Why does hair turn grey as we grow older?

Answer 1

This is a website for kids, but it gives a pretty good answer:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/getting_older/gray_hair.html

Answer 2

The pigmentation changes color.
Each hair on our heads is made up of two parts:

a shaft - the colored part we see growing out of our heads
a root - the bottom part, which keeps the hair anchored under the scalp
The root of every strand of hair is surrounded by a tube of tissue under the skin that is called the hair follicle (say: fah-lih-kul). Each hair follicle contains a certain number of pigment cells. These pigment cells continuously produce a chemical called melanin (say: meh-luh-nin) that gives the growing shaft of hair its color of brown, blonde, red, and anything in between.

Melanin is the same stuff that makes our skin's color fair or darker. It also helps determine whether a person will burn or tan in the sun. The dark or light color of someone's hair depends on how much melanin each hair contains.

As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color - like gray, silver, or white - as it grows. As people continue to get older, fewer pigment cells will be around to produce melanin. Eventually, the hair will look completely gray.

People can get gray hair at any age. Some people go gray at a young age - as early as when they are in high school or college - whereas others may be in their 30s or 40s before they see that first gray hair. How early we get gray hair is determined by our genes. This means that most of us will start having gray hairs around the same age that our parents or grandparents first did.

Answer 3

I don't think it has anything to do with being older. My son who is now 13 yrs. old started having grey hairs at age 6. Each time that he had a hair cut we would notice that he had more grey coming in. He still has them and they have not so much increased in number as they have become more noticeable(more shiny and prominent)

Answer 4

The hair is not just a part of your body and it is a symbol of beauty, status and health. It is important for you to take proper care of your health in order to prevent early hair loss. Learn here https://bitly.im/aMJRX It is not a very serious problem and with a little bit of caution you will be able to prevent further hair loss. There are certain uncontrollable factors like pregnancy conditions or certain illness or genetic factors that will result in hair loss. But, this does not mean that you cannot do something about your hair loss.

Answer 5

The pigmentation...called "melanin" slows down its production as one grows older and eventually stops. The result is gray hair. When the pigmentation slows down, you will see "salt and pepper" coloring...partially gray and partially blond, brown, red or black. When the coloring agent stops completely, you will see 100% gray hair.

While most western societies view gray or graying hair as the ending of life, I would prefer to view it as the BEGINNING of life...your true and ethical values shine through...gone are the necessities of "living on the edge" and being the center of attention. In eastern societies, persons who are growing grayer are seen as the sages and elders...the wise people of the clan. Many First Peoples societies also love the graying members of the tribes as the wise men and wise women.

I love my silvering hair. I am hoping many more women will follow the lead of silver foxes like myself and will let their true gray/silver/pewter/platinum shine through!

Answer 6

because the part of your body that produces the colour that lines the inside of your hair stops producing as you age and therefore you hair becomes lighter and more transparent (which appears as grey or white) depending on how much your body has stopped producing.

Answer 7

becuz you know when you you get old you grow and when you grows stuff changes in your body which determins the color of your hair to the size of your foot soooooo....thats why hair turns grey and you get older

Answer 8

It's because the hair is dying. That's why it turns grey.

Answer 9

because the women we marry and the children we have result in stressfull situations that frazzle our nerves and create stress. Stress is the reason.

Answer 10

Because of a lack of copper in the diet.