Age 42. Hair going seriously grey. Shall I now let nature take it's course?

[TartWithAHeart]

I'm 42. My hair has had white bits in since my 30's. At the moment there is a serious white lightening streak at the top of my head with not a black hair in sight.

I have been dying it to my natural dark dark brown colour for ages. But am fed up now. Have any of you dared to show your greying heads in public? I can't even think of any youngish grey role models can you?

My DS is 4.3. Starts school in Sept. Will people think I'm his granny? DH (also grey at 45) said that there was a boy at his school and they all used to take the p* out of him because he had a grey dad!

I like my white hair - but then you have peole aged 60+ sporting flowing chestnut tresses, well....

So, to dye or not to dye?

If you like it, keep it. If you feel good coloruing it, go ahead. It's about how you feel, not anybody else.

Lots of children have grey parents - or even bald - especially nowadays with people becoming parents at a relatively advanced age. I don't think it would be an issue for any child.

And as for making you look like granny, well that depends on the rest of your face, body, dressing etc. I had a maths teacher at school who had thick salt-and-pepper hair in a sleek, sharp bob. I thought she looked absolutely the bee's knees, and when my mum started going grey I tried to persuade her to let be and not highlight, just because this maths teacher so impressed me with her appearance. I doubt the teacher was older then than we are know (I'm 41).

Besides, white lighting streaks can look sooooo fantastic.

You could always get the grey done as blonde highlights? (depends on if you like the look!)

I'm 41 and am not prepared to give up the good fight just yet - if I could go straight to grey/white it woudl be fine, but I hate that salt and pepper look.
Re the granny fear - no, if you look and dress like a 42 year old then there will be no problems - the hair colour won't come into it.

I will watch with interest. my grey flecks are increasing. I had a go at dying it and hated it so am thinking I'll let it be, but interested in opinions.

I also agree that grey can loook good. I have a collegue who is completely silver - good haircut, longish bob, dresses quite smarlty and fashionably. I was stunned to find out recently that she's due to retire in a couple of years. I had her down for mid-late fifties - despite the hair - some people carry it really well and look young in other ways.

And I also think you have to have a long-term plan. if you dye now when do you stop? how do you stop? chestnut hair at 70 looks plain daft and screams vanity. all imho. (think I've just answered my own q...)

I'm 37 and my hair is noticeably grey now, it's been going grey since I was 16. I do have it coloured but as it's expensive so I do let it go very grey before I get it coloured again. I know what you mean about getting fed up dyeing it though, as well as being expensive it takes so long!? I keep wondering at what age I might just stop dyeing it, maybe late forties I reckon...

I'm 42. My hair is going grey, I've never dyed it and I don't intend to start now.

yep, depends what sort of hair you've got..
i've got mad irish brillo-pad hair. reckon succumbing to my (rampaging) grey would make me look like a mad witch

so spend a fortune colouring it at mo (not as often as i should as it costs a small fortune, doesn't it?)

my mum, has short spiky grey hair which looks fab - a much better look than her chestnut poodle perm while i was growing up!

oh, and god yes, the 'just dyed" look a la ray reardon is awful, eh? better then the grey, though..

oh - and i'm nearly 45..

and agree the white streak sounds cool. you're not a mallen, are you?

I'm 43. I've got what I call a Mallen Streak in my hair -see here for crap illustration!. I used to have highlights but have long since given up. Now I've grown my hair a bit more it actually looks quite good. My hairdresser loves it and I have to admit, having hated it for years, I'm quite attached to it now (literally!) [grin. Not sure if pic on profile really does it justice!

smithy - just had a look at your profile - looks very silver and cool to me. i see you're into running - come and dip into the running thread under health. I can't believe you ever had 3 stone to loose btw. you look great!

Aww thanks hatwoman! I'll see you on the running thread. I've entered a 3.3km race in March, the Sport Relief 6 miler on 16th March and just selecting which Race for Life to do.......

Just tricked DS into having a nap,with lots of cuddles - so have some me time now.

Interesting posts here. I have my hair in dreadlocks, cut to chin length bob. So the "lightening streak" looks quite obvious down the middle.

Lately whenever I dye it I have this "who are you trying to kid" feeling. My mum always dyed hers and still does at 75 - jet black. I grew up with the smell of hair dye. It's so messy too. I do it at home and always manage to splash some somewhere that it doesn't wash off!

Smithy - looking good girl!

Been trying to upload a pic of Toni Morrison - that's the look I am aiming for actually.