First grey! =O

[Ravenne]

Not the entire strand, mind you. Just about 1.5 inch at the scalp on the crown of my head. But it's definitely not brown. Lol! I did my senior thesis last semester.. and I think all the stress gave me an early grey! I'm fascinated by this! I told my mom and the first thing she said was "That's impossible." She didn't start going grey until after I was born, in her 30's.

I'm kind of excited! Lol. I think the salt-pepper look my mom has is beautiful! And I could even take after my aunt who is solid silver. Mom always said I had her hair.

I'm curious. When did greys first start popping up in everyone (or those who do have some silvering)?

[reishka]

I'm 23, and I've found a few silver hairs in my day. I think it started when I was 20-ish. Just one day, there was one there, and I was like, "Oh, lookit that!". I think I've got maybe... 3 or 4 on my head right now.

[sarah061]

Haha, it must have been the stress from the senior thesis that did it! At 21 that does sound impossible tho - weird! Silvery grey hair looks beautiful though, I don't think I'll dye mine when it decides to change.

[Ravenne]

I'm 23, and I've found a few silver hairs in my day. I think it started when I was 20-ish. Just one day, there was one there, and I was like, "Oh, lookit that!". I think I've got maybe... 3 or 4 on my head right now.

Ok so a few greys in the early twenties isn't unheard of. Interesting. Thank you!



Haha, it must have been the stress from the senior thesis that did it! At 21 that does sound impossible tho - weird! Silvery grey hair looks beautiful though, I don't think I'll dye mine when it decides to change.

I agree! Silver streaks sounds fun. I have no intention of ever covering greys. I earned them after all. Lol.

[FrannyG]

I saw a grey hair in my head when I was 20 or so. It happens. :)

[teela1978]

Found my first one at 16. They've been multiplying ever since.

[Ravenne]

Found my first one at 16. They've been multiplying ever since.

Wow. =O I've never heard of that before. Out of curiosity, is there a history of early greying in your family? I've always wondered how much of greying is stress and how much is genetics. :p

[freckles]

I found my first at 14. Getting a couple of greys young isn't unusual at all. My very few (2 - 3 at the age of 21) aren't visible to anyone but me, but I know a few people my age with noticeable greys.

[jera]

Haha, it must have been the stress from the senior thesis that did it! At 21 that does sound impossible tho - weird!

Stress will do it. I got a single grey hair at 16 from stress. :o

[sarah061]

I agree! Silver streaks sounds fun. I have no intention of ever covering greys. I earned them after all. Lol.

I like your attitude! That's definitely the way I see it :)

[restourceful]

I had my first ones in my mid teens. My maternal grandmother had snow white hair before she was 20 years old! I love my grays now and wish I had never covered them and had to make *the transition* from dye to natural.:cloud9:

[cmnt831]

I noticed my first ones when I was 19. They may have been lurking there longer and I was unobservant. :p But I feel like you - I earned them all, why would I want to cover them?

[granitbaby]

My eyebrows started going grey at 25, but since I henna my hair I guess I started going grey much earlier.
I don't have any problems with my hair going grey, it's just who I am. Early greying runs in the family, my mothers hair was almost completely grey at 30 years old so I kind of knew what I was to expect.

[teela1978]

Wow. =O I've never heard of that before. Out of curiosity, is there a history of early greying in your family? I've always wondered how much of greying is stress and how much is genetics. :p

Its grandpa's fault. My father was over 50% grey by the time he was 35. i'm hoping I don't go quite that fast

[peronella]

I'm 21 too, and I have several silver hairs, I found my first one at 18.

My mom also said she didn't have any till after I was born (in her late 20's) she now has beautiful salt and pepper hair that I hope someday I can pull off. Except, i'm not quite ready to pull it off just yet...I hope they stay minimal for the time being, since I'm still busy enjoying my original hair color and do not intend to dye my hair at all, so I hope they do come in but not till a bit later :p

[FrannyG]

I just remembered that I had a friend in high school who had an entire silver streak in Senior Year.

Has a link between stress and silvers actually been proven, or is it just an old wives' tale?

I think it's primarily genetics, judging by the people I know in real life.

[Ravenne]

I just remembered that I had a friend in high school who had an entire silver streak in Senior Year.

Has a link between stress and silvers actually been proven, or is it just an old wives' tale?

I think it's primarily genetics, judging by the people I know in real life.

A) That's awesome. A single silver streak? Win!
B) Maybe genetics make people more or less prone to stress-induced greys? :shrug:

And wow. Lots of early greying. It's more common than I thought. Cool!

[ArienEllariel]

My friend's mom started going grey in her early 20's. It makes me wonder if the pattern will continue with her daughter.. *keeps eyes peeled for random grey hairs* I think greys are kinda interesting and don't really see them as a problem like some do.

[Thinthondiel]

I've found a couple of grey hairs, I think I found the first one when I was maybe 15 or 16. But to be honest, I'm not sure if they were actually grey or simply blond. They didn't look silvery, just... a lot lighter than my natural hair colour.

[FrannyG]

I've found a couple of grey hairs, I think I found the first one when I was maybe 15 or 16. But to be honest, I'm not sure if they were actually grey or simply blond. They didn't look silvery, just... a lot lighter than my natural hair colour.
Well, we call them silvers here, but really they're just white. Complete lack of pigment.

[Firefly]

I'm 41 and still waiting for mine. I think silver is cool, so I won't mind when I start. I'm wondering if I will start with a streak-- I'd really like that! :D

[Thinthondiel]

Well, we call them silvers here, but really they're just white. Complete lack of pigment.

Yeah, but they didn't look completely white (or grey) either. If I had found those hairs somewhere else than on my head, I would've just thought they were blond hairs.

[restourceful]

Well, we call them silvers here, but really they're just white. Complete lack of pigment.
Mine look blonde on the front of my head, and since I was a redhead I'm salt and paprika. SPICYYYYY!;)

[Bellona]

Wow I had no idea that so many people got grays that early! I think silver streaks are so pretty. Graying doesn't really run in my family much, my grandmother died with only a few white hairs, and my father doesn't have many either. My mom is graying, but she's 50 and didn't really start until her 40s. I have blonde hair so I can't really tell, but I haven't noticed any. My brother has really dark hair and doesn't have any yet either.

[Merewen]

I had a couple friends who were finding grays at 16. My brother's 19 and he's got a few - my dad's side of the family grays prematurely.

[Sweetness]

Well, I'm 27 and have been seeing some awkward silver hair, here and there, for maybe 1.5 years now... happy and reassured to see that I'm not alone (:

Not so convinced that I like it though ... hope I was as positive as you are about

[Messyhair]

I have silver hairs throughout, but they're part of my natural colour, not due to greying. I do know a woman who went completely grey some time around high school. Come to think of it, I knew a guy in high school who was grey haired, too. It's rare, but it happens.

[bumblebums]

I just remembered that I had a friend in high school who had an entire silver streak in Senior Year.

Has a link between stress and silvers actually been proven, or is it just an old wives' tale?

I think it's primarily genetics, judging by the people I know in real life.

Was it at the top of her forehead? Sort of like a "reverse Jay Leno" pattern? If so, that's a trait coded for by a dominant gene. It's rare, but if one of your parents has it, the chance of you getting it is at least 50%.

I got my first gray hair at 24. I see more of them now, but nowhere near as many as my sister had at the same age. I am sure that diet, stress levels, and the environment have something to do with how early the gray hairs appear--and of course genetics, and whether you are blonde or dark-haired. If you are blonde, you might have gray hairs, but they will take time to notice.

ETA: link to information about the white forelock. http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/4464/7996/398449.html

[-simply Venus-]

So crazy how many people get grey hair so young! My mom only got her first grey when she was in her LATE 40's, and now she is 55 and her hair is still only like 5% grey.

[Merewen]

So crazy how many people get grey hair so young! My mom only got her first grey when she was in her LATE 40's, and now she is 55 and her hair is still only like 5% grey.

This is my mom's side of the family. My mom's mom was only maybe 1/8 gray at 70. If that. I guess my family does things in extremes.

[pepperminttea]

I found my first one at 17. I don't get too many of them, I think the amount I've found is still in single figures. I'm kind of looking forward to them though. :) I'd love to have completely silver hair one day.

[Beets]

I got my first grey at 17. Here in my early '30s, I'd estimate I'm at 15-20% grey, higher in some patches, lower in others. It's hereditary for me on my mom's side; all the women have grays by the time they're in their 20's. It's not premature or early or awkward or related to poor health for us, just par for the course for this set of genes!

[LadyVictoria]

The women on my moms side go gray early, fortunately it is a stunning shade of silver. I started finding the around the age of 21 or 22. I noticed them one winter when my golden locks turned dark blond so the contrast was far more noticeable. I have a lot now, most people don't notice them and I wish they would because I love them! The best part is that my silvers are super thick so I am looking forward to one day actuallu having thick hair!

[Twil]

Found my first one at 16. They've been multiplying ever since.
Right? That's when mine started coming in.

14-15 I started getting random blonde strands, the blondes are starting to turn grey now, and the browns are starting to turn blonde

[FrannyG]

Was it at the top of her forehead? Sort of like a "reverse Jay Leno" pattern? If so, that's a trait coded for by a dominant gene. It's rare, but if one of your parents has it, the chance of you getting it is at least 50%.

I got my first gray hair at 24. I see more of them now, but nowhere near as many as my sister had at the same age. I am sure that diet, stress levels, and the environment have something to do with how early the gray hairs appear--and of course genetics, and whether you are blonde or dark-haired. If you are blonde, you might have gray hairs, but they will take time to notice.

ETA: link to information about the white forelock. http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/4464/7996/398449.html

No, her silver streak was not there, but I had a male friend who had what you describe from an even earlier age.

[luluj]

Nature's Highlights are truly a blessing, embrace your silvers, I love mine. I started noticing my silvers around the age of 25 and immediately started to cover them up. Now that I have given up hair dye completely I am just amazed at how lovely all natural, silver streaked hair is! My one and only regret is having covered them up in the first place!

[treesandcoffee]

I've had silvers since I was 18 or so. I have a good twenty or so. I color my hair-- not because of the greys but because I like having mahogany hair. Once I start seeing streaks in my roots I will let them grow! I hope they come early because I think they're so beautiful.

[Twil]

Also, can I ask if anyone has grey roots but brown (or whatever your orignial color is) lengths? That's how mine are coming in, my hair will be blonde at the roots, slowly turning blonde along my length. Then grey at the roots, and slowly moves downward.

[wickedgood]

I finally noticed some white strands in my hair last year. I always thought I'd like them, and they are cool in a way... but the texture sucks and more often than not they stick out awkwardly every which way. I'm much happier now that I'm hennaing - it conditions and tames the greys as well as colors them, so my hair looks much healthier overall.

[Beets]

Also, can I ask if anyone has grey roots but brown (or whatever your orignial color is) lengths? That's how mine are coming in, my hair will be blonde at the roots, slowly turning blonde along my length. Then grey at the roots, and slowly moves downward.

That's how mine have always gone. It seems like the dark brown fades lightly first, then goes this sparkly silver. It doesn't always go light all the way down the hair shaft, though. Sometimes one strand will stay part-light or even part-silver for what seems like a long time!

ETA: OK, you can really see it in this picture (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=4777&pictureid=62690) of a woven bun in my album (which looks like a big, hairy kiss!). The middle section, as we know, is what you wrap first, so those are the closest hairs to my head--darkest and greyest. Then, notice how the color gets lighter and the greys aren't there yet? That's partly natural lightening (longer, older hair that gets more exposure to the sun), but that's also how the greys move down.

[Twil]

That's how mine have always gone. It seems like the dark brown fades lightly first, then goes this sparkly silver. It doesn't always go light all the way down the hair shaft, though. Sometimes one strand will stay part-light or even part-silver for what seems like a long time!

ETA: OK, you can really see it in this picture (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=4777&pictureid=62690) of a woven bun in my album (which looks like a big, hairy kiss!). The middle section, as we know, is what you wrap first, so those are the closest hairs to my head--darkest and greyest. Then, notice how the color gets lighter and the greys aren't there yet? That's partly natural lightening (longer, older hair that gets more exposure to the sun), but that's also how the greys move down.
When I wrap my buns you can see the center is a lot lighter than the edges too! I don't have a lot of greys yet, but many are light brown, a few more are blonde now, and I got a few greys.

p.s. your hair is pretty

[Beets]

p.p.s. thanks :face:

Wait, that face is creepy.

I meant, thanks. :blushing:

[tralalalara]

a good friend of mine as had silvers sprouting from her front cowlick since she was 16. She hasn't dyed it since then 'cause her boyfriends always like them!

[Jordan S.]

LOL I'm 15 and I so far have found 5 gray hairs within the last 2 years lol. One end of the strand would be black and the other grey.

im getting worked too hard! I need to put the next one i find in a baggy and send it to my math teacher. Lol

[Gypsy]

I was 20-21.

[Qadupae]

I could very well have greys, but I'm not sure. I've been dying with henna for about 2-3 years now, but my original color is kind of an ashy medium brown. When my roots come through, I sometimes wonder if I am seeing a little grey. I am 23 now and have had this consitant ash coloring since I was 18-19. That was a very stressful time in my life, so I wouldn't doubt its depleted some of my colors :rolleyes:

For now, I dye because I love the coloring from henna. Once I get sick of the process of waiting for 2-3 hours, then I will let those possible greys come through and shine ^_^ My gma on one side is silver haired and its gorgeous and the gma on the other side still has brown hair, although I can't be sure if she dyes or not. I remember her hair being more peppered at one time, so I assume she dyes now and then. Either way, I got good genes on boths sides for greying ^_^

ETA: I didn't mention my mother or father because my father is bald now and my mother dyes constantly because she is greying, so no clue there ^_^ Also, both my gpas are dead now, so I can't judge on that either. I have good chances, though :cheese:

[Monsterkitti]

Ive found a few over the last couple of years from about 23 onwards, as I dont henna my roots just my length I get to see them appear before they dissapear under henna :)

My DGM on my DM's side went white in her early 20's but my DGM on my DF's side is only getting really grey now shes in her 80's. I seem to be going the late greying route so far even though I think having long completely white hair in my 20's would have been pretty cool :)

[Nae]

I think the reason that it is suprising that such young people have grey here or there is because dying is almost expected in our culture so we don't really have a good idea of the natural greying process. It skews our view of what early greying is because we can't really see what is going on.

I think I got my first grey around 13-14, I remember my mom making a big deal over it. (But only vaugely.) I know I was pretty young. I played around with different hair colors but since my hair is so dark I ended up hating how the chemicals to lighten it made my hair feel. I have been happily dye free for about 6 months now. Since I am going long there is no sense setting myself up for a super bold demarcation line in a few more years. I plan on keeping my hair long for a good long time.

[Ravenne]

I think the reason that it is suprising that such young people have grey here or there is because dying is almost expected in our culture so we don't really have a good idea of the natural greying process. It skews our view of what early greying is because we can't really see what is going on.

Very true, but sad. Our culture praises youth and plastic beauty to the skies but as soon as someone embraces their natural appearance, they're "weird" for not wanting to dye their hair, wear mascara or other kinds of beauty products. :(

[mellie]

I think the reason that it is suprising that such young people have grey here or there is because dying is almost expected in our culture so we don't really have a good idea of the natural greying process. It skews our view of what early greying is because we can't really see what is going on.

THIS! So true!!!

I got my first silvers at age 18.

[Arctic]

My sister started to get lots of greays in early twenties. I coloured and hennaed untill about 1,5 ago when I started to grow out my natural colour, and I had though I didn't have any grays, but soon found out I have few. Maybe ten that I have seen. They are so pretty! The very first one I noticed, I was also puzzled if it is gray or blonde, because, well, it was colourless really. Some of my greys are pure white, I love those strands so much! I wish I will have pure white hair some day, like my maternal granparents!

[cuddledumplin]

I had a head injury as a child, and I had grey hairs at the age of three. I plucked them out, and they came back brown, but I just leave them now.

[Drynwhyl]

Should I say congrats? :D
I'm pretty sure I have some, but I henna and I can't really see them.
It's nothing unusual to have greys that early, my best friend has around 3-4 white strands on each of her temple since she was 12, I think ;)
And I know quite a few people my age with a grey here and there.

[rags]

I'm actually not sure how old I was exactly when I noticed my first one - teens certainly. By the time I was 25 I had a very defined forelock streak (think Rouge in X-men). The streak has widened, but I didn't start getting a lot of silvers elsewhere until my thirties.

[xoxophelia]

The hair stops producing color before it sheds for a period of time actually. It is posssible it is that.

I got my first little streak of grey when I was about 6. Haha.. Hit my head hard on the playground and so when I do two french braids you can see a white strip in the back of my head.

[Kya]

Little girls and boys do get gray hair. I've discovered a few here and there on little heads as I braid. My chemistry teacher was completely gray by his 20th birthday (and he was a doll).

[dearladydisdain]

Was it at the top of her forehead? Sort of like a "reverse Jay Leno" pattern? If so, that's a trait coded for by a dominant gene. It's rare, but if one of your parents has it, the chance of you getting it is at least 50%.

<snip>

ETA: link to information about the white forelock. http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/4464/7996/398449.html
Interesting! My dad's cousin has that and has had it since she was a tiny kid. Apparently random people used to yell at her mother for "dying her hair." :shake:

[DreadfulWoman]

Ok, so I am 28 and I just found my first gray earlier today. It's about 2 inches long, and standing straight up on the top of my head. I absolutely squealed when I saw it - half in shock and half in delight. I think it would be really neat to have a few gray hairs here and there. Trust me to grow the first one straight out the top of my head, though! Haha, such is life I guess.

[daddyzprincess]

I think my first gray hair popped up when I was about 14 (i'm 16 now), but they are usually hidden underneath the rest of my hair.

[Octave]

I'm 21 and I haven't found any grey hairs so far. Thought I did a few days ago, but that was just my mom's blond hair entangled in mine :D

[Nastasia]

I found my first at 16, and now, at 26, I have a pretty solid streak on one side of my head. I'm starting to see grey on the other side too, now. Maybe I'll end up with matching streaks!

As for how gray hairs grow - it's also not unusual for a hair to go white, then back to its normal color, then white again. I've seen ones like that on my head.

[mali]

I haven't found one yet.My grandmother is almost 75 and she barely has them.Also,my mom is 45 and doesn't have them.Woot!

[charalito]

I got my first grey at 32... and somehow that little grey got lonely and invited some friends, because now I've seen at least 5 grey strands.

[Ludde]

Most of my greys start off straight up in the air, yelling "hello" on top of their lungs to ensure everyone around has noticed them before they eventually seek the calmness of a roll. It has taken years (yes, I started early) to teach them this trick - I hope you will get as much pleasure getting to know your greys as I have mine. :)

[Dyefree]

It's funny, before I found LHC I used to dye my hair almost monthly (eek!) and I would've swore blind that I had inherited my father's genes and didn't posses a single grey on my head ..... ;)

But apparently, not so... :p my first few months without dying and now I have around 1.5 inch regrowth.... Showing me that yes, indeed, I DO have grey hairs.... Not just one or two but a fair bit interspersed around the bottom and top! Looks like mama's genes won that one :rolleyes:

I admit, I was freaked out.... After all I am only 28.... But I kinda like them now.... :o I'm in no hurry to dye or henna them anytime soon... :D

[jenjen10]

I remember a hairdresser remarking that I had a few grays when I was around 16. I think I found my first gray hair when I was 26 (right around the time I was going through my divorce. Coincidence? I think not! LOL)

Now, at 32, I find them from time to time at my roots... but I henna so I could have a lot more that I am unaware of! :)

[Jessikinz]

Found my first one just recently (i'm 21). I love that strand hehe :)

[littlestarface]

Found my first white hair when I was 11 now im 20something and have about 10 of them only on my left side for some reason :hmm: but they are under my top layer of hair so its cool no one can notice them,plus they are bright orange cause the henna,so it gives me highlights :lol:.

[DARKMARTIAN]

Wow.....some of ya'll are finding your grays at very young ages! I would have never guessed.
I dont think I located my first one until my late 20's. Im now 36, and here's an idea of where I am currently...
As the sig says.....dont let the photo fool ya....:o

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee482/THE_MARTIAN666/gray.jpg

[MrsGuther]

I found my first gray hair about 2 days ago. It freaked me out because I am only 21 years old. Women in my family start getting gray hairs in their early twenties, so I guess I should have expected it... but I was sincerely shocked!!!!! :confused:
It's ok though... When the gray actually starts getting noticeable I WILL be coloring my hair. I refuse to go gray. I just don't think it will look good on me. Some ladies look great with the salt and pepper look... but I think I would look terrible with it!!!

[mamaherrera]

I'm confused then, some say it's normal to have some random blondes in your black, dark black hair. I have whites, don't get me wrong. I have like two dozen white hairs and I'm 32. Not accepting them too well. But lately I've also found quite a few blonde ones, even one right in front of my ear (where I thought only old people get them) but they're definitely blonde. Does that mean they're going to turn white? My husband says he has always seen blonde random hairs in my black hair, even when I was 22. so is it normal? I've never noticed them before, but again I've never looked so close at my hair as I do now. But what do you all think blonde, going to white, or just blonde hairs??

[YumiYume]

I found a white strand, it really shows that it is white comparet to my medium light ashblond with some red pigments in, I am 24. It is weard, I have not seen a single white/grey hair on my mother and she i over 40, and my father is al grey. but I would like it one day to be al white I think :). It feels cinda bad to cover it up since it would be nice to have white blended hairs, but I really dont like my haircolour as it is so I have to wait until its al white I guess, one strand does not show much anyway :p.

[faellen]

A girl I used to work with years ago had lots of grey, she used to dye her hair black but when the roots came through it was almost all grey. She was 20 then, and said it she got her first grey hair in her mid teens.

[Kayla Nyx]

I am very excited to find my first silvers. While in the hospital with me at the age of 20, stress and medication turned the forehead lock of her hair white, and now at the age of 37, she is completely white haired, but bleaches it. I hope I start graying early.

[SugarPlumDreams]

I'm 29 and have 2 hairs that have been white since I was a little kid. I think my mom first found them when I was around 8. I'm up to about 10 hairs total that are white, mostly on my crown and temples. I just pluck 'em and keep moving on.

The weirdest thing is, I've developed a single white hair on each eyebrow, in exactly the same place. They are the innermost hairs located closest to the bridge of my nose. It's so bizzarre to see when they grow long enough for me to pluck!

[RileyJane]

i just got my first grey hair and im 21! it looks like tinsel in my hair lol :) see, my hair could go either way at this point... my mom started to go grey or get grey hair when she was 16, my moms side always turns grey early. my dads side however... my grandmother is 90 yrs old and JUST got her first grey streak in her jet black hair! heres to praying im like her ! either way, im sure i will love it :)