"There is now at-home hair color available in silver and gray shades that can dye pigmented hair gray and make the transition faster and easier," says Wizemann.
Consider a Shorter Haircut: If you're open to a change, getting a shorter haircut like a pixie cut or a buzz cut can help speed up the transition process (2). This way, you can remove most of the dyed hair and allow the gray hair to grow in more quickly.
Aging Grey
Once that pigment cell is dead, it won't come back – the hairs growing from that follicle will never be coloured again. And aging is inevitable. Dermatologists often quote the 50-50-50 Rule – 50% of the population will be 50% grey by 50 years of age.
While stress alone might not directly cause gray hair, it's believed to accelerate the graying process in people who are already predisposed to premature graying. Certain vitamin deficiencies, particularly B vitamins like B12, can contribute to premature graying.
Squelch the Stress
A 2020 study in the International Journal of Trichology found that oxidative stress—an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals in the body that can trigger cell and tissue damage and accelerated aging—is linked to premature graying.
Premature graying may be reversed with vitamin B12 supplementation only if vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause. If you are graying due to other factors, such as genetics, zinc deficiency, and medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.
The average age of onset of hair graying appears to be mid- to late forties; however, this varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties.
Talking of natural hair colour, is it just us, or does darker hair seem to go grey faster than blonde? Both Ricardo and Eva are quick to clarify that there's no correlation between natural hair colour and our propensity to grey. The speed of greying is in our genetics, they tell us.
Regarding using baking soda for gray hair, experts endorse its potential benefits such as controlling pigmentation loss, lightening the strands, and providing texture. It can be used on coarse grey locks to make them smoother too by eliminating product buildup from oils or soaps.
Melanin is what gives your hair (and skin) its natural color. People of African descent, Thai, and Chinese people, go grey more slowly.
Sometimes dimensional toning is all you need in order to transition a client and the key to this process is matching the pattern to your clients natural gray percentage. “This client (below) came to me to blend and match her golden blonde hair with her natural salt and pepper roots.
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural oxidant; we produce an enzyme called catalase that breaks down hydrogen peroxide turning it into water and oxygen. As catalase function decreases, the levels of hydrogen peroxide increase. High levels of hydrogen peroxide block the production of pigment, leading to gray hair.
Gray blending is a hair coloring technique that involves blending gray hairs with your base color to help soften the contrast between shades. Typically, the process involves either highlighting your hair or adding lowlights.
Purple shampoo has been used for decades by hairdressers, mostly to help tone and neutralize blonde and gray hair, getting rid of brassy or yellow tones for an overall more cool-toned look.
How often should I dye my hair to cover grey hair? This depends on how quickly your hair grows, but often is between 4-8 weeks. If you're only just starting to grey, it may not be time to begin permanently colouring your hair.
Apple cider vinegar not only lightens hair color to diminish brassy tones but also acts as a natural cleanser, removing product buildup and hard water residues. You can make an apple cider vinegar hair rinse for gray hair at home. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water.
An at-home option for making the switch to full natural silver is dyeing hair gray. "There is now at-home hair color available in silver and gray shades that can dye pigmented hair gray and make the transition faster and easier," says Wizemann.
That said, certain conditions may temporarily restore pigmentation. For example, if greying is caused by a vitamin deficiency, stress, or an underlying medical condition, addressing these issues may slow or even partially reverse greying. However, the complete reversal of naturally aged hair remains a challenge.
So, gray hair is not actually a color resigned to the elderly. Gray hair is a natural color that many young people are masking. And, with the right hairstyle, gray hair doesn't have to look frail or frumpy.
A review of research suggests that proper supplementation may reverse premature graying in those who are deficient in certain nutrients, including iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.
How long does it take from the first gray hair to going full gray? “On average between five and 10 years,” says Onuoha.