I heard it from my mother at least a million times growing up, “Diana, don’t do that, you are giving me gray hair!”
Now that I’m getting a little older, and I’m noticing a few gray hairs, I’m wondering for the first time, what is the real cause of gray hair? Is it a natural part of the aging process or is it caused by stress?
The answer, which may surprise you, is BOTH.
Here is a quote from the September/October issue of Science Illustrated Magazine:
“Hair follicles produce small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is usually broken down into oxygen and water by an enzyme in the body. The amount of that enzyme declines as we age, allowing the hydrogen peroxide to increase over time. When the chemical reaches a level that interferes with melanin production, hair grows out with little or no pigment.” – In other words, it’s part of the natural aging process.
Here is a quote from an article in June entitled “Gray Hair: A Sign of Stress?” on the https://psychcentral.com site:
“Those pesky graying hairs that tend to crop up with age really are signs of stress, reveals a new report in the June 12 issue of “Cell”, a Cell Press publication.” If you would like to read about the study which led them to this conclusion, you can read the entire article by clicking here. – In other words, it’s also caused by stress.
The way I look at it, the gray hairs are coming, one way or the other, so I might as well embrace them. Not!
If you have started noticing some gray hair yourself, and if you would like some ideas on how to get rid of them, here is a short list I made just for you:
1. Yank them out with your hand. I’ve started doing this. Yes, it’s painful, but it only hurts for a second. It’s totally worth it. Try to only yank the gray hairs, otherwise you’ll be defeating the purpose if now you have a bald problem from pulling out too many hairs. Of course, you could be going for a bald look on purpose which leads me to number 2.
2. Shave it off. I got this idea from an old episode of Seinfeld. Just go bald! It’s gutsy and unique.
3. Color your hair. I’ve always had fun with hair color. My hair has been brown, red, purple, blonde, black, you name it. I think this is a great way to be creative and color up gray hair all in one shot. Just make sure to go to a professional otherwise it might turn green, which is not pretty.
4. Color the hairs with mascara. Yep, that is a secret that women have known for years. If your hair is brown or black, buy that color of mascara and paint the hairs. It only takes a minute to dry and it stays colored until you wash your hair!
5. You can always go the all-natural route with your remedy. Put ½ cup of Sage into 2-3 cups of boiling water for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for 3 hours. Cool. Pour this into a spray container. Spray it on your dry hair (let it air dry, then rinse) a few times a week. You’ll notice the gray hair will slowly disappear.
Good Luck!
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