Why You’re Going Grey & How You Can Prevent It… For As Long As Possible!

Screen Shot 2018-01-09 at 5.44.48 PM

Via Giphy

Turning grey is part of life – like periods, cellulite, and stretch marks – it’s inevitable! But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep those greys away a little longer if you do the right things. The good thing is, grey hair is super on-trend right now (let’s hope that trend doesn’t go away), so if you’re already getting silver highlights, why not own it – at least you won’t need to worry about touching up your roots! Just look how dope founder of Mood hair, Nyane looks…

A post shared by Nyané Lebajoa (@nyane) on

… Someone pass us the grey hair dye.

Why you’re going grey

As we age, our bodies produce less melanin, which is the pigment found in our hair follicles responsible for its color – no pigment equals grey hairs. So, as we grow older and our melanin levels decrease, we produce less pigment and, therefore more grey hairs.

When will you go grey?

If you’re 30 and you have no signs of white, consider yourself lucky, as this is when most start to see grey hairs emerging at the age of 30, if not before! By the time we hit our 50s, most women are expected to have nearly 50% grey hairs. Factors like genetics also play a big role, so if your mamma went grey in her 20s, it’s more likely you’ll start to notice white hairs earlier on as well. Ethnicities also play a role too: Caucasians show signs first (mid-30s), then Asians (late-30s), and finally women of color (40s). Health conditions like diabetes, thyroid issues (which effects hormones), anemia, and vitamin B12 deficiencies can all cause premature greying.

via Giphy

… You can always try platinum blonde to hide your greys.

How you can slow the greying process

The truth is, your genetics will determine the time your hair starts to go grey, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t try to delay the process. What you eat, your hormones, and stress can also make an impact, and not just on the health of your hair. A balanced diet is super important and because hair is a protein fiber, getting lots of it is crucial. Fish is both a source of protein and Omega-3s, which are amazing for hair health. Supplements containing copper could also help, as copper boosts the production of melanin – or you can eat crab, lobster, prawns and oily fish, like salmon – you do you! Finally, as well as a balanced diet (check out how to get the most healthy hair here), avoiding smoking will work in your hair’s favor! Studies have proved that smokers are nearly three times more likely to experience premature greying than non-smokers.

If you’re only just starting to get grey hairs but enough that it’s bothering you, we recommend getting highlights. If the grey hairs are coming fast, semi-permanent dyes are a good way to subtly cover grey hairs, and will mean you’ll avoid the harsh line you can get at your roots when you use permanent hair dyes.

Our top tip? Own your hair, whatever color it is!