Ladies - any "Silver Foxes" among us?

[sassygal]

Vintage 1957. I have colored my hair a brunette color (was my natural color) for years now due to graying. At first the gray coming in made my hair look a mousey brown with no shine at all. You, know, a strand here, a strand there, and then lots more.

Now, two weeks after my color, the roots are coming in looking silver to me. My hairstylist says I am about 75- 80% gray. Sometimes I am tempted to "leave it alone" and see what it will look like. I keep it it in a longer bob, just grazing the shoulders. Long enough to keep my neck warm in winter and easy to pull back or up in summer.  Getting to the all over stage of growing it out stops me. I use a straight iron to straighten it.

After menopause my hair went from wavy to downright curly in some spots (but not others).
If I were to go al a naturale and wash and wear, I evision myself looking like Cousin It from the Adams Family!

Courage will come someday! Sure would love to spend that money on other things.

[slccom]

One possible transition is to have your hair dyed to match your roots.

Sharon

[Velcro]

Can you get your hair dyed gray?

[sassygal]

Hmm... I never thought of dying the rest of the hair gray to match the roots! I'll ask about it the next time I go in. I'd love to know what that would entail. Years ago before the gray started winning out I had blondish highlights added in. Eventually had to stop that due to stripping the color first to apply
the lighter color was killing my hair.

Thanks for the idea!

[harrigan]

I have been naturally white/grey/silver/brown for 2 years now and I like it. I now use a conditioner with lilac tones - if I leave it on longer, I get beautifully conditioned, purple-rinse hair!  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I really like it. 

Bucky, you could try using a semi-permanent colour each time you re-touch until after the graduation.  Then you can let it fade quickly afterwards, especially if you have a shorter style.  Let us know how you get on xx Ailsa

[Bucky]

Can you get your hair dyed gray?

Wow!     Instead of sticker shock, you'd have mirror shock seeing it all happen all at once.  I don't think I'm brave enough to take that plunge, if it's even available.

Anybody willing to try it??   

Bucky

[irish]

I have been grey for years. I had an aunt who was all white before she was 30 years old. Runs in the family. I starting getting the gray when I was early 30's and it just kept on coming. Pretty grey in 40's and on my 50th birthday my sister called and said "now it is time for you to color your hair." Guess she was waiting to say that!!!

I colored it for about 10 years, but it really dried my hair out. I had the thyroid issue and had perms frequently and then add the color and I looked like a brush fire waiting to happen. When I am rested and dressed up (do't hold your breath on this) I don't look too bad, but I am seriously thinking of coloring my hair again. The big thing stopping me is all the meds I am on and the chance of allergic reaction with my IVIG. Many people look so good with the white hair. Irish

[Velcro]

Can you get your hair dyed gray?

Wow!     Instead of sticker shock, you'd have mirror shock seeing it all happen all at once.  I don't think I'm brave enough to take that plunge, if it's even available.

Anybody willing to try it??   

Bucky

Lol.  It would be a shock but I'm just thinking it would keep me from cutting all my hair off when I decide to do it!  Ha ha.  Even if it didn't match perfectly, it probably would look a little better during the growing out process?

[sassygal]

Velcro,

You go first and let me know how it goes. LOL!

Sassygal

[Velcro]

Ummm.....Ummmm....

[LucyD]

I am a baby boomer of 1952. I started having my hair colored and highlighted about 10 years ago. It is colored a medium brown with honey highlights.
It is a short, layered cut.

If it were natural, I think it would be a mousy, drab brown-dark-gray with silver salt and pepper - not too pretty.
If it were all silver or white, I think I would let it go natural immediately.

I keep thinking about stopping the coloring. It is expensive and takes time! I don't like sitting and waiting while it is colored and I don't like the chemicals.

But, I keep thinking I want to find a job with less stress and I am concerned about the prejudice against older people, so will probably keep coloring it for a while until after I find a better job or until I just don't care. 

[LucyD]

Velcro, I just bought what I was sure was a chocolate chip cookie at lunch and when I bit into it, I realized it was a raisin cookie!!! Thought of you instantly!

[Velcro]

Velcro, I just bought what I was sure was a chocolate chip cookie at lunch and when I bit into it, I realized it was a raisin cookie!!! Thought of you instantly!

Ha Ha!  Stoopid raisins....

[Ripvanann]

Retired "big shot" hairstylist here. =) A couple of things:

1.) No, you can't color your hair gray. Hair that is turning white (which is what gray hair is), is actually losing all of its pigment. When you take color out (highlighting/bleaching), you can only get it to a very pale blond. This pale blond can look platinum on someone who has all platinum hair, because you'll use a violet based toner to counteract the little bit of yellow that's left. However, when that it up against brown (or even blond), it still looks yellowish. Also, it's very difficult to get color treated hair to lighten all the way to that platinum color.

2.) Your best bet is to color your hair as close to it's natural base color highlight it. As it grows out, have your stylist highlight it only on the color treated hair, leaving the roots alone. He or she should still use a toner.

3.) How long it will take to grow out, all depends on how fast your hair grows and how long it is. Hair below your shoulders that's one length, may take as long as couple of years. One length hair always takes longer than layers.

I found my first gray hair when I was 16 years old. Yes, you can get gray hair from stress (just look at all of our ppresidents when they entered office and when they left.  I had a lot of stress even back then as a teenager. However, half of my Dad's siblings had premature gray so who knows.

I couldn't color my hair as often when I got sick a few years ago. Nothing looks worse than roots! However, I liked the gray that was showing. When my hair turned to fuzz from varius illnesses, I went super short again and it's all natural now. I'm 42 years old and my hair is about 60% gray. I love it! Go for it Velcro! By the way, my husband and 5 young kids love it as well. Truly, just about everyone does, save for some of my old hairstylist friends. =)

Elaine is right, no matter what you say, age is attached to gray. However, I've yet to see a woman (or man) whom I thought looked *best* with colored hair. A nice head of silver/white or salt and pepper hair is always most flattering in my opinion. It's a trade off. I try to dress fun and funky (not trendy) and this seems to offset the idea of an old lady... My big dentures and all!

I do like to do low lights in gray hair that looks rather "dusty" or washed out. This happens because it's either right in between gray and silver, or gray and white. Doing some nice dark streaks in there, really makes the light hair "pop" as they say.

Okay, just my 2 ?. =)

[slccom]

Just curious for those who have let their hair follow nature's course and turn gray, silver or white - how long did it take for the whole process?  Six months, a year, or longer?

My hair in below my shoulders and I know it will take some time for the whole head to be the same color.

When I looked in the mirror yesterday, I swear the white part had grown 4 inches overnight!!   

Does stress in ones life make the process go faster?

Our son graduates from high school in May.  Hubby and I are about 5 - 10 yrs. older than the vast majority of senior parents and I don't want to "embarrass" our son having his white haired / multi-colored hair mom at graduation.  I don't like having my picture taken - but, on such an occasion, there WILL be pictures taken.  Sigh.

What to do, what to do?!   

Bucky

Wear a hat. Or a turban.

Sharon