Interviewer: It is time for "Am I Normal?" We are talking with Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones, as she is the expert on all things woman. Dr. Jones, here is the situation, "I'm in my mid-20s, I'm young, I'm happy, I'm emotionally healthy, I'm physically healthy, or at least I think I am, but I've noticed that I'm starting to grow some little gray hairs that are coming out. And they keep coming out and I feel like I pluck them, and then they come out even more. . .
Dr. Jones: Aww. Don't pluck on those little wisdom hairs.
Interviewer: . . . I feel like this is the problem. Am I normal?"
When Is It Normal for Hair to Turn Gray?
Dr. Jones: Okay, well, let's talk about graying. Now you had some, actually, buried in your question are some assumptions that being emotionally unhealthy might lead you to have gray hair.
Interviewer: Like stress.
Dr. Jones: Like stress. So we'll talk about that briefly, but first of all, so Caucasian people tend to start going gray in their early 30s. Asian people in their late 30s and African-Americans in their 40s. Now, what's too early? If someone's going gray before they're 20, or they're half-gray by the time they're 40, then that's early, that's premature. So you're 20, you have a few gray hairs. I'm afraid that's still normal.
Interviewer: That's still normal for me. Okay. Okay.
Dr. Jones: Now let's talk about . . . so it's partly genetics. We do know that an acute stress can cause hair to fall out, but it doesn't usually cause hair to turn gray. So people say, "I got such a shock, it made my hair turn gray," or Marie Antoinette's hair turned gray overnight before she was put on the chopping block. Well, that's not going to happen because her hair, I'm sure, was pretty long. It's not going to all turn gray in one day.
Interviewer: That's just a myth.
Dr. Jones: That's a myth. That's a myth. So I think that there are some conditions where people start turning gray or losing the color of their hair that are medical problems. So thyroid problems, too much or too little, for people who are prematurely gray, once again I said, probably a couple ones that you're pulling out in your mid-20 is probably normal if you're . . .
Interviewer: Make it worse.
Medical Conditions and Reversing Gray Hair
Dr. Jones: Right. If you're half-gray by the time you get to your mid-30, then that's a little early. So dietary things, you need to eat well to make color. So there are cells in the root of our hair follicle that make color, and if they don't get the right nutrients, B12, which comes in meats and proteins, and other kinds of chemicals, then they can't make color. This is one of the few reversible causes of graying.
People who have high or low thyroid and people with some autoimmune diseases that knock off the hair follicles may also go prematurely gray. But prematurely gray, gosh, I think Steve Martin and Anderson Cooper look pretty hot with their hair color. And there are women who can look really great either with some salt and pepper or when they let it grow gray completely.
Interviewer: Like platinum gray?
Dr. Jones: Platinum gray. Ooh, I want that. Well, maybe not, maybe not. But if you're growing gray before you're 20, then that's early. If you're half-gray before you're 40, then that's early. But a few that you pluck out, those are your wisdoms. I would keep them around.
updated: March 4, 2021
originally published: February 23, 2017
FAQs
Those silvery strands could start to pop up earlier than you think. Spotting your first gray hair may catch you by surprise, especially if you see it pop up well before it's “supposed to.” But the reality is that having gray hair in your 20s is not uncommon.
Why am I getting grey hairs in my 20s? ›
Scientists don't know exactly why some people go gray early, but genes play a large role. Also, a vitamin B-12 deficiency or problems with your pituitary or thyroid gland can cause premature graying that's reversible if the problem is corrected, Benabio says.
Are gray hairs in the 20s normal? ›
It can be a shock to find your first gray hairs on your head, especially if you're only in your 20s. But women's expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones says a few gray hairs is perfectly normal, even for women in their late 20s and early 30s. However, stress, genetics and other factors can play a role.
Can grey hair be caused by stress? ›
A new study shows that stress really can give you gray hair. Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. Your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
Is it normal to find grey hairs? ›
Gray hair is one of the universal signs of advanced age. More likely than not, at some point in your life, your hair will start to go gray. Some individuals can maintain hair color well into their older age, but most do not.
Is it bad to pluck grey hairs? ›
So while the myth that if you pluck one gray hair ten of its siblings will pop up in its place has been dispelled, you still may want to refrain from plucking. In addition to swelling and scarring, plucking hair straight from the root could also contribute to irreversible premature hair loss in the area.
Does B12 reverse grey hair? ›
Premature graying may be reversed with vitamin B12 supplementation only if vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause. If you are graying due to other factors, such as genetics, zinc deficiency, and medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.
Can I reverse grey hair? ›
There is no way to bring them back. However, if your graying hair is the direct result of a medical problem, there may be hope for restoring the natural pigment in your hair.
Can grey hair turn black again? ›
Can White Hair Turn Black Again? No, you can't reverse graying. Once the genes kick in and your hair turns white, the melanin that created the hair color is gone. "There's some evidence that graying caused by thyroid disease has the potential to be reversed with hormone replacement therapy," says Dr.
Can you reverse gray hair in your 20s? ›
Now that you have more insight into what causes gray hair in your 20s, you may be wondering if there's anything you can do to stop it. The short answer is no, you can't stop gray hair from sprouting, nor can you reverse the hair graying process.
Most people start noticing their first gray hairs in their 30s—although some may find them in their late 20s. This period, when graying has just begun, is probably when the process is most reversible, according to Paus.
What deficiency causes grey hair? ›
Any deficiencies of vitamin B9, B12, biotin, or vitamin D can contribute to premature graying. One 2018 review notes various deficiency studies on vitamin D3, vitamin B12, copper, zinc, and calcium and their connection to graying hair.
Do gray hairs go away? ›
New Research Says Gray Hair May Be Reversible and Preventable. Experts explain how your silver strands may be reversible.
Why am I getting gray hair at 25? ›
Genetics — Genetics plays a big role in how and when you go gray. So if your parents and grandparents went gray early, it's likely that you will too. This is why some people go gray in their 20s, while others don't see their first gray hair well into their 50s.
Are grey hairs unhealthy? ›
The vast majority of people with gray hair have age-related graying. However, sometimes graying hair indicates an illness, especially if it occurs at a particularly young age.
Why is my hair turning white at 20? ›
However, some people notice gray hair in their 20s. Genetics plays one of the most significant roles in the onset of premature gray hair. Other risk factors include stress, certain health conditions, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Premature gray hair affects all genders.
Can you reverse grey hair in the 20s? ›
Now that you have more insight into what causes gray hair in your 20s, you may be wondering if there's anything you can do to stop it. The short answer is no, you can't stop gray hair from sprouting, nor can you reverse the hair graying process.
What is the cause of early grey hair? ›
Although the primary cause of premature hair graying (PHG) is considered to be genetic, certain environmental factors also play a role. Trace element deficiencies such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, and calcium may also be associated with PHG. However, India-specific data are relatively sparse.
