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Conditions

Premature Greying

Going prematurely grey

Becoming a refined, silver-haired beauty like former newsreader, Anna Ford, or a ‘silver fox’ like Des Lynam, is perfectly acceptable with age. However, grey hair can sometimes besiege the bonces of the young, often during the teenage years. Interestingly, we all begin life with white hair, which then gets its natural colour before birth due to the formation of the pigment melanin. This subsequently gives us our beautiful and uniquely coloured flowing locks, which usually turn grey between the ages of 35-50 as part our genetic inheritance. Premature greying is often a symptom of Premature Ageing syndromes, but there are many other reasons why it occurs, such as genetic or hormonal factors; external reasons, such as climate, pollutants and toxins; or an underlying medical condition, such as poliosis, which causes localised patches of white hair, or the skin condition vitiligo. Get checked out by your GP if you’re worried. Otherwise, you can either go grey gracefully or reach for the mahogany hair colour.

Comments and Questions

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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

SAME HERE. been greying since 13 and don't have it in my family genes. i'm depressed. i'm 17 years old and my brother, who is 29 years old, is blond nad does'nt have a singke grey hair. i feel so old and jealous, and i always walk with a jacket and the hood on. i just can't undersetand: why me? why not someone else?





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Im 13 and my friends keep on commenting on me haveing lots of white hairs about 15 or more! and i dont know what to do, if i dye it i think they would notice and i was thinking of shaving my head. My dad has white hair aswell and went grey young aswell





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I am 13 and have noticed greying hair however the hair is half white and half brown(my natural colour) and so i'm not really sure whats going on





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ive had grey hair since i was 15 i am now 30. My hair is almost totaly grey. Ive bleached, dyed no matter what you do you get defeated by the grey. So i say go grey gracefully anyway its in fashion in america.





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You are not alone, I am 23 started going grey at 13. I also had a lot of stress for that age and it can be very straining on your body. Try to find a way to give your self a stress free period of time in a day. Some how I no it can be hard but it will benefit you in many ways, not just with the grey hair. Also make sure you are eating a balanced diet, with lots of b vitamins and include cooper also. If this is hard to do because I know it is hard for some people get some vitamins and make sure you take them everyday. Also the websight livestrong.com has many good information you could use.

Hi, iv just turned 14 and everyone has been commenting about my premature grey hair. i dont know why this is probably because of stress from Gcse`s and caring for my grandad. I really hate it when someone says "oh.. youv got some grey hairs Habib.. whats happening to you". i feel so angry and to be truthful jealous!! They even make jokes!! Please help immediatley, I would appreciate it greatly. Habib





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My son is 14 and he has the same problem and as we cannot understand why this is, i just advise him to smile & say to these other kids 'ye Im unique so what' and 'why you obsessing bout me anyway?'. I know this might not help but if they think it bothers you they do it more. Maybe a visit to doc and see if any underlying cause too. hope this helps.

I am 25 and have had white hair since i was 17 most of the hair on my head are white now even the hair in my bread and chest have started to go white not sure whats causing this and is there anything that will slow it down.





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I'm almost 21, and have found 3 silver hairs on my head. Neither of my parents have had premature grey hair so I am slightly concerned. I have been and still am under a lot of stress from work and other personal issues and wonder if this could be causing the silver.... I'm not sure what to try first, I have read that taking lots of caffeine can cause a lack of melanin, but I don't know where to start as I am getting a fair amount of grief from other work staff about my silver-ness... Please help





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im 13 years old i have grey penis hair but ginger hair and brown armpit hair is this normalll helppp





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i have been wighting for new nees for ten years first i am to young then i am obest i am waiting for a stomack band but this in going no wear i am in constant pain 24 hours a day from a dameged spine pain in my feet pain in my nees and can not get any help but in seems if you apear on your show you get all the help you need can you put some of your magic my way please yours graham.





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My roots are grey and i would like to dye it but the trouble is i had allergic reaction to a hair dye and was very ill, i have kept on trying different hair dyes doing the skin tests after the fourth attempt on the skin test after 48 hours i think i might have found one that i didnt come up in a rash but i am still afraid to go through with it just incase the skin test r different to the head.





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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