When it comes to gray hair, women get the “shaft.”
Over the years it’s always been perfectly acceptable for men to let their hair go gray. In fact, men with salt-and-pepper hair are called “distinguished.” Women, on the other hand, are more often referred to as “older” or “matronly.”
And even though most people associate gray hair with aging, some women can see gray hair as early as in their teens.
To simplify the “sciency” details of why your hair turns gray, here’s what happens:
You have cells called melanocytes that become defective or die off. These are the cells that produce the pigment known as melanin that give your skin and hair its color. Genetics, vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid disorders, smoking and vitiligo (a skin condition that causes loss of pigment) are just a few things that can cause your hair to lose its natural color.
Severe stress can contribute to your graying hair as well, because it contributes to free radical damage. “Graying could be a result of chronic free radical damage,” says Ralf Paus, professor of dermatology at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein in Lubeck, Germany.
According to the book, Beauty Bias: Discrimination and Social Power by Bonnie Berry (Praeger, July 30, 2007), “Three out of four middle-aged women color their gray hair as do 13 percent of middle-aged men.”
But have no fear. Scientists have been working on the antidote for gray hair for years.
In fact, scientists at French cosmetics company L’Oreal have already identified the genes that may play a key role in gray hair, and they’ve been working on a treatment. “We could be talking about a pill or we could be talking about a topical treatment,” says Dr. Bruno Bernard, the lead researcher in this study.
Whether you color your hair or let nature take its course is a personal decision. Only you can decide what’s right for you.
Have a Youthful Day,
Jackie Silver
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[Ed. Note: Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.] |
