The appearance of white hair is a completely natural stage of ageing, but it often raises questions and even a little hesitation. Let’s be honest: it’s hard to resist the urge to hide those first strands as soon as they show up!
Why does our hair turn white?
White hair, grey hair, or hair of wisdom, whichever you prefer, appears when melanin, the pigment that gives hair its colour, gradually decreases. With age, the hair follicles produce less melanin, so new hair grows back without colour. It’s a perfectly natural phenomenon.
What speeds up the arrival of white hair?
While ageing is the main cause, other factors can play a part:
Heredity: your genes largely decide when your hair will start to turn white.
Diet: a deficiency in iron, vitamin D, B9, B12 or selenium can influence melanin production.
Hormones: hormonal imbalances or certain conditions (autoimmune ones in particular) can also speed up the process.
Stress and smoking: psychological stress generates oxidative stress, and cigarettes are one of the best-known aggravating factors.
Accept, cover up or make the most of your white hair?
Good news: white hair is not something you simply have to put up with. You can absolutely choose to colour it (with natural solutions or otherwise) or soften it with reverse balayage. But you can also decide to own it… and even to show it off!
One word of caution, though: without their natural pigments, white hairs tend to be duller, more porous and sometimes rougher, and they can yellow on contact with pollution or tobacco smoke. They are also more fragile. To keep them shiny and healthy, it’s best to use suitable products: generous hydration and the occasional anti-yellowing treatment.
Once seen as an unwelcome sign of old age, white hair is today viewed by many as a symbol of freedom and self-assurance. Some people even choose to bleach their hair to achieve an all-white look, a trend that is growing in popularity. Whether among women embracing their natural beauty or among greying men, sometimes seen as more charismatic… and even more attractive.
What matters most is feeling comfortable in your own skin and true to yourself.
Why not pay us a visit at one of our residences?
Our senior residences have their own hair salon spaces, just for you. Whether it’s a quick trim, a treatment or a full transformation, our doors are wide open to you, and to your loved ones too.