# Grey hairs



## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

I know this is asinine.  But, in the past year, I've started seeing grey hairs...  I've never had grey hairs. 

So I'm wondering if others have also noticed the appearance of grey hairs after a difficult time...

PS:  And no, I don't actually care - that's what hair dye was invented for.  I just think that it's interesting that after a tougher year, they've started appearing on me.


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## Banned (Oct 16, 2009)

I have lots.  I started them in my 20s.  I was given a pic of my birth mom and she was completely grey by 30, so I suppose I'm lucky that while I have a few, I still have more brown than grey.  I usually dye it black though and that takes care of everything.


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## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

I used to get highlights.  I have redish / brown hair (in the summer months, I'm a real 'redhead', freckles and all..).  So the greys are peaking through a little more than I'd want.  But frankly, who cares?  I'm definitely not a diva in this area...I just find the correlation between this year and my greys interesting.  

My parents weren't grey until their late 40s...  Good genes   And to dye my hair - $130 (because it's long) - no, thank you.


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

Yeah, it's mostly hereditary if not entirely hereditary:



> Cymet suspects that going gray is "genetically outlined, but stress and lifestyle give you variation of plus or minus five to 10 years."
> 
> Fact or Fiction?: Stress Causes Gray Hair: Scientific American





> Cymet says consistent mental and physical stress—over the course of many years—may cause premature aging of the body, including hair. However, *this is a contested area of research; many scientists say only genes matter.*
> 
> *THE BOTTOM LINE*: Genes mostly determine when an individual goes gray, but stress may be a player.
> 
> Stress: Going Gray Overnight? | Psychology Today


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## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel, my research guru.   Out of curiosity, do you believe that a stressful year can contribute to them?  Otherwise, I'm about 10 years premature on them. 

Added:  Oops, just read the article on the correlation between stress and grey hair -  "never mind".


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

My uncle was almost 90% gray by the time he was thirty, initially we thought it was due to shock of the sudden death of his wife at her age of 28.  They had two boys.  It may have had something to do with him going so grey so quick.

Then my aunt, his sister, started going grey too.

Now, yours truly has it.  I am 34 and close to 75% grey.    yes, this is exactly what hair dye was invented for :teehee:


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## Banned (Oct 16, 2009)

I dye my hair myself.  For less than $10 I get a whole new look


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

My uncle looked very distinguished and handsome with his grey hair.  His second wife and him decided to try to dye his hair brown.   So off she went to the drug store to purchase a brown dye.

They let the colour set and after he washed it out, his hair was clown red :lol:  

So off his wife went to get a darker brown.  
They let that colour set and his hair was then shoe polish black.  

So needless to say, out came the shaver and he was bald :lol:

He never dyed his hair again after that.


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

NicNak said:
			
		

> I am 34 and close to 75% grey.


Probably from the stress of the cold winters  
 To prevent the rest of your hair from going gray, you want to stay under a hair dryer for about 30 minutes a day during the winter.  That, along with shampooing with fish oil, should do the trick 

For other tips, read my book _Gray Hairs and White Winters: __Tales of Canadian Survival and Boredom _


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## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

NicNak said:


> My uncle was almost 90% gray by the time he was thirty, initially we thought it was due to shock of the sudden death of his wife at her age of 28.  They had two boys.  It may have had something to do with him going so grey so quick.
> 
> Then my aunt, his sister, started going grey too.
> 
> Now, yours truly has it.  I am 34 and close to 75% grey.  yes, this is exactly what hair dye was invented for



Yes, but I'm pigheaded. I'm going to hang on until I absolutely have to. 



Turtle said:


> I dye my hair myself.  For less than $10 I get a whole new look



Good plan Turtle...I used to get my haired dyed for me (when I was younger) - about ten years ago.  So I'm assuming the prices may have gone up a little?  

For right now, I'm still hiding them under the mass of hair on my head - yes, did I mention just how pigheaded I really am??   But eventually, I'll have to go down this treck - and home stuff may be my remedy.  

What can I say, I love the good stuff - massages, manies and pedies...It's not right, but I do love them - about once a year...

Come to think of it, I'm dying for a good massage right now.   Maybe even a Vichy? 

(And yes, I spend money stupidly at times-  but dang, I feels pretty good for that hour / hour and a half)....For tonight - a homemade bath and pedi.


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> For other tips, read my book _Gray Hairs and White Winters: __Tales of Canadian Survival and Boredom _



I knew you were just trying to get information out of us Canadians so you could gain from it to write a book about us :teehee:

Just don't write in your book that you have never visited here, it might make you appear less creditable :lol:


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

Jazzey said:


> So I'm assuming the prices may have gone up a little?



Yes, but visiting a salon falls under self-esteem improvement or retail therapy, so it is covered by insurance.



			
				NicNak said:
			
		

> Just don't write in your book that you have never visited here


But that's why I have you, with your Canadian horror stories, including the graying of your family.  That's not the situation in my family, so it's obviously because of the geography.


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## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> Probably from the stress of the cold winters
> To prevent the rest of your hair from going gray, you want to stay under a hair dryer for about 30 minutes a day during the winter.  That, along with shampooing with fish oil, should do the trick
> 
> For other tips, read my book _Gray Hairs and White Winters: __Tales of Canadian Survival and Boredom _



:lol:  that had me falling off my chair, Daniel. I knew you were talented, but I didn't think that beauty tips were part of the panoply of your skills.

(Jazzey running out to the bookstore to buy Daniel's latest edition  )


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## Jazzey (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> Yes, but visiting a salon falls under self-esteem improvement or retail therapy, so it is covered by insurance.
> 
> 
> 
> But that's why I have you, with your stories of how horrible it is that your family members all have gray hair.  That's not the situation in my family, so it's obviously because of the geography.



It's Canada...Not even a "little bit".  I did however discover this week that hypnosis for smoking cessation is covered - :2thumbs: - good news.


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

Jazzey said:


> (Jazzey running out to the bookstore to buy Daniel's latest edition  )



and I am sure even with the Canadian dollar almost at par with the US dollar, there will still be the inflated Canadian price vs the US price


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> Yes, but visiting a salon falls under self-esteem improvement or retail therapy, so it is covered by insurance.
> 
> .



I only wish I could have my new winter jacket and hat covered :lol: and ofcourse my hair cut and colouring I got done a few weeks ago too! :lol:


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> But that's why I have you, with your Canadian horror stories, including the graying of your family.  That's not the situation in my family, so it's obviously because of the geography.



Damn my Canuck heritage! But you'd think that having lived in the states since age 5 that my hair would have adapted.

Instead, I started noticing the grey about ten years ago, just a few here and there. Now it's apparent that within ten years I'll probably be nearly salt-and-pepper. But then, my hair is so dark brown that it's almost black, and the grey shows up more prominently.

But hey. No hair dye for me. I'm 46. I've earned each and every one of these grey hairs and wear them proudly.

(By the way, it's a wide misconception that Salt-N-Pepa recorded "Pump Up The Jam." It was actually written and recorded by Technotronic in 1989. I know you were all wondering.)


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

NicNak said:
			
		

> I only wish I could have my new winter jacket and hat covered


I'm not a doctor, but I think those are covered under home care.



			
				Fiver said:
			
		

> But hey. No hair dye for me. I'm 46. I've earned each and every one of these grey hairs and wear them proudly.



And some people pay for gray highlights.  So with all that money you save, you should never be caught driving a car over 5 years old.


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

You don't need to be a doctor for that. You need to be an insurance executive.


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

Well, those decisions should be made between you and your doctor.  Don't let the insurance executives decide what you should wear


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> I'm not a doctor, but I think those are covered under home care.
> 
> 
> 
> And some people pay for gray highlights.  So with all that money you save, you should never be caught driving a car over 5 years old.



For those of us living south of the (Canadian) border, this t-shirt slogan solves our problems.


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> Well, those decisions should be made between you and your doctor, NN.  Don't let the insurance executives decide what you should wear



:lol:  Even if the hat makes me look more like Fergie than my old one?  :teehee:


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

> this t-shirt slogan solves our problems.


And, when people do get sick, it helps build character


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

Exactly. I think a lot of people will be getting Christmas gifts from that site this year.


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## NicNak (Oct 16, 2009)

Daniel said:


> And, when people do get sick, it helps build character



Can you buy gift cards for vaccinations and blood work at your local hospital to give as Christmas gifts?  :teehee:


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

Believe it or not, yes. Kroger gift cards can be used at the pharmacy for prescriptions, flu shots, or (for those stores that have the feature,) a visit with a nurse practitioner.

I suppose this is a good thing, although the entire concept nauseates me a little.


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

> Kroger gift cards can be used at the pharmacy for prescriptions, flu shots, or (for those stores that have the feature,) a visit with a nurse practitioner.


I wouldn't mind it if they also included "Buy One, Get One Free" specials like they do for groceries  Like buy the regular flu shot, and get H1N1 for free.  Or get a free case of Diet Coke with each pharmacy refill.


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## Fiver (Oct 16, 2009)

OR! 

How about, "Buy one flu shot and get a chance at our sweepstakes drawing to 'Spend an Evening with a cool chick who moonlights as a Kroger Night Stocker! (Molson provided gratis)'"

Now _that_ would give me something to hang on for.


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## Daniel (Oct 16, 2009)

And instead of employees asking customers "How are you?" or "Can I help you?" they can just take their blood pressure to find out.


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## Fiver (Oct 17, 2009)

Hey! I pay union dues every week, and my contract specifically states I am entitled to NOT touch any customers if I don't feel like it. Besides, I'm part of the midnight crew; we're notorious for our inability to be polite to customers.

[Truthfully, I rather miss that we're no longer open 24 hours, closing now at 1AM. It was sort of fun when the drunks would come in around 2-3AM and ask where we keep the frozen White Castle burgers. (Clue: In the freezer, not the pet food aisle.)]


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## Daniel (Oct 17, 2009)

> ask where we keep the frozen White Castle burgers.



Haha


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## David Baxter PhD (Oct 17, 2009)

Mmmmm... frozen burgers... aaaaarrhhhhhgghhlllllll... :homer:


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## Fiver (Oct 17, 2009)

After leading them with their staggering lurch to the frozen section, I would helpfully point to the pharmacy area, and specifically mention that we carried Tums, Rolaids, and Motrin for their hangovers.


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