Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Graffiti

“Gray hair is God's graffiti.” (Bill Cosby)

There are two groups of aging people. Those who embrace their gray as a badge of growing older, and those who dread looking in the mirror because of their ever increasing grey hair, which they will color in the future. We’ve all heard plenty of myths about gray hair that point to a loss of youth.  No matter who you’ve heard your gray hair information from. Let’s finally separate the facts from the fiction:

·        Covering grays is high maintenance: To keep your hair fresh and bright, you'll color your hair every four to six weeks. A salon isn’t required. Try an at-home hair color formula, like Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Coverage instead of dialing your stylist. It’ll save you time, money, and a headache.

 

·        Gray hair is naturally coarse: While gray hair feels coarse and rough, the structure of the strand hasn’t actually changed. When those melanin-producing cells run out of steam, the hair follicles also produce less sebum (the natural oils that hydrate hair). As a result, gray hair tends to be drier, which gives it that wiry texture.

 

·        Gray hairs are hard to style: They’re not inherently hard to style, but because grays are so coarse they can be a little less manageable than pigmented hair. The solution is easy: Just replace the hydration that the follicle no longer produces. Opt for styling products that contain moisturizing ingredients like botanical oils and choose styling creams and hair oils over gels and sticky sprays to keep grays hydrated all day.

 

·        Hair turns gray over time: This is a trick of the eye. Rather than gradually turning gray, a strand of hair sheds, and if your melanin-producing cells are slowing down, a new, less-pigmented hair replaces it. (This is why your entire head of hair doesn’t turn gray all at once.)

 

·        Plucking grays makes more grow back: One of the oldest myths there’s no truth to is plucking gray hair is a bad idea. It can weaken the follicle, and the hair won’t grow back there. Plus, you may cause collateral damage in the process. When you’re trying to pluck that gray hair, a lot of times you don’t get the exact hair. Remember how gray hair starts as a fresh strand of hair? This basically creates the perfect condition for that to happen.

 

·        Stress turns hair gray: Stress contributes to but doesn’t cause gray hair. The latest research shows that it may speed up the process, but you won’t suddenly grow grays after a stressful event. (Stress can cause hair loss.)

 

·        You can’t color stubborn grays at home: If you have grays that no longer take on color the way they used to, you need a product that really works, and you don't need to go to a salon to get it. Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Coverage hair color uses CoverPlus Technology to provide coverage on even super resistant grays. Even wiry strands won't get past it.

 

·        You only get stubborn grays when you hit a certain age: This isn't so. You can get stubborn grays at any age because they're caused by a loss of melanin (not years since you were born), which can happen when you're 20 or 60.

 

·        Your lifestyle doesn't affect when you’ll go gray: It does. Not only is smoking cigarettes linked to earlier graying, but new research shows that your diet can have an impact, too. A deficiency in vitamins key for hair health, like vitamin B, folic acid, and biotin, is associated with earlier graying, while levels of iron, calcium, and vitamin D3 may play a role in going gray. In other words, a well-balanced, nutritious diet won’t reverse grays, but it may help keep them at bay.

 “Wrinkles mean you laughed. Grey hair means you cared, and scars mean you lived.”   (FB.com/LifeLearnedFeelings)[i]



[i] Sources used:
·        The Biggest Gray Hair Myths, Debunked” by Deanna Pai

·        “The Most Common Gray Hair Myths Debunked” by Yagana Shah

 

 

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