Time for a moment of honesty! I had my first gray hair when I was 15! And at that age, any guesses what I did? I pulled it out. Now I know, there’s a saying that if you pull out a gray hair, two more will grow back in it’s place. And perhaps that’s what happened in my case. At my age, I feel like I have a significant amount of gray hair, and I did start dyeing it a few years back once I was no longer able to part my hair a certain way to hide it. But I stumbled across an article today about the benefits of going gray. So I figured we could consider these at least.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have seen some beautiful ladies with gray hair. And there for a while, women were even dyeing their hair gray. (Is that still a trend? I’m out of the loop!) According to my mom, my maternal grandmother had a beautiful streak of gray in her hair. Which, that could be where I got mine from because they definitely seem to be more prominent in a certain spot. Honestly, I’d love to embrace my gray hair. Because I’m a bit too cheap to pay someone to dye my hair. And then I ALWAYS make a mess when I dye my hair at home. I have proof on my bathroom cabinet, the bathroom wall, a pair of pajama pants… and a towel.
I don’t dye my hair very often… maybe every 6 months or so. I’ll let the gray go for a while until I get tired of seeing them. Then I cave. I have also made the mistake of getting a color that’s a bit too dark. My hair is naturally black, or at least a very dark brown. Dyeing my hair too often has definitely caused it to look rough at times. And I never really want it to look like I dyed it!
Ok, so what are the benefits of going gray? Here at 5 benefits, according to Best Life Online.
Healthier Hair
This makes total sense. Just like other chemical treatments, it can definitely do some damage to your hair. The chemicals can not only color the hair, but also can cause brittleness, dryness, and even thinning (YIKES)!
And apparently, dying gray hair is even worse, because the hair is already more fragile!
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Healthier Scalp Too
Ever dyed your hair and had some itchiness afterward? Me too! That itchy scalp is often due to irritants and allergens in the chemical dye.
(Photo: vejaa / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Save Money!
Remember what I said up there? I’m too cheap to pay someone to dye my hair? Well, even if I use the box dye, it can still get expensive! Either way– salon or at home– we spend a lot of money not just on coloring… but then trying to protect, touch up, and heal our damaged hair!
(Photo: Motortion / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Added Dimension
Again, gray hair can be beautiful! Often there are different dimensions that look like highlights, which looks great! Plus, you can use at home toning treatments to boost the look– just ask your hair stylist for recommendations!
(Photo: Deagreez / Istock / Getty Images Plus)
And Lastly... You'll Feel FREE!
Hair dying can be stressful (which that can cause more gray, right?). Like me… you could choose the wrong color. You may also stress over the money spent. And of course, there’s that long-term damage, and even potential thinning!
So… maybe going gray is something to be embraced? I know my hair could use a break, and since I’ve experienced hair loss too… I may actually consider this!
(Photo: dragana991 / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
