Unfortunately, I'm loving this topic. Can't wait for the continuation.

Ronni, I am always so jealous when you mention offhandledly that you have no major aches and pains, and also take no medication at your age. I guess I should feel somewhat abashed today for my jealousy because I still have very thick hair.

Seriously though, I am reading with interest because my sister has thinning hair, and I know the headaches she faces. (And how about a column one of these days for us arthritic geezers to compare tips and notes?)

My aunt went to a very fancy wig maker after brain cancer and surgery in New York City. He made her a hair piece to cover the scars where hair wouldn't grow. I don't know how expensive, but she said very. But, she also had to go in every few months to have the hair tightened, and rematched with her color. It looked fabulous, and was easy to manage, but still -- expensive and a lot of work, so not an option for everyone. My hair is also thinning, so reading along with interest. Thank you!

Hair loss? Oh, yeah. That baby fine hair never did cover much and now? HA. I cut it short years ago and keep what's left of it neat and clean.

After that? If someone doesn't want to look at me and what's left of my hairline, they can go look at someone else!

Thank you for starting this series. I have been a skulking reader for awhile but have never commented until today. Outside of the pink peeking through my silver strands, the bigger issue for me is, "if this can happen, anything can happen." I have always had enough hair for at least 3 people. Anyone cutting my hair would comment about my thick hair. So, thick hair has always been a part of my identity. I've lost about half my hair in the past year...probably for the reasons you describe since nothing else seems to be "wrong". So, like my mom, I lose my hair. Crummy but not deadly. But, if that can happen to the girl with enough hair for 3 people, what happens to my optimism about my always excellent health? My feeling that I would always be ok has taken a hit and I now wonder, "what next?" At least while I am getting used to yet another physical change related to aging, I find myself a little scared, not my usual fearless, positive self and a little too concerned about my overall physical appearance. I look forward to reading your experience and the comments of the "Time Goes By" community.

Thank you for exploring this topic. It is my problem as well, as it was for my mother. I have tried various supplements and herbal oils to no avail, so will be very interested in your search for a styling solution.

Looking forward to part 2. My hair starting thinning this year and my pharmacist thinks it may be a prescription medication that's doing it. I take nothing I can get along without. There's a handful after every shower. It seems to coming out all over. Both my grandmothers kept their thick curly hair. My own Mom's was baby fine but she had no visible hair loss. I was also told autoimmune diseases and thyroid problems (I have both asthma and serious arthritis) can cause hair loss. Meanwhile I am trying to just be kind to my self, and my hair as well. Sigh.

Although my old body has succumbed to most of the ravages of aging (pot belly, jowels, etc, etc.) hair loss isn't one of them.

On second thought, I do have hair loss but am fortunate that is has occurred in the right places. I no longer have to shave my legs or underarms daily. I may do so once or twice a year to get rid of those few long hairs that are determined to 'hang in there'. ;-)

Although most of us try to accept what age does to our appearance I do think vanity is the last thing to go.

The good news about my hair loss? I stopped shaving my legs years ago.

The powder stuff Ronni mentioned worked well for me for a while because I have curly hair. Summer is coming, though, and my scalp perspires a lot.

Finally went to this salon and was fitted with a tiny little hairpiece for just the top of my head. It's lightweight, secure and the proper color. NOT real hair so easy to care for.

I pick it up next Wednesday and will let you know how it works.

While I never had super thick hair it is pretty thin now. I stopped coloring it as the darker color just make the loss more noticeable. On the good side my underarms own only three hairs each and my legs are in the same shape. But, I have more wild facial hairs and my once heavy eyebrows are about half their old size. You have to be a little goofy to age well.

Doesn't it seem like life has enough indignities in store for us post-50--plus a new hair problem to struggle with as well?! So not fair!

I've been wishing for awhile that salons existed that advertised non-medical hair expertise--growing it out, styles to flatter around thin spots, etc. A typical town has dozens of "salons", from Supercuts to day spas, so how you can find a salon that can truly help?

As for tying scarfs, don't give up so quickly. Today, there's YouTube with more scarf tricks than you can watch in a week! As I know from having "difficult" hair all my life, sometimes it's great to take a break from trying to make your hair look right and just LIVE.

This topic is a true public service, Ronni.

I think that Sidney Thompson, above, has offered a most valuable insight: "You have to be a little goofy to age well!"

Sounds like thinning (or departing) hair is a more common issue for women 65+ than I realized. I've always had fine-textured hair but it's now finer, thinner and more flyaway than it used to be. However, I still have most of it so far and consider myself lucky. I must have inherited my hair genetics primarily from my father's side (his mom had a full head of "red" hair until the day she died).

Even before she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 67, my mother had already lost a lot of hair at the crown. She lost all her hair and went the scarf/floppy hat route (it never regrew due to near-continual bombardment with poisonous chemo drugs during the 2 years before her death at 69). Scarves won't work for me since I've never been able to tie the d%#& things right. Since crown hair loss may yet happen to me, I'll be very interested in Melinda's solution (small fitted crown hairpiece).

Having auto-immune diseases and needing to take way too many meds everyday, I started losing a fair amount of hair. Nothing that really bothered me too much since I have always had too much of it anyway. My group online told me that they all take [snip] [certain B] vitamins that get peed out everyday so there is no chance of overdose. Obviously, makes sense to get the OK from your doc first. We all have noticed most of our hair coming back. I am not sure if it would help with genetic hair loss.

I'm there, too. My mother's hair thinned noticeably but what was left was beautiful white, naturally curly and with good body.

I, on the other hand, have mostly dead-squirrel gray and little body. Keeping a relatively short haircut does seem to help.

And in line with Sydney Thompson's observation, being a little (or a lot) goofy sure helps me!

It seems to me that the way they're cutting hair today makes thinning hair look worse. They're using what amounts to a razor cut although they do it with scissors, which is the way they used to actually thin hair many years ago. I had thick but fine hair in my younger days and a razor cut never worked for me.

You might ask for a blunt cut and cut it a little shorter - chin length maybe?. I've suggested a blunt cut to hair cutters and they look at me like I'm crazy, but I know what works for me and what doesn't. I saw a young woman today with a blunt cut hairdo, so I'm encouraged that maybe styles are changing.

I can 'see' two solutions, if you can't abide scarves- although a chic turban you just pop on (not the kind you have to tie yourself) is also a possibility.

1. A short pixie like Judi Dench's, where the hair is cut to fall forward from the crown:

2. Continue to wear it up and add a small hairpiece (pony or chignon). Yes, you have less hair around your temples but with such lovely grey it is not such a demarcation.

And COW's idea about backcombing- try it!

My hair has started thinning/receding around my widow's peak. Whee! Looks like male pattern baldness in front. (I can empathize with my son.) My cut is like Judi Dench's. That's how my stylist and I communicate: "Judi Dench again." Jamie Lee Curtis is similar, not quite as soft. A little light mousse for body and a bit of lift. I like a tousled, windblown look, since that will be the result anyway if I go outside.

I can't wait for Part 2 of your odyssey, Ronni. This is exciting!

I forgot to mention above that I've recently tried some commercial "hair thickeners" (cream, gel and serum) and have found one that works to some extent for me. It doesn't claim to grow new hair--and doesn't--but it makes what I have look a little fuller. I think coloring my hair every few months adds the illusion of volume, too (I have a great colorist whose rates are very reasonable). Hey, I'll take all the help I can get.

I used henna for well over 20 years because I wanted an all natural hair coloring. It definitely thickens the hair shafts BUT it was a once a month, 4 hour, very messy process that I stopped about 2 years ago because my white roots were coming up faster in front than I could redo my hair. Also not everyone is going to look good with reddish hair.. and as your hair gets grayer, the henna makes those hairs look very orange. First I went auburn for a year, now I am a bleach blonde and loving it. My grays barely show (that is another topic). And yes my hair is thicker bleached, probably because all the hair is damaged.

All hair color thickens the shaft, but then you have to weigh that against all the chemicals etc. Another idea if you are letting yourself go gray, is to try $1 travel size styling products from the drug store and see which ones help more for your type of hair. Sometimes it takes a combination of 2 or 3... .

aw, go for the shaved head. add some serious earrings. you'll be so hip. really.