What it means when your hair goes grey

Spotting your first grey hair can be a traumatizing experience. What’s even more shocking is finding the little terrors in your pubic hair.

Before you go on a plucking rampage (ouch!), know that it’s a totally normal rite of passage. “Just like the hair on your head, as you age, the hair in the pubic area will also thin and gray,” says Sejal Shah, M.D., a New York City dermatologist and RealSelf contributor.

The fact that your pubic hair will go grey is a sure thing—but exactly when is not so clear-cut. That’s because your genes run the show, so it could happen for you at a completely different time than your friends.

And it may not even happen at the same time that the hair on your head starts to lose its hue, says Shah.
Your ponytail strands will grey first, and then the hair downstairs will start to turn, says Wendy Askew, M.D., an ob-gyn with the Institute for Women’s Health in San Antonio.

Up to 23 per cent of the population has at least 50 per cent grey coverage (on their heads, mind you) by their 50th birthdays, according to a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology. If you think your lady curtains are greying prematurely, a lack of vitamin B12 or a gland disorder in the thyroid or the pituitary could be to blame, says Shah. Or, you could have a skin condition called vitiligo if the greying is accompanied by white patches on the skin, she says.

Read also: 5 Nigerian stews and sauces you can make without tomatoes

Research has shown these are the most common reasons for premature greying on the head, but there’s reason to believe they could contribute to greying in the nether region as well, explains Shah.

So, how can you stop it? “Since greying is often genetically determined, it can be difficult to delay the inevitable,” says Shah. The first step to keep greys at bay is to stop smoking, she says.

One study found smokers were 2.5 times more likely to spot grey hairs prematurely than non-smokers. If you’ve quit smoking then B12 supplements or other B vitamins, like iodine and selenium, could build up your B12 levels to keep the greys from taking over. Before you start popping B vitamins like nut butter snacks, chat with your doctor or healthcare provider about recommended dosages, advises Shah.

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