During the aging process, the hair can look gray or white and begin to feel thin and fine. What should the nurse understand causes this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the aging hair matrix, the number of functioning melanocytes decreases; as a result, the hair looks gray or white and feels thin and fine. The other options are not correct. Adipose tissue does not affect the color or texture of the hair and does not increase with aging, but decreases. Vascularity of the skin, including the scalp, decreases with aging, not increases. Phagocytes are cells that help protect the body from foreign microorganisms. What does cause the hair to look gray or white and feel thin and fine in the aging hair matrix is a decrease in the number of functioning melanocytes in the hair matrix that occurs with aging.

During the Aging Process, the Hair Can Look Gray or White