• Question: Why does your hair turn grey as you get older?

    Asked by AlexaRayner to Jackie, Michele, Oliver, Vicky, Yelong on 10 Mar 2015. This question was also asked by libbyhope.
    • Photo: Jaclyn Bell

      Jaclyn Bell answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      It is not my area of expertise but you go grey because you don’t produce as much of the pigment which colours your hair, called melanin. Melanin is also what helps your skin tan. When the pigment stops being produced your hair goes lighter until all the cells producing the pigment die off and then you go completely grey. Apparently stress really can speed up the greying process, as can smoking.

    • Photo: Oliver Brown

      Oliver Brown answered on 12 Mar 2015:

      Exactly as Jackie says, it’s to do with reduced production of the pigments that colour your hair. It starts when you’re quite young too — I already have my first grey one 🙁

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