more blood flow to the area. You can even do it while you're sitting in traffic!"

The stylist says keeping good circulation in the scalp not only stops hair from thinning but can also help avoid premature greying and hair loss.

"Exercise and brisk walking are also great. It's really anything that gets the blood pumping around the body from top to toe."

Pam says there is one mistake we are all making when combatting unwanted greys.

She said: "Block colouring your hair one colour of blonde to get rid of greys is not the answer as it can look very ageing.

"A lot of people will dye their hair an average blonde because they feel it's similar to grey hair, but this is never really true to a person's skin tone and will often look as though you need to dress up for it and be very high maintenance. Not to mention it can drain and wash you out, which we know is very ageing."

Pam stressed how important diet is when it comes to hair care.

She said: "The gut is hugely important to prevent the thinning and ageing of hair and skin. Sauerkraut, kefir and kimchi are all good bacteria that will help the gut fight the bad bacteria, keeping the flow and gastrointestinal health going in the body, which is so important for skin and hair.

"Omegas will keep your hair and scalp hydrated and contribute to the shine and strength of the hair, giving it that youthful look. Get your cod liver oils, try to eat a lot of fish. It's not just a myth that eating fish creates shiny hair! It really does."

According to Pam, grey hair can be quite dry, so it's important to treat and oil the hair regularly.

Caster and argan oil are great for overnight, whereas she recommends Camille oil or Jojoba oil during the day as these are lighter on the hair and won't leave you with a greasy look.

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