For many women, the appearance of the first gray hair can be a real shock. New research suggests it happens sooner than many expect.
A team of hair-health experts conducted a large-scale survey involving 1,000 women. It turns out that 17 percent of the participants noticed their first gray strands before turning 25. However, this unwelcome milestone most commonly occurred between the ages of 31 and 35.
What the survey found
While many women blame their graying hair on work-related stress or parenting, scientists say it is simply a normal part of aging.
Meanwhile, more than half of the participants who found gray strands expressed concern about aging. Two out of five admitted they felt embarrassed about how others perceived their gray hair. Thirty-six percent reported feeling less confident about themselves and their appearance because of gray hair. A third of the participants even considered themselves less attractive because of it, according to the Daily Mail.
The survey revealed that one in five women believed the myth that plucking a gray hair will lead to seven more. Almost one in ten believed that the more frequently they dyed their hair, the faster it would turn gray.
About 80 percent of women thought stress accelerated the graying process, while 71 percent attributed graying to genetics.
The lead author of the study, Eva Proudman, explained that a malfunction of melanocytes — the cells responsible for hair color — is the main reason hair turns gray.
According to the researcher, prolonged emotional stress can indeed trigger graying. However, it is not the primary factor; rather, it is the aging process itself.
The expert recommends dyeing hair a shade lighter than your natural color to feel more confident.
