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mamaherrera
July 3rd, 2011, 09:02 AM
I'll admit to everyone that I'm obsessed with the fact that I have white hairs. I can't accept it. I used to pull, cut, and now henna them. My biggest two problems are 1) because my hair is almost black, even with the henna the new regrowth shows within a week. Its just a tiny bit, but against the black, it's evident. 2) I keep getting more. :eyebrows:My biggest fear and sadness is that like every month I find another, new tiny one, and I am scared that by the age of 35 (i'm 30 now) I'll have a full head of white hair. I love my hair color, and with henna I can't get it back and I don't want to use chemical dyes. I stress a lot, lots of anxiety, which is probably the cause, but these white hairs just add to it. Has anyone else ever found that they get one by one, like every month, but does it ever stop for a while?? If I could just have a little reassurance that this doesn't mean I'm going to keep on getting moer and more every month, it would help me out. I get used to having 10m then 11, then 12, etc. and I start imagining myself with tons and I get anxiety. Don't mean to sound very vane, but I didn't expect this to happen and continue at such a young age, as my parents/brothers/sisters didn't go very white until 40's.

Dina L.
July 3rd, 2011, 09:20 AM
what about henna+indigo? it won't help with the regrowth, but at least it dyes your hair black and it's natural.

Áine
July 3rd, 2011, 09:25 AM
I'll admit to everyone that I'm obsessed with the fact that I have white hairs. I can't accept it. I used to pull, cut, and now henna them. My biggest two problems are 1) because my hair is almost black, even with the henna the new regrowth shows within a week. Its just a tiny bit, but against the black, it's evident. 2) I keep getting more. :eyebrows:My biggest fear and sadness is that like every month I find another, new tiny one, and I am scared that by the age of 35 (i'm 30 now) I'll have a full head of white hair. I love my hair color, and with henna I can't get it back and I don't want to use chemical dyes. I stress a lot, lots of anxiety, which is probably the cause, but these white hairs just add to it. Has anyone else ever found that they get one by one, like every month, but does it ever stop for a while?? If I could just have a little reassurance that this doesn't mean I'm going to keep on getting moer and more every month, it would help me out. I get used to having 10m then 11, then 12, etc. and I start imagining myself with tons and I get anxiety. Don't mean to sound very vane, but I didn't expect this to happen and continue at such a young age, as my parents/brothers/sisters didn't go very white until 40's.

I can't say that I share your worry, as I'm probably 5 - 10% gray and I'm still in my 20's. It really doesn't bother me in the least bit, I happen to like my silvers (hennaed) in my dark hair and relish the thought of being completely white by the time I'm 40.

But I can clearly see it bothers you tremendously. I would think that your henna treatments are a good thing. Did you know that you can get your white hairs darker with a 2-step henna + indigo process? A lot of people that I know who are middle-aged, but want to retain a "non-graying" look to their heads dye it every two weeks or every other week to stay on top of it. With your black hair, a little touch touch of kohl pencil or black eyeshadow on the white hairs in between dyeing sessions will hide it perfectly.

I would recommend that you stop pulling your hairs out. Graying hair is a progressive thing once they start popping up like that, it doesn't usually reverse itself or stop, especially if your own genetics are telling your hairs to go white. I guarantee you, it takes about five white hairs growing together in a clump in a prominent way before people usually notice anything.

Make some kind of peace with yourself about this. You hair is only doing what it's being "told" to do. But as with any form of cosmetics, you have the choice whether to wear it natural as is, or whether you want to change it to be what you want. You don't have to wear your white hairs if it's not how you want to see yourself. :blossom:

CarpeDM
July 3rd, 2011, 09:30 AM
I would have to agree with what Aine said about making peace with the grays and genetics. I also hate my grays but they are here to stay so I have to learn to accept them :meditate:

PianoPlaye
July 3rd, 2011, 09:31 AM
Oh mamaherrera! I can feel your pain. With glorious black hair, of course any white will feel shocking. You weren't planning to join the renegrays just yet!
You're in the right place for all kinds of support & guidance on possible canny ways to conceal, but a measure of acceptance will make life so much more easy on you.
From here, the refusal to accept sounds so painful. Have you not earned these hairs? There is probably at least a decade before you "go very white" - and where is the problem there? Your parents/brothers/sisters can all cheer you on, or confess their aggravation too, and share workarounds.
Should anyone comment "so young" - you're following a family tradition. Maybe not one you were planning to, but there you go.



Make some kind of peace with yourself about this.

She's right. Long or short, black white blonde red and every colour the chemists come up with, we are all unique - and even if we're not overly fond of that, better by far to be ourselves and learn to appreciate it. It just takes practice. Come & join us?

silverjen
July 3rd, 2011, 09:37 AM
I got my first few grey hairs when I was 25, but did not start to go noticeably gray until this year, a decade and a half later. So you may not be white-haired by 30!

There are a lot of people on the board who think gray/white/silver hair is beautiful, and are all about flaunting it (yes, I'm one of them). But of course, do what makes YOU happiest with yourself. I'll only say that dyeing now means a commitment to frequent dyeing for years to come, and an awkward transition process if you ever decide to stop.

I'm only saying this in the interest of full disclosure. I hope you find the solution that works best for you. :flower:

whitestiletto
July 3rd, 2011, 09:49 AM
Don't be stressed out! *hug* You have no control over your physical body in that manner. Sometimes we get carried away with free will, but we must remember it has limits. Every living being is born, grows, and eventually passes away. Not trying to scare you at all, but it's stressing me out that you're stressing out over a natural life event. Hard line, it's good that you admit you can't accept it, because that's going to the first step to accepting it. Unless you want to stress out about it for the rest. of. your. life. Question yourself, how long am I going to worry about this? Women tend to worry much more than men, society or biology, no one is sure, but we worry. And too many women worry hardcore about their own appearance, which makes the liberated modern woman in me a little angry. Imagine how you would have felt a thousand years ago before mirrors were invented, or available only to the very wealthy. You know, I'm only 25, and my tits are starting to migrate south. They are not as perfect as they once were. Part of me wants to cry about it, but part of me doesn't give a flying ****.

I guarantee any man who wants to love us, or job that wants to hire us, or whatnot, is not going to turn up their nose over white hairs or an odd boob.

What really matters is your smile and the sparkle in your eyes.

I think you should go ahead and keep dying it if you love the color, but you're gonna have white roots coming in.

"May every living being be free from suffering. May every living being be peace and happy," don't forget you have to start with yourself! *hugs*

whitestiletto
July 3rd, 2011, 09:51 AM
And I see you are a new member so in case you haven't heard of it already, I recommend you dye with henndigo (henna + indigo) to get jet black, rather than chemical dyes, just because the box/salon dye will damage your hair texture and the henndigo will make it softer, fuller, and thicker. But make sure you read up a TON about it beforehand, there's lots of threads, and don't be afraid to start a thread to ask any questions.

sugarpixie10988
July 3rd, 2011, 09:59 AM
I have no idea how well this works, if it even does, but I heard that eating blackstrap molasses can help reverse gray hair. Here's a link (http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/hair_gray.html), with some other potential things you can try.

EtherealOde
July 3rd, 2011, 10:05 AM
I started getting an actual streak in my late teens on my right temple that gradually moved back further and further until it was a fullblown stripe by the time I hit 30. Gradually, greys started creeping in elsewhere, and now at 52 I am about 80% grey, maybe a little more. For years I colored my hair, because I felt I had to fit into the accepted norm in society which seemed to imply women couldn't ever go grey or it meant they were either very old or were letting themselves go.

I finally got tired of it all. The haircoloring process was a real pain, and chemical dyes stank and burned and henna was a real chore and took a lot of time. I worried about the possible negative effects of all the chemicals too. When I decided I would just accept my greying, I was nervous for quite awhile...worried I wouldn't like the results, hating the demarcation line. But I'm happy with how it looks now, and I love not having to go through all that mess and bother anymore. And my hair is far softer without the chemical damage.

I don't know how to reassure you, other than to say that there are some things we have to accept in life. Getting older, and the resulting changes in our bodies, should not be a thing we fear. I think we're conditioned to see youth as the ideal, and age as ugly, but it isn't. It is part of life, like anything else. Color your hair if it makes you feel better, and do more frequent root touchups if need be. But consider that in time, you might accept the changes happening to you and eventually embrace them. Life is far too short to waste time hating or fearing any part of ourselves.

Try to remember that most of the images we see of beauty are girls in their teens or very early twenties. Very few models are older, and they get far less exposure than the younger ones do. And even these supposedly flawless beauties aren't what they seem. Their flaws are all photoshopped out to make them perfect in the eyes of the ones who hired them to sell their product. In reality, they have cellulite, spider veins, blemishes, stretch marks, and yes...even grey hairs. Don't believe the hype, the perfection shown to us is an unattainable illusion even the supermodels can't achieve.

MaryRose
July 3rd, 2011, 10:10 AM
I know how you feel. My hair is a dark brown and grays stand out. I used to pluck them all the time and then they started to look really frazzled when they grew back. I read up on it and found out that it is really bad to pluck them. I don't dye my hair so that was out of the question. Within the last few months, I have come to terms with my grays and comb them into my bangs since they grow right around my hair line. They actually look pretty nice when the sun hits them. I have been plucking grays since I was 26 and I am now 30. I found a thread on here that changed my perception of my grays. I like my grays and wished I never plucked them in the first place. I hope you come to terms with them some day. They really arent that bad.

teela1978
July 3rd, 2011, 10:17 AM
I don't like my whites... but honestly they're not so bad. You could dye like everyone else, or you could just get over it and let them be. I'm on the let them be track at the moment. Its quite freeing not having to dye my hair ever.

DoubleCrowned
July 3rd, 2011, 10:25 AM
If you feel that your genetics should leave your hair black longer, you then have to accept the possibility that your hair is warning you of adverse mental, physical, and/or environmental conditions. If you want to fight them, you will need to make changes in these areas.

You can't change the stresses in your life, but you can change your response to them. Consider meditation, yoga, exercise, sports, and hobbies as ways to let off steam; recognize that enhanced nutrition helps with the ability to cope. Consider noise at any time, light when you are trying to sleep, and clutter as stressors. Find ways to laugh.

Check you diet--or have an expert do it for you--for any possible deficiencies, unusual genetic needs unmet, and absorption problems. See that you get enough live food and that your intestines have a healthy balance of flora. Be sure you are getting plenty of probiotics in you food or supplements. Learn what the warning signs are in your body for specific nutritional deficiencies. Many families have "genetic tendencies" which are really bad nutritional habits handed down to the next generation.

Take a hard look at the chemicals and pollutants in your environment. Not only will they contribute to stress, they can also build to toxic levels in your body. Consider the possibility of inhaled toxins from almost anything: air fresheners, carpeting, food, body care products… and the fact that toxins are also absorbed through the skin. I read recently that toxins will cause gray hair and that, after the source is removed, the scalp can be washed with yarrow three times a day to draw out the toxins and return the hair to its natural color. I have no idea if this works, but I do know that hair color can change because of the reasons I stated above.

DoubleCrowned
July 3rd, 2011, 10:28 AM
sorry, duplicate post....

Molls
July 3rd, 2011, 10:31 AM
you've gotten a lot of good advice in this thread already, I hope some of it helps :)

I started getting gray/white hairs when I was 16. I dyed my hair with chemical dyes for years. I tried henna, but it was too messy and time-consuming for me. Only recently have I decided to just let my silvers show...

But if you're not ready, there's nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't pluck them, but look into the henna/indigo - that sounds like it might work for you. Also, like others have said, try not to stress... our bodies change, and we truly do not have control over some things. EtherealOde's words are so true :)

akka naeda
July 3rd, 2011, 10:48 AM
I hennaed my hair for ages (grey hairs started coming in when I was 18 or so, so I have sporadic white hairs under the henna my entire length), but since I started letting the grey hairs show I have got plenty more compliments from guys.

Women only ever tell me how nice my hair is in terms of length, but the guys say how it suits me, how I shouldn't ever dye it, how it is nice to see a woman who isn't obsessing about dyeing her hair.

feralnature
July 3rd, 2011, 10:59 AM
I'm one of those "Renegrays" on here that flaunts there whites. I love my streak of grey in the front. It is evedent in the back if I am wearing a ponytail.

It is important to accept greys eventually as well as other body parts that don't hold up against time. It is sometimes difficult. It has made me cry. But our bodies age. Accepting greys is important like accepting lines and wrinkles and sagging. Cellulite and decreased muscle mass. Shifting hormones and moods. We just don't stay young.

I love myself and my white hair. (That was actually a little bit hard to say).

newbeginning
July 3rd, 2011, 11:07 AM
I have grays too and I find them annoying. I've had them since my late teens though. The dye doesn't cover them completely and my hair seems to grow fast so they show in my roots fairly fast. Honestly sometimes I regret starting to dye my hair. I should've just left it alone and accepted my grays (even though I bought into the idea that I'm "too young" to be gray). Eventually I'll just let the dye grow out and embrace the grays. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet.

Arianwen
July 3rd, 2011, 11:10 AM
I have many grey hairs...they used to bother me but now I rather enjoy them. I feel that grey hairs come with wisdom and more contented phase of life. Embrace your greys!

vintage88
July 3rd, 2011, 12:18 PM
I have black hair and have been getting grey hairs for over a year now. I used to get really upset because I was going grey so young, and they are more noticable on black hair. However now i've learnt to love them and wont ever dye my hair. I have also started to like how they sparkle if the light catches them :D I understand how you feel, but white hairs are unique and beautiful :)

gthlvrmx
July 3rd, 2011, 12:25 PM
I love white hairs! :) They just speak wisdom in my eyes :) Natural beauty is the best, because it's the only one that stays and doesn't wash off. :)

LunaMoon
July 3rd, 2011, 12:33 PM
I'll admit to everyone that I'm obsessed with the fact that I have white hairs. I can't accept it. I used to pull, cut, and now henna them. My biggest two problems are 1) because my hair is almost black, even with the henna the new regrowth shows within a week. Its just a tiny bit, but against the black, it's evident. 2) I keep getting more. :eyebrows:My biggest fear and sadness is that like every month I find another, new tiny one, and I am scared that by the age of 35 (i'm 30 now) I'll have a full head of white hair. I love my hair color, and with henna I can't get it back and I don't want to use chemical dyes. I stress a lot, lots of anxiety, which is probably the cause, but these white hairs just add to it. Has anyone else ever found that they get one by one, like every month, but does it ever stop for a while?? If I could just have a little reassurance that this doesn't mean I'm going to keep on getting moer and more every month, it would help me out. I get used to having 10m then 11, then 12, etc. and I start imagining myself with tons and I get anxiety. Don't mean to sound very vane, but I didn't expect this to happen and continue at such a young age, as my parents/brothers/sisters didn't go very white until 40's.

Don't worry in advance! A few whites are normal do start growing when we are around 30, I got the same, and now I am 40 and still with the same few ones as before. Of course now it is time to start to see more and more (will happen soon or latter), but the important is to have a beautiful hair, doesnt matter the color.
I understand having beautiful dark hair shows up much more then having light hair but you can try indigo, for exemple. :flowers:

BlazingHeart
July 3rd, 2011, 12:49 PM
I started getting white hairs in my mid to late teens. I think I noticed the first one around 17.

I have a light sprinkling now, a decade later, but nobody really notices them. They're all individual hairs on their own, so they don't stand out much from my general color.

I've mostly come to terms with them. I occasionally pull ones that are really crinkled and standing up from my head, as much because they're doing things I don't want as because the pure colorless strands really catch the light *sigh*

But for the most part, I accept that they're there and that the only things I can do to get rid of them are harmful - plucking or dying - unless I become a henna-head, and I'm not certain I want to go that route. I keep thinking about doing a henna-cassia mix to play up the highlights in my hair, but you can't remove it, so if I decide I don't like it, I'll have to wait while it grows out...bleh.

Anyhow, I've found that focusing on the positive aspects of my looks has helped me to accept the parts I'm not as fond of. So go stand in front of a mirror and find one thing you like about your body. Tomorrow, find a new thing and remind yourself of the thing from today. The day after, find a new thing and remind yourself of the two things you already noticed. Do that for a month, and I think you'll find that it helps you mellow a bit about things you don't like. And if it works, well, all it costs is a little bit of time and focus, which in my book is well worth it for an improved self-image, so there's no reason why you have to stop.

~Blaze

EbonyCurls
July 3rd, 2011, 01:26 PM
I am 27 and have 3 grey hairs that I check every morning to make sure they are still there. They have been, for the last 3 or 4 years since I first noticed them. They are beautiful and resilient suckers and I while I would like to reach my goal-length in my natural dark-brown hair, I would not be sad if I got there a little greyer.

BUT that is my personal aesthetic and comfort level and I have resolved to grow long virgin hair, and let my body decide how that will look.

feralnature
July 3rd, 2011, 01:59 PM
A very long thread but it is full of very cool silver hairs!

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=16951

dulce
July 3rd, 2011, 02:51 PM
I had a solid white stripe in the center of my my bangs by my early 30's.Think The Munsters tv show with the Lily character,so I coloured.I haven't coloured for a few years now and will be 60 next year and only have some gray on my temples and bangs,back is pretty much brown.So it still may take years for you to fully gray! Ironically I HATED my grays in my 30's ,now I have grown to love all silver coloured long hair.Now I wish mine would gray faster and envy those with all silver long hair!Ironic isn't it.

kitten1986
July 3rd, 2011, 04:04 PM
if it is really affecting you that much how about you go to the hairdresser and have them covered by chemical dye?

Xandergrammy
July 3rd, 2011, 04:06 PM
I'm one of those "Renegrays" on here that flaunts there whites. I love my streak of grey in the front. It is evedent in the back if I am wearing a ponytail.

It is important to accept greys eventually as well as other body parts that don't hold up against time. It is sometimes difficult. It has made me cry. But our bodies age. Accepting greys is important like accepting lines and wrinkles and sagging. Cellulite and decreased muscle mass. Shifting hormones and moods. We just don't stay young.

I love myself and my white hair. (That was actually a little bit hard to say).


Wow! I couldn't have said this better myself, feralnature!!

P.S. I wanted to add that I have always been envious of women with black hair with silvers. The contrast is so beautiful.

Chiara
July 3rd, 2011, 09:57 PM
Hi OP, I just wanted to pass on this tip that I learnt. Sometimes, when I'm getting stressed about some part of myself that I can't change (like my skin misbehaving- so unfair, to have wrinkles and still get pimples!), I like to remind myself that it's not going to matter at my funeral.

I know, that sounds a bit weird, but what I do is to imagine someone at my funeral commenting 'you know, what I remember about Chiara is that she did tend to get pimples'... well, I just think its totally unlikely anyone would make that comment. But if I imagine someone saying 'Chiara was such a nasty person' or 'Chiara was always so rude'... well, that actually does affect me a lot more.

So, OP, try it out, imagine if a few people at your funeral said 'you know, she had a few white hairs...' how does it feel? I'm not trying to trivialise your stress, by the way, I just find this a good way to help myself get my perspective back and focus on my priorities. And sometimes it makes me laugh, too ('Yes, I remember Chiara did get quite bad tangles...')

CathyEarnshaw
July 3rd, 2011, 10:12 PM
I got my first white hair at age 14. I dyed my hair from the age of 18 until my 50s. I loved my natural hair color but eventually, the dying got too hard to keep up. Like you, I saw white roots a week after coloring my hair. I had to stop. It was consuming my life.
It took awhile for me to get accustomed to my white hair but I can tell you now that I absolutely love it! I get so many compliments on it. It doesn't make me feel old or ugly. Most everyone gets grey. I feel blessed that my hair has turned such a pretty grey instead of a mousy, drab grey. You sound fortunate to me!

ravenreed
July 3rd, 2011, 10:18 PM
I have lots of silvers and they show up very starkly against my dark hair. I dye my hair about every three weeks to keep them from showing. I use a demi-permanent so there is little damage to my hair. I think that once I am completely grey, I might stop dyeing but the interim is terrible! I hate the patchy look.

gogirlanime
July 3rd, 2011, 10:46 PM
Sorry to hear that you are upset with it :( I personally can't wait to go white because I'll get to be platinum for the first time without damaging my hair :D Try and think about the positives of it, for some this is really hard. I would suggest doing black tea rinses like I have on the link in my signature. When there is less shedding there are less new hairs that will sprout as new grey hairs. I know some of the hairs that are black are going white, but if you shed less this will help keep the thickness of the white hairs under control for longer than without. I suggest that you use black eyeshadow on the white hairs and henna/indigo your roots every two weeks. That way you don't have to see them everyday and you don't have to dye your hair every 3-4 days. Even if you don't think it's pretty know that a lot of us here do and we'll support you :)

Toadstool
July 4th, 2011, 02:08 AM
I think it's pretty unlikely you'll get more each month. I started when I was about 27 and am now 40 and still only partially grey.
I think the problem is that it makes you panic so much, it might be useful to work out what it is that gets you in such a state about signs of ageing/ loss of original hair colour? Have you tried counselling or therapy?
I saw a programme once that said women fear ageing because they become invisible in our Western society. Does this resonate with you at all?

Katze
July 4th, 2011, 02:14 AM
I haven't read the entire thread, but would second the suggestion of henna and indigo. This is a traditional method of dyeing black hair back to black which I know from Iranian friends and which WORKS.

It is not fair to feel like you are cursed with bad genes. My hair is going silver (not grey) too but I actually like it with my light eyes and eyebrows - it suits me. However, my hair is a nasty mixed texture, grows incredibly slowly, and I lost about half of it after my daughter was born. So I am feeling like 'what's the point' of growing my hair if it won't ever be long?

Grey or silver or white hair can look fabulous. I have seen some formerly black-haired women go naturally grey and it looks very striking with dark eyebrows and olive complexion. It's all up to you, though.

Unfortunately we do have to play the cards we are dealt. But if you want to trade hair and have almost-blonde, almost-curly hair that isn't very grey at the age of 38, I will happily take black, long hair going grey! :D

Mesmerise
July 4th, 2011, 05:37 AM
I understand how you feel. I have more and more grey hairs coming in...and when I leave the hair dyeing a bit long I get people commenting... stuff like "your hair is going grey!" or "you're too young to go grey!" or "you need to dye your hair again" or whatever...

Now, I don't have black hair, but my greys are obvious enough in my hair. I just henna once a month...and I'll probably keep doing that for a looong time (cause it's going to be AWFUL growing it out lol).

I know it's a part of life, but it sucks when your friends/family members aren't greying when you are!

turtlelover
July 4th, 2011, 06:17 AM
mamaherrera, I am getting a significant amount of gray. To be honest, it bothered me far more when there was just a couple than it does now that I have more, because when you just have a few, they seem to stand out more. I dyed my hair for a decade w/ a very non-damaging product (Robert Craig color -- great stuff!) and stopped when I was 35 because I was sick of the upkeep. Since I used a deposit only color that didn't lift my base color, I didn't have a horrible grow out process....I would just leave the dye on for less and less time every month until the roots blended in w/ the ends pretty well. If you have just a few grays but are tired of looking at them, this is a good option until you feel more ready to "bite the bullet" and let the gray show. On the other hand, it is quite liberating to never bother w/ haircolor when you feel ready to pull that off.

Sunshineliz
July 4th, 2011, 09:30 AM
I wouldn't stress too much about it. Lots of people get them at that age--it really isn't too young for it. I was looking around me the other day at church and several women younger than me have a few silvers here and there and they aren't dyeing them (at least not yet.:p) Honestly if I hadn't been more attuned to looking for them (I so want someone else to look as gray as me at my age!) I wouldn't have noticed.

I started getting them at 20 and they all stayed in a ever-growing streak for a while. I plucked until at 23 I realized I looked like my hairline was receding in just one spot.:o I tried dyeing them, under MIL pressure, at 26 and loathed the experience. So I just started parting on the other side of my head and just basically ignored them until last year. I'd been so busy IRL that I just tried to tuck them under the rest of the hair and that was it. Then I pulled back my hair one day and a picture showed me how much the gray had spread. I was a little depressed and I started to look into henna and indigo. I got samples and did strand tests. Some looked okay and I almost took the plunge when my husband mentioned that he rather liked it. And reminded me that I would HATE dye upkeep (and he's right about that.) So I looked harder at myself and lots of people around me (and on LHC) and decided YES premature grays CAN be beautiful. So here I am a Renegray!:cheese:

If I were you, I'd stop stressing about what I can't change. My dad started graying in his teens and I have six siblings all in various states of gray (with only ONE currently coloring it) so genetics was never on my side. Either dye it if you think that is for you, or embrace the sparkliness! Just take care of that stress level for your own health's sake.

Darkhorse1
July 4th, 2011, 09:50 AM
Welcome to my world. I'm not worried about white hairs, because I'd rather have white than no hair at all. But, like you said, I just had a color done to cover the gray, and already I have re-growth showing.

But, just to make you feel better, I knew a girl at the barn, who was going gray at 16. By the time she was in her 20s, she'd have been totally gray, but she sees her hair dresser every 2 weeks. She too, is dark haired. I know she did the blond thing for awhile, but it didn't suit her and she went back to her natural color. She had the most gorgeous long hair I"d ever seen---well past her butt when she was young, and I was shocked when I saw huge sections of gray! Apparently, one of her parents went gray at a young age.

So, (((hugs))))

Anisaa
July 4th, 2011, 11:39 AM
I am in the exact same boat as you so I completely understand. I WLL BE 30 IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS and I keep on seeing gray hairs all the time. It makes me stress, self conscious and very sad. But what can we do? Just try to accept the changes and know that you are not the only one feeling this <3

akka naeda
July 5th, 2011, 09:20 AM
I saw a programme once that said women fear ageing because they become invisible in our Western society. Does this resonate with you at all?


Seriously?
And was that produced by a 20yr old?

Toadstool
July 5th, 2011, 09:55 AM
Seriously?
And was that produced by a 20yr old?
I don't imagine so. it was a programme trying to help woman accept themselves, rather than have plastic surgery. The comment was from a psychologist.
I think you may have misunderstood?

akka naeda
July 5th, 2011, 10:38 AM
I don't imagine so. it was a programme trying to help woman accept themselves, rather than have plastic surgery. The comment was from a psychologist.
I think you may have misunderstood?


Ah. Well, seriously, as I said earlier in this thread, I am more "visible" now with white hair than at any other time apart from when I had my head shaved.
At least part of this though is that I couldn't care less, I don't read women's magazines, because they say nothing which would interest me. Plus they're designed to feed insecurity, so you keep buying them, otherwise their readership would drop off. Basically it's all about confidence.

So, right now I am doing a drystone walling project which requires me to get a bus into a nearby town and then get a lift to the site with somebody else. I was sitting waiting for the bus home today wearing work trousers covered in stone dust, steel toe cap boots and a T-shirt covered in stone dust and this little bleached blonde airbrushed foundation and heavy black eyeliner 16 yr old who lives in my parents' street was talking to me. Apparently she wants to be like me when she's old (I'm old?!) rather than like her mother..... who spends far too much time dying her hair blonde, and "it's embarrassing because she's trying to be like me when she's so much older". Now, I'd say the mother is just trying to be like any other 40yr old woman. She doesn't wear the excessive makeup her daughter does, she has enough sense not to wear the clothes her daughter does, but it appears to embarrass her daughter that the mother tries to be younger than she is by dying her hair. Strange, I know, as this girl is the last person I would have thought would think that way. I'm sure she'll change her mind as she gets older. Point is though, she thinks I look good with white hair.

thelemurianvenu
September 24th, 2011, 08:53 AM
advising someone to accept is easy!everywhere you see people writing that this is a part of aging process ,that is a part of aging process!what is aging?from the time a baby is born on earth ,it starts to age.2 days from the day you are born you are two days older.wrinkles appear from the day we breathe this air.suddenly we don't get wrinkles at thirty five.regarding floaters in the eye people say that it is a part of aging.oh!come on,aging happens only at fifty ,for people who has not defied it.there are some who defy it and you cant call the older,taking into account their chronological age; looking older than them at thirty!if somebody is not able to accept a change in their body then that is disease and has to be tackled with.if there is a person on earth who has no greys at fifty,then anybody can be the same.only we have to strive to gather information on tackling it.i got five grey hairs at 27.not have hundred at 32.but,of late have i come to know that i had thyroid disorder for the past five years sub-clinically.i have auto immune disease called vitiligo and it has contained with minimal damage.the regions are re pigmenting.it is said that the melanocyes stop producing pigments in the vitiliginous regions,or maybe are even dead.but,then how could the regions that were stark white have got pigments like the region surrounding them?if we have accepted things and moved on,it does not count that others are greedy for not accepting.let everybody search for answers and one day maybe it will be useful for us.try black strap molasses,wheat germ with yeast and yogurt,black sesame,treat constipation,ferment foods,eat raw food s and take supplements.wait for six months to see differences and if something good happens let everybody know.those who seek,have to get and will get!use oils like amla oil,eat curry leaves a little bit every day with cilantro and watercress.don't use chemicals,except shampoos on the scalp.use them only on the hair.keep posting here with valid information for reversal and prevention.and about the actresses and models:people like us with disciplined lives and little exposure to chemicals are facing so many problems,imagine them!they maintain one simple thing-their bodies:and how!? liposuctioning,adding details here and there with implants and correcting the bone details.what they earn ,they will lose in two years after their career gets over,maintaing plastically changed features.we have to be bold ,but we have to be wise in healthily altering too.

julierockhead
September 24th, 2011, 11:12 AM
Yeah. I went grey early too (found my first grey at 19) so I hear you. A year ago I tried going renegrey, and boy does grey hair age me. Most people think I am younger than I am, with the grey I just looked OLD. Some people look fabulous with grey - I wish I was one of them! But I'm not.

If you truly don't like them, there is no reason you have to live with them - some combination of henna and indigo and buxus will give you the color you want, and make your hair healthier and very shiny. I dyed with commercial dyes forever until I found this place, I wish I had found it years ago.

Here's a great place with information about plant dyes and great products:
ttp://www.hennaforhair.com/

Good luck!

McFearless
September 24th, 2011, 11:39 AM
You need to take care of yourself and get rid of the stress. Meditation is my life saver. You will get more grays, thats a fact of life. You CAN hide them however for as long as you want. You don't have to embrace them. The quicker you accept this the easier it will all be. Henna is an annoying process if you have to do it weekly, I understand. Black hair with red highlights is so gorgeous, so see the positive side of that. I too have jet black hair so I know how you feel. Have you looked into manic panic or special effects? Those brands are semi permanent dyes that don't damage the hair. You can add them into your routine more easily and they will last a few weeks.

McFearless
September 24th, 2011, 11:43 AM
The dreaded replying to an old thread. Boo.

Othala
September 24th, 2011, 01:49 PM
I totally sympathise with you. I have about 50% white hair and 50% black hair now and I henndigo my hair black. The white roots appear two weeks after I have dyed my hair and it is constant chore, BUT, I feel psychologically better for dying my hair. I am on a reluctant mission to keep the whites away for the foreseeable future.

RitaPG
September 24th, 2011, 02:20 PM
I started going gray at 15 or 16, by then it was just a couple strands so I wasn't bothered by them, but in my early twenties I started noticing dozens of them. My mother used to make me feel like a freak (unintentionally) because she only started going gray long after her 40s.

I do understand where you are coming from with all the anxiety, I used to dye and pull on my white hairs, it is awful scary to think we may have a full head of white hair by the time we reach 30. Society is obsessed with appearence and gray hair is too associated with old age, but the truth is a lot of people go gray early, we just don't notice that because hairdye and highlights are too common and going natural is quite unusual.
I don't have a solution for this, to be honest it still upsets me sometimes, but then I just try not to obsess about it. From my experience, you eventually make peace with it :)

Red Rapunzel
September 24th, 2011, 03:21 PM
MamaHerra: Regarding your white hair depression, I can see how important it is for you to keep your nearly black hair color which you love so much. So don't accept the white hairs! Go for color whether by henna or by permanent or shampoo-in color that gradually rinses out? I'm 63 and my hair hasn't "turned" yet, but I swear, when it does, I'm gonna color it because having red hair is very important to me and I would look utterly washed out with grey or white hair. My mom, also a redhead, died her grey hair red until she passed away in her late 80s. It can be done. Acceptance of grey is OK for some people and some really look great in white or grey hair! But if your dark color is so important to you, then dye your hair dark - forever if necessary!!
Warmest regards from someone who will never accept, embrace, or put up with gray hair!

mamaherrera
September 25th, 2011, 05:21 PM
YOu ALL HAVE HELPED SO MUCH! I didn't know I had so many replies, but you all are miraculously beautiful with your tips, advice, and sharing the fact that I"m not alone. I have had a few more pop up. and my husband always tells me, "crying about each new one just puts you at more risk of getting more and it doesnt help." I"m trying to embrace that and really believe that if I chill out about this, then I probably won't get as many. I almost have a clump of five, but hopefully that won't continue in that area. I will bookmark this thread to reread any time I fall back into gloom. for now, I'll keep hennaing, luckily my husband helps me do that. It does seem like I wont stick with just twelve for a decade, like others have said, as they continue to pop up every two months or so. but be grateful as it could be worse, right! I would like to check if I have bad absorportion of perhaps b vitamins, but docs are not very willing to check on things like that for you, especially if you say it's to stop white hair, as they don't believe anything can stop it. so it's hard to know what vitamins you're lacking or what not. I might look into yarrow, as someone mentioned and see if that helps. God bless you all and thanks so much for supporting me. Dont have many friends, so this kind of support is very meaningful for me.

Anisaa
September 27th, 2011, 04:02 PM
FINALLY, someone who I can relate to. I am exactly in the same position you are in and I feel the exact same way you do! I don't know what to say, just KNOW that someone in the world there is another girl freaking out over white hairs on her black hair!!! Best of luk

Navydoc_76
September 27th, 2011, 05:14 PM
im so sorry you're upset. i will say that im quite envious of the gray haired men and ladies here. my sister in law is 35, has a ton of gray and stopped coloring her hair years ago. every time i see her, i stare because i just LOVE it! im the same age, and only have two gray hairs in my temple and look forward to graying.. i guess i see it as a rite of passage in life? its earned!

my hubby has black hair, and is slowly graying-i notice more and more when i cut his hair every few weeks.. and i think it looks great!

maybe try talking to some of the gray haired (renegrays lol) and see how they learned to deal with it? hugs!

thelemurianvenu
January 26th, 2012, 03:12 PM
pls check the details of dhathri hair care plus herbal oil.

Vanille_
January 26th, 2012, 04:27 PM
I love my white hairs now. I use manic panic. My hair is dark, so the white hairs look like hair tinsel when colored!

Try to embrace it. It's natural and it's you. Own it. Rock it.

*hugs*