When gray hairs start appearing, many people notice something more than just a color change: hair can feel coarser, drier, less flexible, or even "rebellious." In curly hair, these changes sometimes disrupt what used to work (products, wash frequency, definition, frizz management).

This article explains what we know about why hair texture changes with age, what part is well understood and what part is still debated, and how to translate it into practical routine decisions.

Does Hair Texture Change with Age?

Yes. Over time, hair can change in several dimensions:

It can feel drier or less shiny.
It can become more brittle (breaks more easily).
It can change the thickness of each strand.
It can change the density (amount of hair) overall.

These changes don't occur equally in everyone. They depend on factors like genetics, care habits, environmental exposure (sun, chemicals, heat), and also hormonal changes.

Why Gray Hair Tends to Feel Coarser or "Wiry"

There's no single cause, but there's a fairly consistent point: the follicle changes with age, and this affects not just pigment (melanin) but also other variables that influence texture.

1) Less Melanin: Not Just Color Change

Gray hair has less melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color. The exact relationship between melanin loss and texture isn't completely closed, but there's a repeated observation: gray hair tends to be more rigid and less manageable.

In general public explanations, it's mentioned that with age, besides less melanin, there can also be fewer lipids and certain growth factors within the follicle, which is associated with coarser hair.

2) More Vulnerable Cuticle and Water Loss

A frequent explanation for the "feel" of gray hair is that it can have a less efficient protective barrier. When the cuticle protects less well, hair loses water more easily and feels:

drier
more brittle
coarser

3) Fewer Lipids/Sebum: More Dryness

Sebum (natural oils from the scalp) helps hair feel soft. With age, many people notice less natural lubrication, which can amplify the sensation of coarseness.

4) Oxidative Damage (What We Know and What's Missing)

In research on graying (gray hair appearance), oxidative stress is often highlighted as an important factor in the pigment loss process. The general idea is that oxidative damage can affect the survival and functioning of cells that produce melanin.

What's still not fully resolved is how much of that same process alone explains the "harder" texture of gray hair. In other words: there are good biological clues about why color is lost, but the direct link to texture still has gaps.

Texture Changes Due to Aging: The "Mix" That Often Complicates Curls

In curly hair, texture and elasticity matter because they affect:

definition
shrinkage
frizz
ease of detangling
breakage

When hair ages, there are three common trends (with individual variability):

1) "More Weathered" Hair from Exposure

Over the years, exposure accumulates to:

UV radiation
wind and humidity
heat (dryers, straighteners)
chemical treatments (dyes, bleaching, relaxers)

This can damage the strand structure and make hair less shiny, less strong, and less elastic.

2) Reduction in Strand Diameter (In Many People)

It's described that, on average, the diameter of each hair can decrease with age, and this reduces tensile strength (breaks more easily). The exact timing can vary.

3) Density Reduction

It's also common that density decreases with age, because some follicles produce less hair or stop producing it. This isn't "all or nothing": it can be seen as a progressive loss of volume.

How to Adapt Your Routine When Gray Hair Appears and Texture Changes

There's no single "gray hair" routine. It's most useful to translate typical changes (more dryness, more brittleness, more frizz or less definition) into specific adjustments.

1) Prioritize Mechanical Softness (To Avoid Breakage)

When hair is more brittle, it often helps to:

detangle with wet hair and conditioner
reduce friction (microfiber towel or soft cotton t-shirt)
avoid aggressive brushing when dry

2) Adjust Cleansing: The Scalp Calls the Shots

Here, "it depends" comes in. With age, some people produce less sebum (feel drier), but others still accumulate product or have a greasy scalp.

A practical criterion:

if hair feels heavy or lacks definition easily, it may be useful to plan clarifying washes strategically
if hair feels coarse and dry, it may suit a gentler cleanse and reinforce conditioning

To review the clarifying wash role and buildup:

https://bonpello.com/en/blog/what-is-clarification

3) Hydration vs. "Too Much" Emollience

In gray and curly hair, it often works well to increase focus on:

conditioners with good emollient power
masks (if hair tolerates them)
leave-in conditioner if more friction reduction is needed

It can also happen that hair feels "dull" or shapeless with excess heavy products. If this pattern appears, it often helps to review buildup and balance with cleansing.

4) Protect the Strand (Because Environment Matters More with Time)

When hair is more "weathered," the environment shows more:

strong sun (UV)
humidity
wind

In that case, it often helps to:

limit direct heat
protect from sun (hat / products with filters if already used)
avoid chemical processes in succession (e.g., dye + intense heat)

Routines: CGM, Low Poo, Co-Wash… What Changes with Age?

The key point is that the "best" routine depends on how hair responds to two things:

dryness/brittleness
buildup

Also, porosity can influence how hair behaves (water absorption, dryness tendency, product buildup ease). For more: https://bonpello.com/en/blog/understanding-porosity

CGM (Original)

When hair becomes drier or more brittle, a very gentle approach may feel more comfortable. If there's rapid product buildup, it may be necessary to incorporate clarifying washes with more intention.

Low Poo

It often serves as a useful middle ground when you want to clean without feeling "stripped." If more brittleness appears with age, tolerance to strong cleanses may decrease.

Co-Wash

It can help if hair is very dry, but it doesn't always resolve buildup. If porosity or peinating form changes with age (more leave-in conditioner, more creams), it may become more important to plan occasional clarification.

How Bönpello Can Help (Without Magical Promises)

When hair changes with age, part of the frustration comes from what used to "always work" stops working. In those cases, it often helps to review:

if current products tend to buildup in the routine
if you're cleansing too strongly for the brittleness level
if hydration focus is balanced

Bönpello tries to reduce that uncertainty by explaining ingredients according to routine (CGM, low poo, co-wash) and helping to understand why something may work at one time and not another.

In practice, the app helps to:

choose a routine mode more coherent with the current dryness/brittleness and buildup combination
understand trade-offs of formulation (e.g., more effective cleansers vs. potential dryness sensation; more emollient styling products vs. potential buildup)

Summary

It's common for hair to change with age and for gray hairs to feel coarser.
There are plausible mechanisms (less melanin, lipid and sebum changes, strand brittleness), but the exact detail of why texture changes so much varies between people.
In curly hair, these changes often impact definition, frizz, and breakage.
The best adaptation is often practical: less friction, scalp-adjusted cleansing, and hydration strategy without overloading.

How Aging Changes Hair Texture