Photos Brutally Prove Barack Obama's Age Caught Up To His Hair In His 60s

It's no secret that presidents enter the White House with hair full of luster and zest and leave their terms with a head of gray hair. Such was the case with former President Barack Obama, who gave his inaugural speech looking distinguished with cropped black strands only to have the color slowly fade during his time as Commander in Chief. As BBC reported, he once jokingly told a young Cambodian kid, "The first thing I want from young people is to stop calling me old." Obama then added, "I don't dye my hair and a lot of world leaders do," he said. "I won't say who. But their barbers know, their hairdressers."

By the time Obama left the Oval Office in 2017, his hair was noticeably much whiter but it wasn't until he hit the age of 60 in 2021 that his head had more silver than black. The two-term pres is unbothered and wears his white proudly but it's safe to say that the former POTUS' hair is definitely showing his age.

In 2022, Barack Obama still had sprinkles of black scattered throughout his hair, which complemented his grays nicely. While the dad of two had always kept his hair close-cut, this cropped version is much shorter than campaign hair, which had a bit more volume — and a lot more color. Obama hasn't been shy about poking fun at the lack of melanin in his mop. Back in 2018, when his portrait by Kehinde Wiley was revealed, he joked, per CBS Colorado, "There were a number of issues that we were trying to negotiate. I tried to negotiate less gray hair."

Being in his 60s proves that Barack Obama can't run away from his age. Although he can still proudly boast a head full of hair, it's definitely thinner and grayer. Still, he refrains from dyeing his once-black mane and shows that he doesn't mind aging gracefully. In fact, Obama wears his grays like a badge of honor. "Joe [Biden] mentioned 10 years ago I was campaigning for president, I had no gray hair at the time ... But you know what? I earned this gray hair," he told the cheering crowd during a 2018 speech (via Eyewitness News).

Many would be surprised to know that Barack Obama has used the same barber named Zariff for over a decade and he's the one responsible for the former president's fresh 'do dubbed "The Obama Cut," per Essence. As for his grays, Zariff revealed that Obama doesn't care and shared, "It's average for men in his age group. I don't see a lot of the changes that other people see since I cut his hair regularly. He's not really big on vanity so I don't think he notices that much."

Barack Obama has done many powerful things as President of the United States but he can't stop time, as was apparent by the completely white hair he showed off while enjoying the 2023 U.S. Open. He cheered alongside his wife Michelle Obama, whose dark braids were a stark contrast to his silver style. Perhaps he has some hair envy as he joked about the effects of aging in 2013 and showed edited photos of him with bangs, just like the former FLOTUS' style back then (via The Telegraph). "I thought this looked pretty good, but no bounce," he lamented.

After his presidency ended, Barack Obama enjoyed some R&R but still kept busy with his Obama Foundation. There's not too much slowing down for him and he made his way back to the White House in March 2024 to help President Joe Biden with his campaign against Donald Trump, CNN reported. This time, Obama's hair color was much closer to his former vice president, which just goes to show that running the country is no easy feat.

Barack Obama isn't the only one in the family who has aged. His Father's Day pic standing next to his daughters showed the stunning transformation of the Obama sisters over the years. "Happy Father's Day! The most fulfilling job I've ever had is being Sasha and Malia's dad. To all those lucky enough to take on the role of being a father, I hope you enjoy your day," he captioned. Despite his white hair, the former president still looked youthful and happy, with just a bit more clues that he has aged a bit more in his 60s.