Grey hair

[waynebentley]

why does our hair turn white or grey when we reach our older years in life ? 

[Lindylou]

Don't need to be getting on in life!  I started going silvery white (not grey) at 14.  My younger sister is as white as I am and two of my sons began 'silvering' at the ripe old ages of 12 and 15 respectively.   I should add we all, originally, had dark hair.  Mine was black, my sister's dark brown and the boys were very dark brown.  My middle son is blondish and he seems to be ok!

[Little Lady]

Pigment-producing cells add colour to our hair as it grows. Darker hair has more pigment than lighter hair. As we age, the pigment-producing cells slowly die off. Hair’s base colour shows through, and individual hairs appear white. When mixed in with strands of hair that still have their original colour, hair looks grey.

[barender]

There must be a hereditary factor involved somewhere, as my father did not go grey until his seventies and then his beard turned first. I have obviously inherited this as my hair is still dark brown, but I'm not telling you how old I am!  As Lindylou said, you don't need to be ageing to go grey - I've known teenagers who've gone grey as well.

[Impret-Sir]

I too started to go grey in my late teens, hair is in fact colourless, it is given colour by melanin, as we age the production of melanin slowly reduces, and as a result out hair returns to its original, un-coloured, state.

[stevie21]

One extreme answer is that it's a genetic indicator that you're likely to be past your physical prime and are not a perfect mate.
I don't actually believe this but it fits in nicely with a good book I've just read that said *everything* we do is down to our genes (slight exaggeration on my part there!).

[brachiopod]

Look, I shan�t tell you lot again. I have just been painting the ceiling again, OK? It is definitely NOT grey !!!

(pass the Grecian 2000, please)

[hectic]

Hi Lindyloo, haven't seen you about much lately, miss your good answers

[Lindylou]

Thank you Hectic!!  You've just made my day - if not my week!

[hectic]

Not a prob Lindyloo lol

[dogs_nipples]

I have grey/white hairs in my beard and was wondering whether or not my pubes will go the same way. Can someone who is old or has slept with someone old let me know. Can you get Grecian 2000 for pubes ??