To be or not to be - gray

[surgtech1956]

I embraced the gray. I have med-dk brown hair or had, I have quite a bit of gray streaks. I colored my hair a few times, but decided its just a losing battle. I hate when I see women with gray roots coming in, so I decided to go 'o naturale'. Look at Jamie Lee Curtis, she's all gray. Just do what makes you comfortable.

[aka_kim]

I'm 49 and am trying to embrace my gray, but we'll see how that goes. I think all-gray hair is very attractive, it's the transition that's not always so great.

It kind of bothers me that culturally I think women are expected to hide their gray, while men, unless in the public eye, usually don't feel that pressure. Although maybe it's not really a cultural expectation, just a practical way of dealing with early and unwelcome signs of aging.

[TsPoet]

I'm 43 and dirty gray. I started going gray when I was 25.
I'm too lazy to dye.

[Selkie]

I guess I'm tacky because I do get silver roots when it's close to touch up time. ;-) I tried highlights for awhile but found it was too time consuming for me (single process color and a cut are about all the time I want to spend in a salon every 6 weeks).

I'm going to be 47 soon and started seeing silver in my hair when I was 18. Not long after that, I started coloring it myself. Went red, which is perfect for my skin tone (natural hair is brownish/red). When I began my career, I started going to a professional to have it colored. The truth is that the L'oreal shade I was using was lovely but it was a PITA to do it myself. In addition, I could never just do the roots and ended up putting the dye all over, which wasn't good for my hair.

I intend to let it go natural as soon as it's almost completely silver. I couldn't carry off the salt and pepper color (skin tone, etc.). Fortunately, I've inherited my mom's silver, which is gorgeous---white & sparkly. Just have to wait until the silver overtakes most of the brown......

This is a personal choice for you, and if you are comfortable going natural, do it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I'm 56. Love my sparkling silver! Got fed up with dyeing about 5 years ago. Good riddance to all that work and mess. I look better now!

[Bike Chick]

I'm 51 and started pulling gray hairs from my head at 19 and started coloring at age 23 and continued coloring (both store bought and salon when I could afford it) until I was 45. I gave up the fight and let the gray grow out just to see how bad it really was. I was shocked to see how completely gray I was but also pleased to see what a pretty color gray my hair had become.

I haven't colored since and never will again. It was a constant battle trying to hide the skunk stripe and going lighter and lighter with my color to hide the contrast. My hair is much healthier and I am always receiving compliments--even from complete strangers! I now wear it proudly. I call it my Emme Lou Harris look

My husband likes it and my children have gotten used to it. The only person that voices an objection is my mother--who still colors her hair at age 73!

[Bike Chick]

I'm 56. Love my sparkling silver! Got fed up with dyeing about 5 years ago. Good riddance to all that work and mess. I look better now!

I'm with you, BleeckerSt_Girl, it's liberating, isn't it? I actually had a complete stranger standing behind me in line at the grocery store tell me she wished she was as brave as me to let it grow out. I don't think it has anything to do with bravery. It was a lot of work and mess!

[Aggie_Ama]

I don't consider myself an overly vain woman but ever since I could remember my hair was the source of compliments. I have naturally straight, thick but fine texture hair. If I think it looks good I feel great. At some point I will embrace my gray but not anytime soon. My simple hair takes 20 minutes from wet to out the door and still gets tons of compliments. So I admit it, I dye because I am too in love with my hair to try gray. I use the Loreal 10 minute dye and it really doesn't feel like too much work.

[Crankin]

I am 56 and I really don't have much gray. Only a few errant hairs at my part, which I vigorously pull out. I was a natural blonde, whose hair was always many different colors. In fact, my mom was often accused of highlighting my hair when I was young! All of a sudden,when I was around 40, I realized I was no longer a blonde, but a light brown haired person, with some golden highlights. Did not like that at all. I had experimented with highlights in my early thirties, but didn't continue for a few years. So, I've been highlighting my hair for around 15 years. My hairdresser uses foils and it does not smell at all. I just cut my hair very short again (a pixie), which is flattering to me. So, I've had highlights with all lengths and styles. Frankly, I do not want to show any gray right now. I don't look good in silver, especially next to my face. It just washes me out. I have some deep laugh lines and I don't need anything making me look older while I am changing careers and looking for a job in 2011! Right now, most people I am working with think I am in my mid forties and I prefer to keep it that way, until I am no longer concerned about age discrimination. I think that just continuing to highlight as I have been will take care of most of the gray initially, especially, since my hair is short. Then, I will probably try the low lights.
Since my parents didn't really get gray until 65 or so, I have a while to worry.
Yes, I am vain, but, hey, I accept it.

[KnottedYet]

Yes, I am vain, but, hey, I accept it.

Doesn't sound vain to me. Sounds pragmatic. Good on ya!

[malkin]

I don't mind it.
When the subject comes up, I call it "going platinum."

[Catrin]

I change my mind on this one - right now I dye my hair - the gray streaks washes out my complexion and makes me look about 15 years older than I am. My profession is very male-dominated, and I've noted that I get treated with more respect - and they seem to listen to me more - when my hair is dyed. I don't think it should matter, but for now I will continue to color my hair. I reserve the right to change my mind again in the future

I don't think it would be quite the same if I had a full head of silver - it is the in-between stuff...

[Bike Chick]

I will agree that when I see pictures of myself as a brunette, I consider dying my hair again because I look so much younger. I think the gray adds about 10 years to my face but when I remember having to dye it every 3 weeks and wear a style to keep the grow-out covered, I reconsider.

You do have to change the color of your clothing and makeup to keep the gray hair from totally washing out your complexion. It's a big change.

[kmehrzad]

the texture is also changing. The whites are less curly and more just wild....

Eden is so right about the change in texture. If there's one positive about going gray it's that it gives your hair more body (or so I find). I color my hair and have gone lighter than my previous brown, but one day I hope to 'embrace the silver' and save some money.

[owlice]

I used to have dark blonde hair, but now have very fine light brown hair with some silver/white/grey hairs. I've earned them all! I'm far too lazy and cheap (er, frugal; yeah, that's right, I'm frugal ) to color my hair. I grew it long, cut it off and donated it last year, and will continue to do that until I have too much grey for my hair to be donation-worthy. (Dyed hair can't be donated.) As I age, my hair gets thinner and thinner, so I don't really care what color any hair is, so long as I get to keep it!