Mid Brain muses…
Scientists think they’ve figured out the cause of gray hair. In the June 12 issue 
of Cell, researchers describe ‘genotoxic stress’ that damages DNA and reduces the amount of melanin-producing cells (melanocytes) in hair follicles.
What kind of stress?
While emotional stress may be one factor, the kind of stress that these researchers are talking about are more molecular in nature. These include exposure to UV light, ionizing radiation and mutagenic chemicals. It’s estimated that cells get exposed to over 100,000 stressors each day.
Can you stop gray hair?
According to researchers, the cell damage is unavoidable which suggests there is little that can be done to stop the gradual onset of gray hair. Sun protection and anti-oxidants may help slow things down but eventually exposure to environmental stress will catch up to everyone. Fortunately, cosmetic chemists have come up with hair color. So everyone can look like they’ve got the hair of a 20-year-old.
When did you start to go gray? And do you cover it up with hair color? Leave a comment below because inquiring Beauty Brains need to know.
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My first greys appeared in my mid 20′s, which given my family history was actually quite late. My dad was fully white by his 30′s (and started balding in his early 20′s), my mum had a full head of grey in her early 30′s. I’m now in my late 30′s and there’s definitely more and more grey appearing – hair dye is my friend!
I started going white when I was 16. Both my Dad and Grandma were completely white-headed by the time they were 40. I am in my mid-40s and am about 90%. I’ve colored my hair since I was 18, and my children don’t want me to stop.
I noticed a few white hairs in my nearly black hair in my teens and started coloring in my twenties. I stopped in my thirties for a bit and then again when I was 47. By then I was very streaky. I started up again when I began doing Improv, b/c I hated the way the stage lights washed out my hair–it wasn’t nice and silver at all. I now dye it medium brown with highlights to break it up. I have taken very good care of my skin–avoided smoke and sun and worn sunblock and I look much younger than my 49 years now.
I’m praying to go grey so I can STOP coloring my hair. Cause I’m naturally a brunette and the shade of brown I am is VERY unflattering with my skin tone. So I color it blond.
I spend a lot of time in “haunted house” attractions trying to scare myself grey.
35 years old and still no greys!
Wow, grats VK! My mom went completely grey by the time she was 35, and it looks like I’m headed down the same road.
I colored my hair since the streaks first appeared at age 40. As I got more and more white ( it isn’t gray hair, friends, it is downright white, just looks gray when it mixes with what you have ) the dyes didn’t stay as long or cover as well.
I turned 60 this year and threw away my plastic gloves. I am white in front and just a bit of salt and pepper in the back.
I started growing grey hair in my late 20′s. I had been frosting my hair and my cousin told me that I did not need to do that anymore as my own hair was doing the job for me. I have not colored my hair since and have had a full head of silver hair since my late 40′s. Everyone likes it as well as I and have encouraged me to leave it as it is. My hair has been this color so long that I cannot remember having it any other color and am quite comfortable with it.