Age 68 and No Gray Hair

[harllee]

OP here, based on several of the responses it appears that there is some sort of genetic component--people of Irish descent often don't get gray hair. Now if we could just figure out the "no gray gene" and market it somehow we could make a fortune.

 

[Dtail]

OP here, based on several of the responses it appears that there is some sort of genetic component--people of Irish descent often don't get gray hair. Now if we could just figure out the "no gray gene" and market it somehow we could make a fortune.

haha, let them truly solve the baldness gene first.

 

[pacergal]

Mom had minimal gray hair, Dad was gray early 20's. Me? I got my first gray hair at 16, pretty much full on gray all over by 40. I didn't fight it as most everyone complemented me, luckily it is more of a shiny silvery white.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

My father had what little hair he had stay black ( he said much of it was literally scared off of him in WW II at Normandy and in the Ardennnes), save for the temple area, right up to his death at age 82. He was of northern European descent

My mother began graying significantly in her late forties. She was of eastern European descent.

At almost 59, I have a few strands of silver hair, otherwise dark brown and oily like the OP, but it grows fast still.

Thanks for the thread, was wondering myself when I would finally get significantly grey. I do not expect to color my hair, but will reassess when, and now if, there is significant graying.

 

[Henry Lili]

I started getting gray in my 40s.

Same here. Started to go grey just about 40. Now, about 50/50 grey to brown twelve years later.

 

[bolt]

There are red/ginger hair color particularities as this suggests there are other risks also. https://www.livescience.com/39095-redhead-health-risks.html

I suspect blonds also have particularities.
Best wishes....

 

[socca]

Perky young supermodels love to run their hands through my thick, dark hair. OK, that claim is only 1/3 true (not bad for the internet ). Perky young supermodels: no; thick hair: yes; dark hair: no - my hair is mostly gray these days .

I could pass for much younger if I dyed my hair, but who am I trying to fool? I'm old - deal with it.

 

[Koolau]

A few times, a salesman (once, even a doctor) asked me if my 'mother' wanted such-and-such. DW was NOT happy. She is all white and I'm just now starting to whiten at the temples. My actual mother was mostly dark brown even until her death at 87. I favor her in many respects. YMMV

 

[grasshopper]

Ms G says I have no grey at 68....... I think she is just being kind.

 

[street]

^ I think she wants something. Lol

 

[cyber888]

Going to be 56 ... my hair is completely Black.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I started going noticeably gray in my early 40s, and started losing hair before that. But then, when I was 19 or 20 and grew a beard, I already had a scattering of stark white hairs in it. I blame it on the Russian/Polish side of the family. At least I'm saving money now that I'm cutting my own hair with cordless clippers, plus it's hard to see any gray hair OR a hairline!

 

[harllee]

OP here, actually the older I get the darker my hair gets. As I child my hair was light brown and now it is dark brown and at age 68 no gray!!

 

[Dash man]

My full head of hair is still there with just a little gray at the temples. DW has a few strands of gray, but not much. We’re 63 and our 31 year old daughter in law has more gray.

 

[Dtail]

Mostly salt than pepper for me, but have most of my hair. A little thinning in the crown, but no bald skin yet.

 

[Sanbenito1]

I am 61 and only a few gray hairs. My mother and her mother were both dark until 85, and which point they were about half gray. What nationality are you? Many of my Portuguese relatives/friends stay dark so probably there’s a gene for it (which means someday nobody will go gray, I bet).

 

[harllee]

OP here, my father had no gray hair and his ancestors were from Ireland. I have done some research and it appears that many Irish do not go gray so I think there is a genetic component.

 

[pullmyfinger]

I found my first grey hairs at age 30. Started getting highlights to blend them in to my light brown hair in my late 30's. Started doing all over color age 46. Last year I stopped dying my hair to see what color it is. At age 50 I have lots of white hair in the front. Not sure if I will dye it again. I think white hair can look striking on some women, this in between stage is rather dull.

 

[MarieIG]

I started to go gray at 21.

My Da was Irish - and he went white. But with his bright blue eyes it was striking. Me - not so much.

(DM turned gray very young, so I got it on both sides.)

My DFIL is Greek and has had a full head of white hair for as long as I can remember. My DMIL started getting gray late, and DH took mostly after her.

 

[RobbieB]

I'm the silver fox!

 

[DeborahB]

I’m 71 with very little grey in my dark brown hair. There’s a bit around the sides of my face and I think an occasional one elsewhere. I’ve been this way for years. My parents were only partly grey at 85 and 95 when they died, and my younger brother has less grey than I do, at 64. It’s genetic.

 

[ragabnh]

I am 63 with no grey hair, as a matter of fact I have no hair period.

 

[WestUniversity]

At 60 I’ve had snow on the mountain for years. It gets more pervasive with each passing year. Some have expressed surprise that I don’t use some product to correct it. Why would I? They have all been hard earned...

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

At 60 I’ve had snow on the mountain for years. It gets more pervasive with each passing year. Some have expressed surprise that I don’t use some product to correct it. Why would I? They have all been hard earned...

Right? I don't want to look 25, I'm not 25, and I couldn't keep up with a very fit 25-year old, so there's no point in pretending. I want to look like a really healthy 48, because I am 48. Pretending I'm not is a good way to get hurt, physically and mentally. Besides, when I was 25 I was relatively poor and I actually gave a crap what other people thought about me. There are things to like about getting older and crotchety!

Now get off my lawn! <shakes fist>

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Too lazy to color my hair even I wanted to. I'm also allergic to most cosmetics, so i do not use that stuff either. So rather glad to have so little grey at 58.

Agree there must be a genetic component of some kind, or perhaps a number of genetic influencers. My mother did have the same light brown hair I started with (mine got darker brown over the years), but she stayed light brown until she got grey early and was all grey by early fifties.