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I was in the car (in the passenger seat, ofc), on my way to the train station several months ago when I saw it: my first baby grey hair. At 33 and with no family history of going grey young(ish), I was totally caught off guard and thrown into panic mode. Did this mean I was going fully grey now? How did I feel about this? Would I have to start dyeing my hair differently? Or should I embrace it and start reaching for the purple shampoo?
Turns out, I didn’t really need to worry. In fact, the odd tiny grey (this one was very short) doesn’t necessarily mean you’re heading toward all-over silver locks at a million miles per hour. They’re pretty common, actually, particularly for those who experience plenty of stress like me, and I actually haven’t seen one since.
That said, I wanted to get to the bottom of why I was seeing a grey hair at my age, and what the future held. Enter: the experts.
Is it common to get grey hairs in your early thirties?
As mentioned, I was a little surprised to see a grey hair at 33, particularly when I feel so young in myself. But Christel Barron-Hough, Founder of Stil Salon in Chelsea, says that there’s nothing to be alarmed by. This, she says, is relatively “normal” for women.
“White hair can happen at any age, really, as sometimes early signs of greying are down to genetics,” she explains. That said, the stylist adds that genetics are not the only thing that plays a part. However, they are one of the (if not the) most significant factors, which research has proven.
But lifestyle is also particularly relevant here. “If you lead a particularly stressful life with a poor diet, or are taking certain medications, these factors can accelerate white hair growth.” Stress, as you’d expect, has been found to have a strong causal link.
Does the odd grey mean you’re going fully grey anytime soon?
My first thought when I saw the grey hair in question was if I was going to very quickly go fully grey—I’m talking like, overnight. But Andrew Plester, Artistic & Education Director at Arkive by Adam Reed, tells me that it tends to move slowly for most, which Barron-Hough reiterates: “It’s so unique to each individual, but generally speaking it’s a gradual process.”
A quick scan of Reddit confirmed to me that many people who found the odd grey hair in their thirties (or younger) had not yet gone grey all over, and if they had, it had taken years.
Barron-Hough notes that greying usually begins around the hairline and can spread from there over time. However, “Sometimes due to shock or medical reasons you can go grey super quickly, as the body stops producing the hair’s natural pigment (melanin), hence the saying ‘I went grey overnight.’”
How to cover (or embrace) the greys
This comes down to what you choose to do and feel is right for you: covering greys or wearing them proudly. Chances are, if you’ve only seen one or a few over the years, you don’t need to make any hard and fast decisions now. As I’ve only seen one so far (which was months ago), I know I have ample time.
However, if you’re experiencing more than the ‘odd’ random grey, it may be time to make a call. If you would rather go down the route of colouring your hair, most hair salons will make the job look easy! And for in-between appointments, “you can use powders or hair sprays at home to temporarily cover white hair,” suggests Barron-Hough. Keeping hair healthy, eating well and avoiding stress as much as possible may help to ‘slow things down,’ too.
But let’s face it: grey hair is beautiful, and you should never feel pressure to cover it. These days, more and more women are embracing greys (even from a younger age), and it’s something experts like Plester love to see. “My advice would be to get over the mental battle of what society has taught us [about greys making you look ‘old’] first, before considering going grey naturally. From my experiences seeing women in the salon, that is the hardest part.”
As well as being a bold, proud statement, “going grey naturally is a great option for many women, especially if they have naturally cool complexions,” says Barron-Hough, who explains they work well together. She adds that, “you can still gloss or highlight/lowlight grey hair to embrace the natural growth pattern, making it look super natural in the growth process.” Eventually, though, “you can just leave it as it is and not colour it at all.”
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