Common Habits That Actually Make Hair Go Gray Prematurely

Yes, it’s not always down to natural causes when gray hair begins to emerge at a younger age. But that’s got us wondering – what actually happens to your mane as it loses its color? What’s the internal process behind the change? In truth, it isn’t as complex as you might think.

First things first, though, we need to clarify something. You see, as your body produces hair, it doesn’t start out with a set color. Instead, the shade comes from “pigment-forming stem cells.” Pretty cool fact, right? But here’s where it gets really intriguing. Each follicle on your head has no more than three years worth of growing time.

The hair falls out at that stage, before it’s replaced by a brand new follicle. But there’s just one problem. The synchronicity that we just touched upon doesn’t last forever, so those fledgling hairs won’t have the same color when you get older. Yep, there’s a very good chance they’ll emerge as gray or white.

To go into more detail on that front, Dr. Anthony Oro spoke to Good Housekeeping in July 2018. He plied his trade at Stanford University, teaching dermatology. Oro said, “Every time the hair regenerates, you have to re-form these pigment-forming cells, and they wear out.” It really is as straightforward as that!

And it’s something that a lot of us experience at the exact same point in our lives. Oro backed that up with a fascinating statistic, as he continued his chat with Good Housekeeping. The hair expert noted, “50 percent of the population has about 50 percent gray hair at age 50.” It’s referred to as the “50-50-50 rule” in dermatology circles.

So, that leads us to our next question. At what age do we naturally begin to produce more gray hair? If you know that, it might come as less of a shock. Well, the average number depends on one thing — your race. No joke! As it turns out, your race plays a huge role in how early you start to age.

According to WebMD, caucasians usually notice their first gray hairs from around the age of 35. And if you’re of Asian descent, the change doesn’t occur until you’re nearly 40. Meanwhile, those of African descent will normally spot the discolored follicles as they reach the midway point of their 40s.

Plus, your natural hair color could be a good indicator for when it happens as well. For instance, Good Housekeeping revealed that white people with red hair are more likely to notice the change at a younger age. But going back to the discrepancy between the races, why are the average numbers so different?

To be blunt, it’s a question that unfortunately doesn’t have an answer at the moment. Yes, Good Housekeeping noted those within the science community continue to be flummoxed by it. We wonder if they’ll ever find the explanation? We do know that worn out pigment cells aren’t the only natural cause that lead people to go gray.

Hydrogen peroxide is another one...trust us, that’s not a typo. In case you didn’t know, this chemical compound normally comes into play when folks dye their hair blonde. Yet it might surprise you to hear that it isn’t just found in those products. Apparently, our bodies produce the substance, too.

A paper from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology organization shed some light on that back in 2009. As per the report, human hair contains the chemical — and its presence only increases with age. Due to that, the hydrogen peroxide eventually stops the pigments from having an effect, causing your follicles to lose their color.

To put it another way, you could say your body’s providing a natural bleaching for your hair, albeit in an unwanted shade! But while that’s something many of us will have to deal with as we get older, there are others who’ll experience it a lot earlier — and it can be difficult to face.

Premature graying is something that can often embarrass those who aren’t ready to give up their hair colors just yet. WebMD, in fact, has stated that it can affect caucasians from around 20 years of age onwards. As for African-Americans, it might become noticeable when they hit their late 20s.

If you’re going through this right now, try not to panic. After all, you can attempt to conceal the gray thanks to different hair dyes from the store. Then again, that might come with its own challenges as well. A post on the website Madison Reed flagged up one such example.

According to the brand’s site, certain grays can actually repel hair dye. Crazy, right? Should that happen to you, it might be an idea to try a dimmer shade instead. Like we said, it’s not always straightforward! Yet if the graying continues to persist, consider these words from a woman named Diana Jewell.

Jewell wrote a book on the subject of losing your natural hair color titled Going Gray, Looking Great. In her opinion, there’s nothing to be fearful of if you’ve got to showcase a graying mane. She explained why while speaking to WebMD, offering up some other inspiring tidbits along the way.

Jewell said, “The myth that gray hair makes you old is just that — a myth. If you were vibrant, active [and] healthy pre-gray, you’re still going to be that way. It’s all in the attitude you bring to it. If you think of it as merely another color choice, you won’t be afraid of gray.”

In other words, it’s not the end of the world. Mind you, if you don’t want to find yourself in that position at an early age, there are steps you can take to stave off premature graying. As we mentioned before, specific daily routines are potentially responsible for the problem. So, we’ve listed them right here. Take note, people!

To kick things off, we’ll start with an issue you might not have thought about. Basically, a lack of vitamins in your system can lead to graying follicles at a young age. Want some examples? Both WebMD and Healthline revealed that low vitamin B-12 levels will negatively affect your hair.

Vitamin B-9 is another one. That nutrient aids your metabolism and “DNA functions,” too. As per Healthline, if those readings are low, it can cause discoloration in the nails and skin — not just your hair. Wow. Talk about a triple whammy, right? Oh, and we can’t forget about vitamin D, either.

One of vitamin D’s most important functions is maintaining the health of your bones. But on top of that, experts believe it could influence hair pigmentation as well. That comes off the back of some studies that showed the nutrient was lacking in young subjects with gray hair. So, grab a bottle of supplements — and stock up your fridge with these next few foods.

This might sound like a random question, but bear with us: do you like oranges? If you said yes, listen up. According to the website Ladders, the delicious fruit can potentially give you gray hair. And there are a few other surprising food items that could also have the same effect.

Sticking with oranges for now, they contain a substance called ascorbic acid. Once this enters your system, it can stop your body from soaking up copper from other sources. Why’s that bad? Well, the aforementioned element helps your hair maintain its natural color. Without it, you’ll be prone to graying early.

As for the other problematic food items, raw eggs and nuts were flagged by Ladders. The former apparently stops your body from taking in the biotin it needs to stave off gray hair, and the latter is somewhat similar. Thanks to its phytic acid contents, you can’t maintain a good internal measurement of ferritin, which again affects your mane. So, be a little careful with your portions from now on.

When you’re treating your hair in the bathroom, do you utilize any oils? For those of you who don’t, now might be the time to start. You see, it’s believed that those products can stop premature graying in its tracks. But that’s not all. If you haven’t got items like that in your house, you can get creative and potentially achieve the same results.

As per Fabbon, all you’ll require is some olive oil and black seed oil. By combining the two and sticking the results over your head three times each week, that should keep your hair in good condition. The website claims that both products house contents to halt follicle discoloration.

You don’t have to do all this by yourself, either. Why not book an oil scalp massage? It’ll get the required contents into your hair and feel relaxing at the same time. This is a simple step to take to avoid graying at a young age. Eliminate the dryness, folks — just be careful how you do it. Not every gray hair hack is a winner.

Unfortunately, not all haircare items are as good for your mane as you might think at first, and that’s partly down to the chemicals they house. Certain bottles contain ingredients that could potentially drain the color from your hair if you use them regularly enough. Why does that happen, though?

In truth, it’s pretty simple. As the website The List noted, the harmful substances in some haircare items can chip away at the melanin produced for your follicles. That’s the pigmentation responsible for coloring them. Anyway, once that precious supply eventually runs out, gray hair will begin to emerge on your head.

So, how can you swerve that unwanted outcome? Easy — walk away from the chemically-rich products on supermarket shelves! In their place, the website TimesNowNews suggests that you should pick up sulfate-free haircare items. They’ll keep your mane in good condition and stave off premature graying. Got to be worth a go, right?

Okay — this next point has provoked a lot of chatter over the years. Dr. Roopal Kundu of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine shared her views while speaking to Good Housekeeping in 2018. She said, “Stress won’t cause you to go gray directly. But stress is implicated in a lot of skin and hair issues.”

Yet in April 2020, a report suggested that stress did have a direct connection to premature graying. How? Well, according to the paper, a substance called norepinephrine enters your hair when you’re going through tense periods. In turn, it ultimately messes with the cells that create your natural shade. On this front, Dr. Ya-Chieh Hsu went into more detail.

As the driving force behind the report, Hsu told News in Health, “The detrimental impact of stress that we discovered was beyond what I imagined. After just a few days, all of the melanocyte stem cells were lost. Once they’re gone, you can’t regenerate pigments anymore. The damage is permanent.” Yikes. Of course, some harmful substances are far less insidious than stress.

If you’re a smoker, you should probably listen to this. As it turns out, this particular habit doesn’t just affect your lungs and heart, as it can leave your hair in a bad state, too, bringing about unwanted discoloration and grayness. But why does that happen? The website Trichology provided an intriguing response.

You see, with each cigarette you smoke over the course of a day, more free radicals are released inside your body. They’re also described as “unstable atoms,” which might make picturing them a little easier! Anyway, these atoms are capable of wreaking havoc, and that can lead to the development of diseases in the future.

And on top of that, Trichology noted that free radicals can attack your melanin supply as well. By doing that, your hair could ultimately go gray long before it happens naturally. Is it worth the risk? If you want to maintain your shade for years to come, you know the answer! And as it turns out, other enjoyable activities can destroy your hair, too.

Who doesn’t enjoy hanging around in the sun? It certainly beats running for cover when bad weather arrives! Yet for those of you who are regularly under its gaze for a prolonged period, you might be putting your hair at risk of premature graying. Trust us on this one — UV rays are not to be trusted.

TimesNowNews.com reported that the sun’s UVB and UVA rays play a pivotal role in prematurely graying hair. Shockingly, the beams of radiation can essentially bleach your mane after a certain amount of time, and that’s obviously bad news. Before you know it, the hair on your head will soon become very fragile.

After that, don’t be surprised if your once-strong hair starts to break with the slightest touch. But that’s not even the biggest issue here. Thanks to the damage caused by the sun’s beams, the follicles that take their place will be gray. Looks like it’s time to start investing in some hats...unless you want to go gray, that is.

Gray hair has actually become stylish as of late. But when you finally decided to embrace your silver locks, you might find the transition to be quite awkward. That’s why some experts advise dyeing roots with an ammonia-free semi-permanent color which covers about three-quarters of your gray hair. This way, you can create some growth before revealing your new look! There are simple ways to encourage silver tresses, too.

Gray shades are prone to yellowing, but the magazine Prevention notes that you can stop this from happening by using a blue-colored shampoo up to twice a month. You can also try violet products to battle brassy tones while avoiding a full-on Smurf look. What’s more, lots of brands offer their own version, so you can shop around for one that works best for you.

After going gray, you may find that some colors in your wardrobe suit you more than others. Among the more complimentary hues are those from a similar family as your new ’do. Kathy Galotti is a colorist based in New York City, and in 2017 she told Prevention, “When you see a really attractive gray-haired woman, she’s often wearing charcoal and silver clothing, which makes her gray hair even more striking.”

When transitioning to gray, it may help to mix your make-up routine. The muted tone can wash out your complexion, but using blush is an easy way to warm things up. Stylist and makeup artist Yvette Gonzalez told Prevention, “Go for shades like apricot, peach, and rose — not beigey or tawny colors.”

Growing out your gray hair could take years, so you may consider cropping your locks to avoid the awkward transformation process. Birnur Aral — director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab — told the publication, “Some people let the roots grow for an inch or two and then just get a pixie cut and transition that way.”

If you do decide to take the plunge with gray hair, remember that the process will take time. Colorist Nikki Ferrara told Good Housekeeping, “Most people won’t have the patience, so they choose to color their hair again. But it’s super-rewarding if you can stick it out and get on a routine with your colorist to get highlights every few months.”

Aral revealed her own experience of embracing silver strands to Good Housekeeping. And she claimed that a little bit of extra grooming made all the difference. Aral explained, “I feel with gray hair I need to have my hair styled —blown out or ironed — and [have] makeup on. Otherwise, I look older than my usual self.”

Before going gray, you might want to think about your goal shade. Are you hoping to achieve an overall silver look, simply blend out your salt-and-pepper roots or add chic highlights to emphasize your natural tones? Whatever the aim is, discuss it with a colorist so they can help you reach your desired style.

By its very nature, gray hair has less pigment, and because of this it’s more at risk of looking dull. UV light and pollutants are among the factors that can dim a silver fox’s shine. So to prevent this from happening, Prevention says that you should wash your locks every other day with products that are high in antioxidants.

Are you not sure where to start when it comes to going gray? Well, just ask a hairstylist for help. They can tell you what kind of cuts and shades might work for you and how to achieve them. What’s more, a good expert can also outline the outlook for your transition period so that you can set your expectations accordingly.

Embracing the salt-and-pepper look can be a long and costly process. So, it’s tempting to reach for a box dye to help move things along. Experts would advise against this, though. Store-bought coloring kits often contain harsh chemicals that can strip hair and lead you running back to the salon.

Whatever your hairstyle, you should get it cut every six weeks to two months. Stylist at New York City’s Sahag Workshop Yvette Gonzalez told Prevention, “Gray hair can start to look unruly if it’s not trimmed frequently enough.” But, she warned, “Ask your stylist not to use a razor, because it can cause the ends to fray — making your whole style seem untidy.”

One of the most common hesitations people have about embracing their gray hair is looking old. Thankfully, you can tip the balance in a more youthful direction by choosing more modern styles. Revealing her secrets to Marie Claire in 2017, actress Jamie Lee Curtis said, “My stylist keeps my cut edgy and contemporary — otherwise I can go Bea Arthur very quickly.”

Gray hair can be extra dry, so ensure you make moisture maintenance a part of your hair care routine. The website It’s Rosy recommends looking for products that are free of sulfates. Also, you should apparently stock up on oils, serums and masks that will give your mane a much-needed boost. And if you’re looking for a wonder ingredient, seek out anything with keratin.

When Aral first went gray, she opted for a color correction treatment, in which a stylist dyes the lengths of your hair to blend in with silvery roots. She told Good Housekeeping, “... The colorist put in baby highlights all over my head. Toward the end of the lifting process, [they] applied dark brown hair color to the remaining hair to create an all-over salt-and-pepper effect.”

In some cases, going gray doesn’t come cheap. That’s because the initial process may require repeated trips to the salon where a colorist will help you achieve the overall look you’re after. Aral revealed, “I spent a total of seven hours in the salon and really saw how intensive the process was to justify the price tag.”

If your gray locks don’t pop naturally as much as you’d like them to, It’s Rosy suggests emphasizing them with a few carefully placed highlights. Alternatively, if you’re sporting just a few silver streaks, why not add a few more around your head to create a more uniform, yet still natural-looking effect?

In that awkward in-between stage of your transition to gray, accessories can become your new best friend. Headbands, beanies, scarves, hats and turbans can all be used to add a stylish flair to your ’do. Alternatively, in a worst-case scenario, they can disguise a bad hair day! Be sure to play around and experiment with looks that work for you.

Curly hair is amazing at disguising mismatched roots, according to It’s Rosy, so the style could be a lifesaver when growing out your gray. If you’re not blessed with natural ringlets, you can always go for a perm, which will create the same effect. That way, you can transition more subtly without the graduation in your hair color being overly obvious.

Speaking to Glamour magazine in March 2021, hair expert Anabel Kingsley revealed, “Since white hair lacks pigment, it’s more prone to UV damage. Therefore, it’s even more important to use UV protective products if you have white hair.” Sun exposure can cause gray hair to yellow — not a great look in anyone’s book.

Gray hair often comes alongside a decrease in oil production in the scalp. This leads to dry hair, which can be lacklustre in appearance as it doesn’t reflect light. So, to boost shine, Harper’s Bazaar recommends looking for glossing and smoothing treatments, purifying shampoos, and products designed for colored or fragile hair.

Colorists will often use toners to achieve a cool gray hue, but a yellow tint can form once the product starts washing away. To prevent this from happening, Good Housekeeping says that you should supplement your hair with regular toning treatments. That way, you can stay on top of brassy tones to ensure your locks stay their icy best.

When it comes to maintaining lighter locks, heavy products such as serums, waxes, and pomades are not your friend. Speaking to Prevention, Galotti said of such care products, “They can coat gray hair and make it look dusty.” Instead, use sprays for styling and to eliminate frizz.

Lots of people delay embracing their gray hair for fear of what others might think. But social media is awash with amazing individuals who’ve done just that and have also inspired others to do the same. Find an influencer whose style you admire, and follow in their footsteps to silver chic!

You may be tempted to pluck scraggly gray hairs straight out of your scalp, but you should leave them be. In 2020 Aveda Canada’s creative director Kristjan Hayden told the Canadian magazine Chatelaine, “Plucking out gray hairs can damage the follicle. And then sometimes your hair just won’t grow back.”

From precision cuts to flawless highlights, lots of hairdressers have one aspect of their job which they excel at. And for some, their strong point is in caring for and coloring gray hair. So, to ensure your tresses look their best, find a stylist who specializes in salt-and-pepper styles.

Blending techniques can be used to accentuate your natural gray tones with balayage and highlights to achieve a more natural-looking color. As hairdresser Robert Eaton told Glamour, “Many women don’t want to go for block coverage anymore, and we’ve embraced [that] they are looking for different ways to mask their gray hair. ”

Because gray hair tends to lack moisture, it’s important that you choose products designed to combat dry strands. That being said, some ingredients should be avoided — such as dimethicone. Hayden told Chatelaine, “[Dimethicone] is not water-soluble, so sometimes if it’s in high quantities in products, it can go into your hair and not wash out, which will weigh your hair down.”

Graying isn’t the only thing that happens to hair as we age. That’s because it also tends to thin out in advancing years. To keep your tresses looking their fullest, the website Byrdie suggests incorporating a supplement into your diet. There are lots on the market which claim to volumize locks, so it might be a good idea to do some research on what will work for you.

Shades of gray, white and black work well with silver hair, but that doesn’t mean you should banish all color from your wardrobe. You just need to know what hues work best for your new ’do. Prevention says that you should stick to jewel tones like sapphire blue and ruby red, which will really compliment your color.

Lots of people turn to straighteners, hair dryers and curling irons to style their hair. But these heated tools can cause gray strands to yellow over time. Aside from avoiding heated tools, It’s Rosy argues that the only real way to beat this kind of brassiness is to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo weekly.

Caring for gray hair can be a full-time job, so you should pay some attention to your tresses even when you sleep! To maintain the overall condition of your locks, Byrdie recommends tying your hair securely before bed and investing in a silk pillowcase. These smooth slips combat friction and therefore protect from flyaways, frizz and breakage.

If you want to know what your silver hair might look like, just look at your mom and dad. As Kingsley explained to Glamour, “When you go gray is largely down to genes. If your mother or father started getting white hairs at a young age, it is likely that you will as well. On average, most people’s hair is 50 percent white by the time they turn 50 years old.”

It’s a common misconception that gray hair is more coarse in texture. It is, in fact, finer but drier. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In 2018 colorist Jax Williard told Allure magazine, “The texture [grays] give you can actually make your hair routine more exciting. Your hair might dry much quicker, and you might feel that it is much thicker — holding styles better and longer.”

While they may seem like another area altogether, well-maintained eyebrows can work wonders in emphasizing your overall look. When you have gray hair, your complexion can look washed out. But a bold brow – defined with a pencil and with any stray hairs removed – can really help to distinguish your features.

Lots of people shy away from going gray because they fear what other people might think. But it’s important to remember that you are more than capable of deciding your own look. Whatever you choose, make sure you own your style, and don’t let anyone sway you from your own, unique path.

Going gray is a big commitment, and even a year down the line you might find yourself wanting to throw in the towel. But if silver strands are what you truly desire — hang in there. The in-between stage of growing out your gray hair can be awkward, but most experts have the same suggestion for the best way to get through it: adjust your attitude.

Instead of looking at your first gray hair as a sign of your advancing age, consider it a rite of passage. Yes, you may be getting older, but with that comes the wisdom and experience of a life lived to the full. With that in mind, embrace those smoky strands as a reminder of all the good times you’ve seen.

Earthy colors like olive green, rust, camel and mustard have a tendency of yellowing the complexion. So instead, the website Making Midlife Matter suggests sticking to fresher, natural tones like lavender, rose, and mint green — especially near to your face. Choosing the shades of your wardrobe carefully can help you to curate an altogether more youthful look.

Unfortunately for gold lovers, yellow jewelry can make skin look more sallow and even older, which doesn’t mix well with gray hair. Platinum, silver and white gold are much safer options when it comes to injecting a bit of bling into your look, according to Making Midlife Matter. And, of course, some added sparkle will help your silver mane to really shine.