Those Dreaded Gray Hairs! Why?!?

A Gray Hair Primer

You cannot stop your hair from turning gray anymore than you can stop time, and yet graying hair is nothing to dread. It is simply a natural part of the aging process, and even more importantly, it is a reflection of your genetics more than anything else. As one expert has said, “Nutritional and hormonal factors can affect hair color as well as stress but, by and large, the predisposition to go grey earlier or later in life is genetic.”

The reason we start to sprout white or gray hair is because the cells responsible for hair (and skin) color, known as melanin, cease to be produced. Yet, it is not just that cells no longer have melanin. Consider these other factors that can cause your hair to gray:

Gender – Women typically go grayer earlier

Your age – By age 50, most people have around 50% gray hair on their bodies

Ethnicity – According to one expert, “Caucasians tend to go gray earlier — and redheads earliest of all. Then Asians. Then African-Americans. Scientists haven’t figured out why yet.”

Your stress levels – Yes, stress does have a part in the graying process, but it does NOT actually make our hair turn gray. Instead, stress has an impact on our skin and hair, and we might lose hair because of it just as easily as we might see melanin in the hair disappear

Your lifestyle – If you are a smoker, you might lose melanin earlier and faster. If your diet is low on things like vitamin B12, the same applies

Your health issues – In addition to some vitamin deficiencies causing hair to go gray, there are also health issues like alopecia, vitiligo, and thyroid diseases that can all allow hair to grow grayer sooner

Your genetics – If one or more of your parents or grandparents went gray early in life, the chances that you will also go gray earlier are much higher.

Common Myths About Gray Hair

So, in the end, there are scores of reasons why we might get gray hair at a particular age. It is also very interesting to note that your hair doesn’t “turn” gray. It grows gray. As the experts at WebMD explain, “Your hair follicles have pigment cells that make melanin, a chemical that gives your hair its color. As you age, these cells start to die. Without pigment, new hair strands grow in lighter and take on various shades of gray, silver, and eventually white. Once a follicle stops making melanin, it won’t make colored strands again.” This is why you can have hair that is your original color at the far end and gray to white at the root!

And what about that old saying that if you “pluck a gray hair seven of its relations come to the funeral”? Is it true that plucking can lead to more grays? The reality is that plucking hair does not cause more hair to go gray. As we learned – hair grows gray. So plucking a single gray hair means that at least that one you plucked is going to come back just as gray. It will not, however, cause other hair to suddenly become gray.

It is fascinating to consider the many myths associated with gray hair. For example, many people say that gray hair is not as strong as their original, darker hair. The truth is that gray hair grows thinner in addition to growing gray. That is because the cuticle is now thinner because the cuticle no longer has to work so hard. Again, as the experts at WebMd explain: “hair needs that natural protection from water, ultraviolet rays from the sun, humidity, chemicals, and heat styling. Without that barrier, your hair loses water. So your gray will feel dry, fragile, and coarse.”

Related: Who Knew Choosing a Hair Brush Could Be So Complicated?

Still One Major Question: Can You Prevent Gray Hair Growth?

At this time, the answer is a resounding no. While you can make certain lifestyle changes that can prevent graying hair from striking very early (i.e. non-smoking, eating healthy diet, ensuring health issues are in check, doing stress management, skipping hair products that harm the hair, and so on), actually preventing it is not possible. Scientists are constantly looking for ways to halt that process, and this is because so many people dislike the looks of gray hair. This is unfortunate because it is a very appealing look, and there are actually modern models who are fully gray and absolutely stunning.

Yet, the association of gray hair with old age has made it a less desirable look for many people. The good news is that they can cover their gray hair using simple and safe products. Let’s consider them now…

How to Cover Gray Hair at Home

The first thing you need to know about gray hair is that it can be very resistant to coloring. Unlike your original hair color, which probably easily took hair coloring kits, a lot of people find that their gray hair is very challenging to color. If you do not opt to leave your hair to change naturally, we have a few tips for managing it at home:

Try rinses – There are some hair coloring options that work like a rinse and can give your hair a bit of color, though the fact that it is gray will still be apparent. This is a great option for men, but many women also opt for a rinse

Go permanent – If you want no sign of graying hair, your best bet is to invest in these colors rather than the demi-permanent rinses mentioned above. Permanent hair colors have the kinds of potent pigments that can get right into the hair and remain strong between colors or touch ups

Focus on the worst areas – If you are going to dye your hair at home, don’t try to do the entire head of hair with the same amount of product or attention. Go with the suggestions of hair coloring experts and “Go for the most color-resistant grays first, so that they’ll get the longest processing time. Note that these could be at the temples, the crown, or anywhere your last color application faded more quickly than the rest.”

Follow instructions – If you read the instructions of any hair coloring kit or product, you’ll see that they tell you to divide the hair into sections and work in smaller areas to be thorough about the application. You’ll also need to use enough of the product to saturate those difficult spots and to do any re-application during the process. You’ll also want to be very clear about minimum amounts of time for effectiveness. Lots of people panic and rinse away the color far too soon. You can check during the processing to see if the stubborn grays have taken the color. Wait until about half-way through the treatment, check and take action if needed.

Commit to a calendar – What a lot of people do not do when coloring at home is to commit to a calendar of regular touch ups and full coloring treatments. You will have to do this roughly every eight weeks and also invest in root concealing treatments in between.

You can also opt to have experts do this for you, and they can give you even more appealing looks that include highlights around your face or part-line that can reduce the look of new grays as they appear or mismatched colors between treatments. Experts are also great at creating a more realistic and natural look with areas of contrast and dispersed colors.

Opting to eliminate gray hair through coloring products is a serious commitment of time and money. If you feel it is not for you, or if you don’t feel that going gray is something to worry about, we also have some handy tips that can guide you along your journey of going gray gracefully.

How to Go Gray Gracefully

Take a look at people like Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, and Paul Newman to see for yourself how beautiful gray hair can be. There are millions of people who do not combat the changes that time causes to their hair and go gray gracefully and attractively.

Would you like that same sort of peace of mind and embracing of yourself – at any age? If so, we suggest the following tips:

Visit a stylist – Whether you had been fighting the grays using rinses and hair color or you are just curious about the amount of gray your hair contains, your stylist is your best resource. This is because they are experts at an array of techniques and treatments that can help you really begin to embrace your new hair color. As one expert said, “there is no easy way to simply remove dye from hair…Each time you do a single-process hair color, your hair shaft absorbs it differently…If you tried to strip it out, you’d have a tortoiseshell cat effect, really horrific.” Instead, have your stylist pull through highlights and tone the hair evenly as it grows out fully to a gorgeous head of gray hair. Of course, you can also have a stylish give you the right cut for the hair you have right now. It could be ombre styled, layered, bobbed or something else – the point is that the cut will be flattering for your face, age and color.

Makeover all the rest – If the gray hair is freaking you out, why not forget about it and focus on all the rest. Are there are few pounds you want to shed? Maybe you need a wardrobe update? Perhaps you’ve neglected good skin care or your teeth are not what they could be? Maybe the time and effort you would expend on the hair can be redirected to the rest of you, allowing you to authentically feel and look your best as you get used to the gray hair!

Related: Eye Makeup Tips for Mature Skin

Learn to love it – Just as you probably bought specialty products for your original hair, why not start to invest in products meant to make the most of gray hair. Remember, it is drier and coarser than your original hair, so you may want to invest in good shampoos and anti-frizz products. You can even find conditioners and styling products for mature hair!

Look at the benefits – If you are going gray and you opt to let nature take its course, you can use the tips above. Getting a new hair style, doing a makeover and learning to love it are just a few benefits. You should also consider that you are going to save a lot of money by just accepting your gray hair. One expert estimated that in 25 years of coloring gray hair, they spent almost $65K! You also have all of that time to do with as you please! You’ll learn to accept yourself and love yourself, which is something very few of us ever authentically manage. You are also going to challenge yourself by allowing the world to know your age (or a rough estimate) and accepting what that means.

In Conclusion:

When you get right down to it, gray hair may not be due to aging as much as to genetics or lifestyle. It is not a reflection of who or what you are, and so there is no reason to dread it. It can be a fantastic fashion statement if you allow it to run its course without any color or treatments. Yet, if you are not quite ready for it, you can do all kinds of wonderful treatments at home. There are lots of great cuts for graying hair, but it is the shape or style best suited to your face that will always look the best.

No matter what you decide to do about your gray hair, remember to give it great treatment with carefully chosen products to ensure it remains healthy and thick for years to come. Though we cannot halt time or aging, we can learn to love the bodies we are in, and if that means learning to love your gray hair, it can be a wonderful experience. Experiment with hair styles or colors, try out new products and figure out how to make this look for work you!

Related: Which Hair Straightening Technique Is Right For You?

More Great Gray Hair Resources:

8 Pro Tips For Covering Gray Hair At Home

60 Gorgeous Gray Hair Styles

5 Reasons Not to Color Your Gray Hair