“A Few Facts About Gray Hair”

All the Shades of Gray: It’s said a woman’s hair is her crowning glory. Sooner or later, that crown will start to gray. You now face a decision. Banish gray hair with dye, or rock a silver mane? Whichever you pick, know the facts about your gray strands to keep your hair looking and feeling its best.

Science of Grays: 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.

When and Why It Happens: You might blame your stressful job or your unruly teens for your grays. But it’s mostly your genes that dictate how early and how quickly it happens. So if either of your parents had a full head of gray hair in their 30s, there’s a good chance you will, too.

How Race Plays a Role: On average, white people start to gray in their mid-30s. Asians start in their late 30s. And African-Americans usually don’t see color changes until their mid-40s.

What’s Premature Gray? Some people go gray 10 or more years earlier than the average person does. It’s premature if you’re gray before:

• 20 if you’re white
• 25 if you’re Asian
• 30 if you’re African-American

Do Health Problems Turn Hair Gray? They could. These conditions include:

• Lack of vitamin B₁₂ 
• Certain rare, inherited tumor conditions
• Thyroid disease
• Vitiligo, a condition that destroys pigment-making cells in the scalp

Alopecia areata causes patches of hair (usually ones with color) to fall out. This can look like sudden graying because the hair that’s left is gray or white. When your hair regrows, it could be gray, white, or your normal color.

Does Stress Make You Go Gray? Not directly. But it can cause a condition that causes your hair to shed about 3 times faster than normal. It’s possible that when your hair grows back, it’s gray instead of your original color.

The Smoking Link: Lighting up affects your body from head to toe. That includes the hair on your head. One study showed that smokers are 2 1/2 times more likely to gray before age 30 than nonsmokers. It also can make silver gray look yellow.

To Pluck or Not to Pluck? There’s an old wives’ tale that says if you pluck a gray, three will grow back. That doesn’t happen. Still, don’t pluck. You’re just delaying the inevitable -- another gray strand will replace it. Besides, pulling hair out can damage follicles so much, they no longer grow hair. This can make your mane look thin over time.

Do Grays Feel Different? Gray hair is thinner than hair with natural color because its cuticle is thinner. Your 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.

Tame Those Tresses: Moisture treatment and hair oils can fight dull, dry grays. Anti-frizz products can help, too. Heat and light from lamps or the sun can “bleach” gray hair and make it look yellow. Ask your stylist how to prevent this. A purple-toned shampoo can help keep your tresses a vibrant silver.

No-Dye Camouflage: If you’re sporting just a few gray hairs, you can hide them if you get creative. Wear a pretty headband. Or switch up your hairstyle -- part it where there is less gray. If you have long hair, wear an up-do to hide gray roots.

Or, Just Dye It! You can do it yourself with a box from the drugstore. Look for products designed for gray hair. Permanent dye will better cover stubborn roots than semi-permanent color. If you can afford it, opt for a color treatment at your local salon. If some of your grays won’t take in the color, try using a lighter shade that will blend in with the grays.

Go Au Naturel: If you’re ready to ditch the dye, you can go gray gracefully while it grows out. Ask your stylist how much gray you actually have. If it’s a lot, you can go lighter through highlights to minimize grow-out. Or, you can switch from a permanent color to less opaque demi color, which can make your gray strands mimic highlights and blend in better with the rest of your hair.

Get the Right Cut: Rock a great cut with lots of style and texture, and get a trim every 6-8 weeks. Women who are 100% gray often wear their hair short. But consider long layers. They can be beautiful and add movement to healthy, bouncy hair.

Reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner, MD on December 22, 2017

The Library of Congress “Everyday Mysteries: Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”

Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, dermatologist, Beverly Hills and Long Beach, CA; clinical instructor, University of Southern California.

Harvard Medical School: “Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”

Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology: “Premature Graying of Hair.”

Indian Dermatology Online Journal: “Smokers' hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?”

Diana Gallegos, editorial fashion hair expert, Twist, Cut, Extend, San Francisco.

Andrew Fitzsimons, celebrity stylist, Los Angeles; Alterna Haircare brand ambassador.

Stephanie Johnson, hair stylist, Studio Fusion, Dallas.

Rochelle Graham-Campbell, hair expert, Fort Myers, FL; co-founder & CEO, Alikay Naturals hair care.

Richard Drews, expert colorist; co-owner, White Lodge Studios Salon, Seattle.

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2Live

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.

“A little gray hair is a small price to pay for all this accumulated wisdom.”

“You call it gray hair, say it makes you look old and cover it up. I call it God’s free highlights and thank Him that I’ve lived long enough to be blessed with it.”

“Grey hair is God’s graffiti”

“It’s great to have gray hair. Ask anyone who’s bald.” (Rodney Dangerfield)

“Wrinkles mean you laughed, grey hair means you cared, and scars mean you lived.”

“Those aren’t grey hairs, idiot, they are strands of glitter growing out of my head.”

“They are not grey hairs! They are my wisdom highlights! I just happen to be extremely wise!”

“I have absolutely no objection to growing older. I am a stroke survivor so I am extremely grateful to be ageing. I have nothing but gratitude for the passing years.” (Sharon Stone)

Proverbs 16:31, “The silver-haired head is a crown of splendor and glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.” (AMP)

Psalm 37:25, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandoned or his descendants pleading for bread.” (AMP)

Psalm 92:14, “[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age; they will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment]” (AMP)

Leviticus 19:32, “You shall rise before the gray-headed and honor the aged, and you shall fear your God [with profound reverence]; I am the Lord.” (AMP)