Shock and horror, you’ve spotted your first grey hair. No, you don't have to phone the hairdresser in a panic just yet!
While some women proudly sport a silver mane, many others face the arrival of new grey hairs with dread. Whether it’s no big deal or a perplexing affront to your vanity, grey hair is a fact of life and still a bit of a mystery. What is causing your salt-and-pepper strands, and is there a cure?
Greying is caused by heredity. When you’re born, your genes are already hardwired for when and how your hair will turn grey. This includes premature greying – people who grey before the age of 30 usually do so because it runs in the family. For most of us greying starts in the middle age. Dermatologists call it the 50/50/50 rule. 50% of the population have about 50% grey hair at the age of 50. No surprise here!
Certain autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo and alopecia can damage pigment cells and can induce greying. Early greying occurs in premature ageing syndromes such as Hutchinson’s-progeria and Werner syndrome, where every aspect of ageing in the body is accelerated. However, these conditions are uncommon.
Stress seems to play a role in greying. When America’s president Obama went significantly grey after his first term in office, everybody was speculating. Was it stress, age, or a combination of both? While most scientists agree that your genes alone are responsible for grey hair, others say that there seems to be a connection between greying and stress. In 2011, a study by Nobel Prize winner Robert Lefkowitz, indicated that long term productions of the body’s fight or flight response – can damage your DNA and cause premature ageing, including greying hair.
In 2013, a study found a significant relationship between smoking and premature greying. According to this study smokers were two and a half times more prone to develop premature grey hair. There is currently no direct link to prove that other lifestyle habits or diet can cause grey hair.
It is also a myth that major shock will cause your hair suddenly to turn grey. This is sometimes called the Marie Antoinette syndrome, because the French queen’s hair supposedly turned white the night before she was beheaded. Hair, once grown, cannot change colour. Marie Antoinette probably just took off her wig!
Is there a cure? Researchers have successfully treated discoloured skin and eyelashes of vitiligo patients, which has led to some predicting a cure for grey hair. But, while the idea sounds promising, history is full of tonics and creams claiming to cure grey hair. As far as we know, none of them have worked yet.
If you think that going grey is a nightmare, think again! Grey is ok, no, more than ok! Silver hues are taking over social media; a rise in requests for “Granny Grey” is very much the “in” thing at the moment. A host of A-listers have been spotted sporting gorgeous grey locks. The likes of Kylie Jenner, Rihanna and Kelly Osborne have all trailed the grey hair trend while models on Jean-Paul Gaultier’s and Chanel’s catwalks, rocked the look earlier this season.
At the moment, grey has nothing to do with ageing. Going grey is more than just a quirky trend; it could be a pivotal moment of style emancipation. Woman of all ages are embracing stylish grey locks, whether they became that way naturally or not. Let’s face it; grey is definitely having a moment.
Source: www.goodhousekeeping.com, www.dailymail.co.uk, www.glamourmagazine.co.uk, mentalfloss.com, www.marieclaire.co.uk, hairclinicinternational.co.za
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.