Gray Hair
By carolbee
@carolbee (16230)
United States
October 27, 2007 8:42pm CST
Does anyone know what causes gray hair? I am young at heart and a bit older but have no gray. Have dark blonde hair with highlights just for fun. My husband is 6 months younger and he is just about all gray. Wonder why I am still a dark blonde.
4 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
29 Mar 08
I always thought that grey hair comes on prematurely because someone has a lot of stress and worry in their life, if someone has a calm and relaxed lifestyle then their hair will stay natural for longer. Although some people have grey hair earlier due to heriditary factors. I have a few grey hairs at 36, but I am vain enough to take them out LOL! I don't want to go grey in all honest, a grey old wolf doesn't look so good does he?
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
29 Mar 08
I do have a stressful life at times as most people do. My mother was white by the time she was 40. I will be 62 in a few months and am still blonde. It's a darker blonde now but still no grey. I have a daughter your age and she is starting to grey. My beautician is amazed that she can't find one single grey hair. I think men look nice with grey hair. Very sophisticated. Thanks for responding.
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
28 Oct 07
According to genetics, science which deals with hereditary traits from generation to generation, gray hair is typically a result of natural aging. Pigment in the hair shaft comes from special cells at the root (base) of the hair. These cells are genetically programmed to make a certain amount of pigment (melanin) at specific ages. At some point in the aging process, these cells make less and less pigment until the hair has very little pigment. White hair has no pigment, and gray hair has some but not as much as a red, black or brown hair.
The Mayo Clinic doctors tell us that not all hairs respond in the same way or at the same time. So the graying process usually is gradual. You can't prevent graying. Some people start graying in their 30s, and some not until their 60s. Genetics likely play a strong role in graying.
People rarely go gray overnight. If they do, it's typically due to alopecia areata. This condition causes the thicker, darker hairs to stop growing before it affects the growth of gray hairs — giving the impression of graying overnight. Alopecia areata eventually causes roundish patches of hair loss or complete loss of hair on the head or body. Its cause isn't known. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gray-hair/AN00310
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
29 Oct 07
i started having grey hair when i was 40 something. i am now 50 years old and almost all of my hair is getting silver. LOL. i stopped dyeing because it somehow affected my eyesight! 'tho the real cause actually is aging. LOL
anyways, they say, having grey hair is a status in life itsel. it's also a sign of wisdom. hugh. it must be true. ha ha ha.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
28 Oct 07
I would say you're just lucky. A lot of it I think has to do with genes. I have dark blonde hair with some red in it. I've had gray hairs since I was 18, and more and more in the 10 years since. I keep it colored most of the time because I have THAT much gray. It is a dark gray that could pass as dark roots if I get a little behind with the coloring bt if I'm way behind (like right now) it's obviously gray.
My s/o is 14 years older than me and a natural redhead. He does have a few stray white hairs and a patch of white in his stubble on his chin when he doesn't shave but that's it.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
17 Nov 07
I have no idea, but I am pretty sure it is genetic. My fathers side of the family, everyone grays prematurely. I started getting gray in high school. My daughter is 13 and I have already seen one or two grays in her hair. I don't know where they come from, but I wish they would go back! LOL
