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.
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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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