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Go gray

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Should you go gray or make that gray go away, as you age? If you are more interested in the health of your hair and less interested in bending to societal pressures, then choose to go gray.

Going gray might mean you will look older, but it will also mean that your hair will be allowed to retain its original vitality. Chemical dyes strip hair of its health reducing hair to a brittle mass after repeated dye applications, no matter how much conditioner is used.

Another reason to go gray is that some hair dyes simply don't mix well with a natural gray color; they turn the hairs a kind of unattractive brassy shade. Then it's a trip down the rabbit hole as you try product after product, shade after shade. And with each application, the health of your hair diminishes until you are left with a rat's nest akin to straw.

What about cost? Keeping gray hair from being gray is a serious commitment, in both time and money; coloring needs to be done every six weeks, or so. As the hair grows out exposing a thatch of truly unattractive gray roots, you must re-color you hair. Whether you go to a salon, or you do the coloring yourself, you must shell out money. And give up time.

What about allergies? Many women find out too late that their skin is hypersensitive to the chemicals in a hair dye. Here is an ugly word: Paraphenylenediamine (PPD). That's a chemical substance your tender skin comes into contact with when a dye is applied to your hair. Resulting rashes, redness, and swelling could well be a whole lot worse than a head of gray hair.

If you are waffling on your gray hair decision, try a semi-permanent rinse; it's a safe method that colors only the outer shell of the hair, without going deeper into the organic center of the hair like other dyes that cause a more permanent color change. Vegetable-based henna products are wonderful for temporarily changing the color of your hair. The product has a nice earthy smell, too.

In the end, a non-permanent rinse might be the perfect solution for you and your hair. It'll give you time to decide if constant dyeing is just too time-consuming. Or you might decide that your gray hair is pretty after all.

By the way, if you do decide to go gray naturally, there are shampoos designed just for you. Because so many women are opting for a more natural approach to their graying hair, hair care manufacturers have been forced to come up with products to enhance gray hair; shampoos like Silver Fox, Blue Malva or Pantene are designed to remove brassy or yellow tinges, emphasizing a vibrant silver sparkle.

Mother Nature meant us to go gray, some earlier than others, but nevertheless, going gray is nature's way. So, why fight it? Don't bend to the pressure of vanity magazines. Get a really good hair cut, wash your hair with a brightening shampoo, and wear your silver helmet with pride.

Believe in yourself; believe that Mother Nature knows what she is doing. Turn you back on advertisers' pressure, and allow your hair to go gray naturally. Then get out there, and sparkle!

Learn more about this author, Sheree Zielke.
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