To Dye Or Not
Aging is different for everyone, and there are as many reasons why people don't dye their gray hair as there are reasons why people do. However, it's important to note that hair can lose pigment at any age—some people are even born without it! Let's explore some reasons why people do and don't dye their grays.
1. Sense Of Control
One of the main reasons why people dye their gray hairs is to regain a sense of control over their appearance. Gray hairs do not ask for permission before growing, and this can feel like an invasion. Some people dye their hair for a while before letting the grays come in naturally, allowing them the freedom of choice.
2. Ageism
Like it or not, society is conditioned to see older women as frail and doddering, unable to have autonomy over their own lives. For women who go gray prematurely, their hair could lead to people assuming them to be older than they are. Society values youth, and gray hair is the antithesis of youth.
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3. Self-Confidence
Some people simply do not like the way that grey hair looks on them. Perhaps the silver strands clash with their natural color, or maybe they prefer the look of their natural color. Whatever the case is, dying over those pesky grays allows them more confidence in their appearance.
4. Improved Texture
Gray hair also comes with a change of texture. Hair follicles become coarser and wirier when they fail to release sebum, a natural moisturizer. Dyeing hair makes it more manageable.
5. Missed Opportunities
Like we said, older women are often unfairly stigmatized in society. This could lead to women who are prematurely grey getting passed over for opportunities in their personal or professional lives, due to an association with age or competence. Nobody wants to be unfairly targeted.
6. Family Pressure
Another big reason why people dye their gray hair is due to family pressure. Even the most loving family can cause insecurity through nitpicking appearances. People may also turn to dye for fear of being unattractive to their partner.
7. Societal Pressure
Again, we live in a society which prioritizes two things: youth and beauty. Performing femininity is often the baseline for women to be socially accepted. This performance includes a level of maintenance, such as dying hair to appear young and beautiful.
8. Fear Of Looking Tired
Going off of that last point, women who don't perform that accepted level of femininity are often seen as tired or lazy for letting their body exist in its natural state. Scheduling monthly root touch-ups can be exhausting, but having people constantly ask you if you're tired because you don't dye your hair is even more exhausting. Sometimes you just want people to stop talking about you.
9. Fear Of Ageing
No matter how much we try to embrace ageing and make society more accommodating to older people, ageing can be scary! There's no shame in admitting that many people find the changes their body experiences during aging to be stressful. It's only natural that they would want to delay those changes for a little while.
10. New Opportunity
Not all people who dye their hair dye it natural colors! Silver or white hair is the perfect canvas for color experimentation if you never had a box-dye phase in your youth. You can skip the bleach, too!
Now that we've covered a few reasons why people might dye their greys, let's look at a few reasons not to.
1. Cost Effective
There's no two ways about it, hair dye is expensive. Regardless of whether you do it yourself or go to a salon, that chunk of change adds up. Many people have cited financial incentive as a main reason why they stopped dyeing their hair.
2. Low Maintenance
Just because society expects a certain level of maintenance doesn't mean you have to provide it! For women who aren't interested in dyeing their hair or aren't particularly feminine, letting their grays grow is simply logical. More maintenance, more problems.
3. Gray Hair Is Chic
Remember a few years ago when the granny hair trend was all the rage? Young people were actually paying to go gray for a worldly, sophisticated look. While trends come and go, gray hair has remained firmly in the spotlight since then.
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4. Body Neutrality
Amidst the surge of 2010s body positivity campaigns arose the body neutrality movement. Body neutrality prioritizes your body's function over its appearance. With body neutrality, it doesn't matter if you think your body is beautiful or not, and you don't have to think so, you just have to respect what it is.
5. Scalp Health
Constant dyeing can really do a number on your hair (we all knew someone in university who box-dyed their hair one too many times and had it fall out). Even the most natural of dyes have chemicals which can mess with your scalp health. That's why many people are prioritizing a healthy scalp over blended roots.
6. Highlights Natural Features
in many cases, gray hair serves to enhance natural features rather than detract from them. Silver can serve to brighten lighter skin and eyes, offering a natural pop of color. On the other hand, silver deepens dark skin and eyes, making your features look richer.
7. Cool Contrast
Not all hair goes gray at the same time. Tinsel hair extensions and high-contrast money pieces are both wonderful examples of how light and dark hair can play together. Whether you have a strands of silver sprinkled throughout your scalp or a gray streak at the front, you're doing your features a favor by allowing them to pop.
8. Free Time
Think of all the time you spend dyeing your hair. All that time at the beauty supply store or salon could be spent enjoying your life and loved ones. Free time is already a valuable commodity, and dyeing your hair eats away at what little free time we have.
9. Environmental Impact
If you're buying hair dye, there's a 99% chance it comes swaddled in sheaths of plastic with gloves and applicators that will likely outlive you. It's next to impossible to find a good Eco-friendly dye. And that's without getting into all those chemical.
10. Uniqueness
No two heads of hair are unique, especially when they go gray. Think of your gray hairs an accessory you don't have to worry about forgetting at home. Besides, you might just inspire others to let their greys grow out!
