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All You Need to Know About Grey Hair

Grey hair is often a sign of ageing, but it can also be triggered by other causes such as illness, severe stress and anxiety, and genetics.

If you have ever wondered what exactly grey hair is, what causes it, and if you can do anything to prevent it, then read on…

What is this grey all about then?

Grey hair is a combination of pigmented hairs mixed with white ones. Hair turns white when the pigmentation cells that are responsible for colouring your hair (melanin) stop being produced. Hair stem cells and pigment forming cells work together to give you your glorious mane, but either can wear out, sometimes prematurely.  

Around your 30s is when you are most likely to spot the odd grey strand lurking amongst its colourful brothers and sisters. By the time you reach your 50s, you can expect your hair to be about 45/50% grey.

Your ethnicity will also decide your ‘grey’ fate. Caucasian hair greys early – redheads earliest of all (sorry guys) - then Asian hair, and then Afro hair.

Why grey, why!!

As mentioned above, hormones, illness and stress can also play a part as to when an individual goes grey, and unfortunately, for those going grey earlier in life, this is often down to genetics – so you can thank your family for that one. Certain health conditions can cause greying too, such as diabetes, pernicious anaemia and thyroid problems.

Can we combat it at all?

Sadly, or not, depending on your outlook on ageing, going grey is all part of growing up into an adult, but there are some steps you can take to keep your hair healthy and in good condition.

Eating a well balanced diet is important – great health shines from the inside out. Eating foods like eggs and fish are a great protein source, which is essential for healthy hair. Proteins consist of amino acids, and it is these acids that help keep keratin (what your hair is made of) strong and healthy.

Taking a multi-vitamin that contains Omega-3s will help prevent hair from being dry and lifeless, as they have a moisturising effect that can reduce itching and flaking of the scalp. A supplement such as Seven Seas Perfect7 Woman is great as it also contains copper, which is known to prevent the onset of greying hair by boosting melanin production.

Growing grey gracefully

If you’re opting to colour your greys, they can sometimes be more stubborn to colour than they were before. If you are finding colouring your hair difficult, try dropping down a colour level or using something darker on your roots to deliver an even coverage.

It will also help you to know that grey hair is the height of fashion right now, with a multitude of tones and colours to suit each individual. If you want to embrace the grey; try some ‘silver’ products to give it extra shine and remove any dull tones. Some silver heroes that we highly recommend are Davines Alchemic Shampoo Silver Fox, Philip Kingsley Pure Silver Shampoo and Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Color Freeze Silver Shampoo.

Think of going grey this way, it’s your body’s own way of opting for a colour change using natural bleaching techniques. Doesn’t sound so bad after all huh!

Images credits: top image: Andrew Smith Salons / body images: Pinterest