Why Some of Us Get Gray Hair While We’re Still in Our 20s (2024)

Grays are inevitable, but they can still catch you off guard when they first sprout — especially if you're in your early 20s. For some, it's a random, lone white hair that shows up like an unwelcome house guest, while others might see a ton of gray hair in concentrated areas. Board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, MD says the process of going gray looks different for everyone. "While it's a natural part of aging for most of us, not everyone automatically turns gray when they hit the age of 50," she says. "Some people in their 80s don't have gray hair yet, while others get white hair in their late teens," she adds.

If you're curious as to what might be causing them — for starters, experts say look to your mom and dad. If they saw silver strands early, you probably will, too. In fact, scientists have identified the first gene responsible for gray hair, IRF4, which runs in the family and may one day hold the key to preventing the salt from taking over the pepper in our hair.

Hey, it's okay to be bothered by grays, but remember — we're in the midst of a gray hair revolution and beauty standards are changing. You're considered achingly cool if you're gray, silver, or white on top. It's up to you whether you choose to own the white hair you grew at a young age or cover it. But if you still want to know what else can be causing your premature grays (we get the curiosity) or learn exactly how to color them, allow these certified dermatologists and A-list colorists to explain.

Meet the experts:

• Hysem Eldik MD a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City.
• Loretta Ciraldo MD,a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare.
• Joshua Zeichner MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the director of cosmetic and clinical research of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
• Justin Anderson, a hair colorist and co-founder of dpHUE in Los Angeles.
• George Papanikolas, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist and Matrix ambassador.

In this Story:

• What Is White Hair?
• Why Does Hair Turn White?
• What Is the Average Age to See Gray or White Hair?
• Why Is My Hair White at a Young Age?
• Can You Stop Premature Graying?
• Can White Hair Turn Black Again?
• How to Color White Hair

What Exactly Is White Hair?

First, a quick science lesson. Our strands get their color from two types of melanin pigment: Eumelanin dictates how dark the hair is and pheomelanin determines how red or yellow it is. "Normally, hair follicles undergo a three-phase cycle: the growth phase, known as the anagen phase, followed by catagen, a transition period, and then the telogen resting phase when hair is shed before the cycle repeats," notes New York City-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD "Cells called melanocytes have been shown to only release melanin inside the hair follicle during the anagen phase," he adds.

With premature graying, the number of melanocytes in the follicle decreases as the hair continues to grow. This creates something of a domino effect: strands first turn gray, then eventually white when the melanocytes die out and pigment production grinds to a halt.

Why Does Hair Turn White?

Ah, the million dollar question: Why does hair turn gray or white? Even the best gray hair guide can't give you a black-and-white answer. As Dr. Ciraldo, puts it: "We don't understand the exact mechanism of hair graying yet." The most accepted theory, though, is that "there may be a build-up of hydrogen peroxide in the hair shaft," says Dr. Zeichner. "This causes oxidative stress that destroys the pigment from the inside out," he adds.

The bad news is that our lifestyle and environment can also contribute to this oxidative stress. It turns out the free radicals released by UV rays, pollution, and emotional stress stir up the same trouble in your strands as they do in the skin. "The process of growing hair and pigment creates free radicals but normally our bodies produce antioxidants to neutralize them," explains Dr. Eldik. The problem is, anything that causes stress to the body can create a lack of antioxidants so there's no way of offsetting daily aggressors. "These free radicals then have free range to damage the melanocytes, leading to decreased pigment and gray hair," says Dr. Eldik.

It's for this reason that "the future of preventing and treating gray hair may involve the use of antioxidants in the scalp," Dr. Zeichner notes.

Can Hair Turn White Overnight?

Let's bust one myth right now: Just because you've spotted your first silvery strand doesn't mean that it's going to rapidly multiply and you’re going to wake up with a full head of white hair. Yep, overnight graying, known as canities subita, can occur but "it would involve extreme stress or trauma, which would hit the body like an earthquake and knock out the pigment-producing cells," Dr. Eldik tells Allure. "Sometimes the pigment can come back after three months when the new hair cycle starts, sometimes it's permanent, but what’s important to remember is that canities subita is very rare," he stresses.

What Is the Average Age to See Gray or White Hair?

Although there's no such thing as a white hair rubric, it usually follows the 50/50 rule. "It's estimated that 50 percent of the population will have gray hair by the age of 50," says Dr. Zeichner. "But most people already start seeing a few gray strands in their early 30s."

So, Why Is My Hair White at 20?

Genetics is usually the biggest indicator that you're likely to get white hair at a young age but other factors can speed up the process, too.

Genetics

As mentioned, you may have inherited your parents' predisposition of gray early. "Your predilection for graying is inherited as an autosomal dominant gene," says Dr. Ciraldo. The IRF4 gene is one known marker for graying.

Dr. Zeichner also notes that the texture of gray hair is usually coarser. "It's unclear why, but the biological process that affects the color of the hair likely also affects the structure of the strands being produced," he says.

Autoimmune illnesses

Some genetic conditions may be associated with premature graying. "These include autoimmune disorders where the body incorrectly recognizes a cell and attacks healthy tissue by mistake," says Dr. Eldik.

Those with thyroid disease have lower levels of T3 and T4 – two hormones that data suggests increase melanin production and the growth phase of the hair, says Dr. Zeichner. When it comes to vitiligo, Dr. Ciraldo blames "antibodies to melanocytes that disrupt melanin production," causing the skin and hair to lose pigment.

A vitamin B12 deficiency, which results in a condition called pernicious anemia, is also linked to gray hair, but the exact cause is unknown. A popular theory is that without healthy red blood cells, less oxygen is carried to your hair cells. Alternatively, Dr. Eldik says autoimmune diseases tend to be grouped together; so if you suffer from one, you're likely to get another. "Vitiligo is shown to be associated with pernicious anemia," Dr. Eldik explains. "So it's likely that patients who had a vitamin B12 deficiency also had vitiligo, which presented as prematuregraying, as opposed to a vitamin B12 deficiencycausing it directly."

Suffice it to say, if you are graying prematurely and the look doesn't run in your family, or if you have a sudden change in hair color, discuss your symptoms with your doctor.

Certain drugs

"There are reports of antimalarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine altering hair color by inhibiting a key enzyme responsible for pheomelanin production," notes Dr. Eldik. "After three to four months of use, blonde or red hair can become increasingly silvery," he adds. No need to worry too much, though, as these changes are usually reversible once the drug is flushed out of the body.

Smoking

Yes, smoking cigarettes can impact your hair follicles dramatically. "Smoking is known to causeoxidative stress in the lungs, skin, hair, and even nails by creating a surge of free radicals," says Dr. Eldik. "When these accumulate in the hair they target the pigment-producing cells and destroy hair color."And with a study directly linking smoking to the premature aging of your hair, it's another great reason to stop lighting up.

Stress

Ever wondered why U.S. presidents get sworn in with a headful of colored hair but leave the White House with a helluva lot of salt-and-pepper? Well, the stress hormone cortisol could be a factor. One 2020 study found that mice who were exposed to stress had a noticeable loss of melanocytes and more obvious graying. Dr. Ciraldo confirms these findings, adding "stress interferes with the production of melanocyte stem cells in the hair bulb and produces gray hair."

So take note: if you're freaking out about grays unnecessarily, you may actually be making matters worse.

Can You Stop Premature Graying?

The answer is a hard "no" if the cause of your white hair is genetic. That said, you can still focus your efforts on minimizing the impact that oxidative stress has on your hair follicles. Quitting smoking will definitely help, as can shielding your hair from UV rays. "Although it's not a commonly held theory, I've seen in my own patients, that hair regularly exposed to the sun often turns gray earliest," says Dr. Ciraldo.And while we're not suggesting that a few yoga classes will stop white hair from gatecrashing the party, finding ways to manage emotional stress is known to help the overall health of the hair and scalp.

Technically, the jury's still out on whether stocking up on antioxidants makes a difference to white hair. Some, like Dr. Eldik, are skeptical. "In trials, they've not shown to be promising for restoring hair pigment," he tells Allure.

Can't I Just Pluck the White Hair?

As for the old wives' tale that if you pluck one white hair, more will grow back in its place? Completely false. "It's more likely that when you pluck one gray hair, you start to notice others," says Dr. Ciraldo. It's also never a good idea to rip white hairs out on the sly as there's a chance that you'll be left with bald spots.

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. Zeichner. "But I have never seen white hairs go back to their normal shade, which may indicate that there is a permanent change to the hair follicle itself," he adds. "At this point, the only way to turn white hair dark again is with a good colorist."

How to Color White Hair

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with prematurely white hair. You may feel ready to rock your new shade but if you want to cover it, that's cool too. "Just bear in mind there are different approaches to coloring gray hair depending on what the desired result is, the level of maintenance required and the percentage of gray," says Los Angeles-based colorist George Papanikolas. "Gray hair also tends to be coarser and frizzier than pigmented hair, so it can react differently tocolor andhighlights," he adds.

Those wanting to go all out and transition to a full head of gray, Los Angeles-based colorist Justin Anderson has this advice: "Remember, if you're looking to do any type of highlight blending, white hair still has a tonal shade," he says. "You might be 'going gray' but depending on how the pigment is fading, the tone may be ashier or it could be bright white," he adds.

With this in mind, Anderson recommends transitioning over time to allow the gray strands to take shape. "I'd slowly blend in highlights to complement the gray coming through and to soften the transition," says Anderson. For added depth on hair that is more or less 80 percent white, Papanikolas prefers leaning on lowlights."Think of it as adding more pepper than salt," he notes.

Getting a single-process color service at the salon is what Papanikolas recommends for hiding grays in darker hair, so long as you stay on top of the regrowth. "Permanent color will give 100 percent coverage but since the hair grows about a half inch per month, touch-ups are required every four to six weeks," says Papanikolas. First-timers, though, should start with a demi-permanent color that lasts about 20 shampoos "and gives a more blended effect allowing for a softer grow-out," adds Papanikolas.

While dyeing white hair is considered a low-risk situation for most, that doesn't mean that the process won't come with its own set of issues. "Gray hair tends to bedry and lesssupple due to the hairfolliclesproducing less oil," Anderson says. "So keeping your hair hydrated with a weekly hair mask is especially important," he adds. As is using a color-correcting, violet-based shampoo and conditioner to neutralize unwanted yellow tones.

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