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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Grey hair age 23?

20 replies

Shoot4theMoon · 19/03/2023 18:09

My brothers DD is 13 and her hair is turning grey like all of it! She has always had very dark brown hair but in recent weeks it’s all going grey. I haven’t said anything or asked her as I feel she may well be self conscious of it as most of the time she either has a hat on it a bike helmet but I seen her right after school and then at a family gathering without any hats and her hair is indeed turning grey. Why would that be at such a young age? My DD is same age and has a lot of friends same age and iv never seen it before happening so young it’s not just like one little grey patch (my friends brother had a small grey patch when we were young) it’s literally her full head!

OP posts:
Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 19/03/2023 18:09

I realise title says 23 but it is 13 not 23

OP posts:
Feliciacat · 19/03/2023 18:13

I’ve been going grey since 22 (I realise your DN is 13, not 23) but I was able to last seven years without dying it as I wanted to retain the hair condition. Now that I dye it, the texture has never been the same. I’d advise against dyeing it.

It sounds like her roots are grey at the moment and the rest of the hair isn’t? It’ll look better once it all grows out. I’d grow mine out but I don’t want a badger stripe (which I have very strongly as my hair dye is so bright). On natural hair, the badger stripe won’t show as much.

Feliciacat · 19/03/2023 18:14

Once you start dyeing, it’s very hard to stop so I’d say to watch and wait for now.

Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 19/03/2023 18:25

Yes the roots are grey and almost grey streaks of hair also at first I thought she had died in that colour but then I seen the roots and knew it was coming in that colour

OP posts:
Feliciacat · 19/03/2023 18:31

I think you should be guided by how she feels about it. As someone who wishes they could grow their hair out, I’d say only do it if she wants to. Grey hair looks cool on young people anyway. If she doesn’t like it then dye it; if she doesn’t care then don’t bother. Dyeing is so annoying and ruins your hair.

Boogismyname · 19/03/2023 18:32

What are the genetics like in relation to this? I've heard it's a very inheritable trait.

Feliciacat · 19/03/2023 18:58

@Boogismyname it definitely is. My Mum was the same. I believe male pattern baldness and grey hair come from your Mum’s X chromosome (I’m not a geneticist though).

Worriedmrs · 20/03/2023 13:14

It could be genetics. I have grey hair since 13 as well but the biggest mistake was to just consider genes. We do have grey hair in our genes but for us it is caused by b12 deficiency. Turns out that in my family we don't absorb b12 well.
My hair have stopped turning grey since I started having vaccination for b12.

Worriedmrs · 20/03/2023 13:15

* sorry I meant b12 injections every 3 months and not vaccination

Feliciacat · 20/03/2023 14:40

@Worriedmrs, do the injections mean that the grey reverses? Or does it just stop new grey happening? Interested for myself. My Mum also has pernicious anaemia. Not sure if I do though.

Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 20/03/2023 15:14

Her mum is Grey but she’s 55, her dad ( my brother) he’s also gone grey now he’s 48 (ish) sorry I should know I guess! He’s grey and has some balding but before this her parents both had very dark brown / black hair but they started greying at 40+

OP posts:
Worriedmrs · 21/03/2023 06:22

The grey hair does not reverse but the new ones don't turn grey.

Feliciacat · 21/03/2023 06:35

Thanks for the info @Worriedmrs. Too late for me now then! I’m very grey!

@Shoot4theMoon maybe you should mention it to her parents and suggest she gets tested for B12 deficiency in case that’s why she’s going grey.

Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 21/03/2023 19:17

Thank you I will mention to
my brother

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DewinDwl · 21/03/2023 19:22

My mum started going grey very gradually late twenties. She's in her sixties now and almost all grey but no quite.

DSis started going grey mid twenties, by her early thirties she was fully grey.

I am mid forties and only have the odd grey.

so yeah worth checking the vitamin b12 but early greying is not rare.

Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 21/03/2023 20:08

So if your b12 is low so you take a supplement and dyed your hair once to cover the grey, no more Grey hair would grow?

OP posts:
RunnyPaint · 21/03/2023 20:17

I worked with a young lady who had b12 deficiency and dyed her hair, as well as having the jabs. But, this is only anecdotal, and your niece is 10 years younger than the girl I used to work with.

mondaytosunday · 21/03/2023 20:21

I started going grey at 17. My dad had all white hair by 35. I've dyed it ever since (I'm 60 now).

Original poster
Shoot4theMoon · 21/03/2023 20:25

@mondaytosunday did you ever find out why or can it just be natural ?

OP posts:
SoAndSoSaidSo · 21/03/2023 21:02

I started going grey about 15ish. Runs in my family.

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