Hair Graying: Aesthetics And Age
Hair graying is an inevitable phenomenon with age. It is, in fact, of such great importance in the lives of many people that songs and poems have been made in which this gray is referred to as the arrival of maturity.
What exactly is gray hair?
These are hair straighteners that look gray, white or silver in hue.
Hair gets its color from a pigment called melanin , whose role is to protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays and all invisible light. Melanin is the substance that gives color to the eyes and skin.
It is made by melanocytes – cells that make eumelanin (brown and black) and pheomelanin (yellow and red). These pigments, with their many variations and combinations, can create endlessly different shades.
In the absence of melanin, a person then develops gray hair.
Why are they starting to come?
Many studies have shown that the phenomenon originates from the induction of genes. Another significant factor is age, as hair graying begins as cells age.
- Hair extensions have a lifespan of 3-6 years, after which they come off.
- If the cells are aged and can no longer produce melanin, the new hair will appear gray.
- When the gray hair comes off, the next one will be like this too.
There are many beliefs regarding gray hair, such that if you pluck such hair, more will appear. These beliefs are often not true – that is, if you pick one, only one new one will grow in its place.
When does hair graying start?
Over time, and as the body ages, melanocytes produce less melanin.
This process begins with the hair on the head and later progresses to the rest of the body. There are exceptions, of course, and genetics has a role to play in when this starts to happen to everyone.
Statistical information
Then let’s look at some research data:
- Gray hair appears earlier and more abundantly in Caucasians – Asians and blacks tend to turn gray later.
- Men get more gray hair than women.
- They appear in groups. This sometimes creates the illusion that if you pluck one, there will be more gray hair.
Does the concern cause hair graying?
There is still no clear research data that stress is a factor in hair graying. Apparently it does cause hair loss, and the first ones to leave are colored.
Grayscale in men and women
For many, accepting that a thatched house is starting to turn gray is a difficult thing to do, as this is a sign of aging. There is a great glorification of youth prevalent in the West that makes people try to slow down this natural process. No one would want wrinkles, drooping skin, age glasses or gray hair.
However, the situation of a man and a woman is not the same. When a man turns gray, he receives praise for his “interesting,” “mature,” and “charming” appearance.
Women are less fortunate. A graying woman is often criticized – people assume she is careless, self-indifferent, or careless about her appearance.
Sometimes gray hair is in vogue, but in Western countries, graying is still not seen as the best option from an aesthetic point of view.
However, this is not an easy thing for men either. However, if a man does not like his gray hair, he usually tolerates it, for it is not as socially acceptable for a man to dye his gray hair. Thus, many men do this in secret or without talking about it.
Myths about gray hair
Beliefs often take precedence over science. Some old stories are repeated and repeated so that many begin to believe in them.
Here are the most common myths about graying:
- Gray hair does not come off. They come off just like any other hair.
- Their color is gray. This is an optical illusion – in fact, their color consists of many shades of yellow. However, the proximity to other colored hair straighteners makes the hair look white, gray or silver.
- Exposure to the sun increases graying. The sun lightens the hair, which can make some straighteners lighter and therefore make them look gray. However, the sun in no way causes graying.
- Plucking them increases graying. As we’ve already said, only one hair straightener grows in place of plucked gray hair.
