Why The Gray’s Don’t Have it!”
“I’m Gonna Wash That Gray Right Out of My Hair!”
Happy Wednesday Golden Divas!
If only it were as simple as that jingle from Miss Clairol…“I’m Gonna Wash That Gray Right Out Of My Hair!” Lawd Jesus, the gray hair seems to be increasing as I write this post. LOL.
In May of this year, I did a post on ‘Mature Women Dating,’ and I chose some silver foxes to represent the article. I also did an article back in August of 2017 called ‘50 Shades of Gray’ Hair with my girl Tracy Howard who has long luscious gray locks.
However, Golden Divas this post regarding gray hair is a little different. Although gray hair has become the ‘Fashion Trend’ for many young women rushing nature’s highlight, for some of us who have not grayed beautifully like the women in my previous posts, we are in no rush to see the silver strands taking over our hair.
The other day I noticed that more gray hairs are sprouting up around my edges and although I put a rinse on my hair whenever I wash it, it seems as though with the hot flashes and sweating in my hair the rinse never last. I truly believed if it grayed throughout my locks, I would probably toss the rinse bottles. But, to have the look of worried and stressed gray hair (only around the edges) is a notable look on a distinguished man, not a thriving vivacious woman. (I have to encourage myself. lol).
We’ve all seen it how if you look at photos of President Obama taken before he ran for president and since he left office, you’ll notice a distinct difference: where there used to be only dark brown hair, there is now far more gray than brown. However, on a woman’s well, it’s just not cute, pretty, or fashionable.
So what does gray hair say about a person? Do they look old! Or do they look lazy for not tending to their tresses?
None of the above! Ladies our gray hair is our right of passage, a mark of intelligence, nature’s way of adding some mature sexiness to our locks. Heck if the younger generation is getting in on all of this goodness what is the problem?
Well, the problem is some women gray beautifully, and some tend to have the worry gray or stress gray as I like to call it around their edges. No matter which way you gray if anything I’ve learned, it is not going away, so you better learn to embrace it.
Let’s clear up a beauty myth here ladies: The graying of hair is thought to be brought on by predetermined factors due to genetics. Stress typically manifests in hair loss or shedding, though it can result in premature depigmentation in those who have a predisposition to gray hair.
Here are some illnesses that cause gray hair!
The vast majority of people with gray hair have age-related graying. However, sometimes graying hair indicates an illness, primarily if it occurs at an unusually young age. Health problems that may be heralded by gray hair include:
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Neurofibromatosis (also called Von Recklinghausen’s disease): this group of inherited diseases causes tumors to grow along nerves and abnormal development of the bones and skin.
Tuberous sclerosis: a rare, inherited condition that causes benign tumors in multiple organs (including the brain, heart, kidneys, eyes, lungs, and skin).
thyroid disease
Vitiligo: This condition causes melanocytes (the cells at the base of hair follicles that produce color) to be lost or destroyed — perhaps because the immune system “misfires” and attacks the scalp rather than an infection.
Alopecia areata: a disorder in which patches of hair may be suddenly lost, especially the colored (non-gray) hairs. This may lead to “overnight” graying because previously present gray or white hairs suddenly become more visible. When hair growth resumes, it may be white or gray, but colored hair may eventually return.
Some research also links premature graying to heart disease and low bone mass (called osteopenia, a precursor of osteoporosis). How these conditions relate to hair graying is unclear. Cigarette smoking can also cause premature graying.
Though stress may play a role in the process, it would be more helpful to look to past generations rather than your current stress levels to help you predict when or if you’ll go gray. That’s true whether you’re the President of the United States or someone with a less stressful job.
As you can see, gray hair is not caused by worrying or being stress (this may cause the hair to be thin or fall out) gray hair is mainly caused by your genetics. This got me to thinking to start paying attention to my family members since our hair, which turns gray is influenced mostly by the genes we inherit from our parents. To my discovery, my family graying pattern is around their edges more so than throughout their hair.
Okay Now, What?
Now that I know my gray hair is not caused by stress, and it is probably more hereditary than not; I’m still not ready to embrace the coarse grays that are invading my hairline. Plus they are not just gray; they are multiple colors of gold, green and blue due to some bad rinses with a questionable base.
Golden Divas, having gray hair is a badge of honor, and it is beautiful no matter which way it invades your head. Whether it’s inherited prematurely, throughout your hair, or a halo framing your face, you have to get your mind right to embrace your hair change.
However, for those of us who are not ready to embrace the change, what can we do to keep the gray at bay? What is the best hair rinse to use?
And is a color stick the best choice for a quick fix?
Talk to me Golden Divas. I need some recommendations like yesterday!!
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hair-turn-gray-2017091812226
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gray-hair-stress-beauty-myths_n_1885646?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWFyY2gueGZpbml0eS5jb20vP3NlYXJjaFRlcm09aXMrdGhlcmUrc3VjaCthK3RoaW5nK2FzK3dvcnJ5K2dyZXkraGFpciZzZWFyY2hUeXBlPXdlYiZzZWFyY2hQYWdlPTE&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM_hxg1j54uwmMIGgm8x2ZxqO9yq2JHHCTiHQK9_IJo-KgCuOGR7Yfp-qUdoJq4Z7-5wvN4N-Vi4eu9tDswZWupuXyqTbmEqzNYS8AYTBvJAYViAwsKXlJehYgwAhjcRZocOkTB74zRP-P-LrJl0OM58ZEAxkOeq_6rz80sJVasu