Going grey is something that must happen to all of us in our lives; for some it happens sooner than others and when that time comes it can be a mix of emotions. The majority of us will dread the onset of greying locks, but how does the greying of our hair affect our overall appearance?
The UK’s leading hair transplant clinic, Crown Clinic, recently conducted a survey to find out exactly what it means to go grey and how it actually alters the way we see ourselves. They looked at a sample of 1,000 individuals, both men and women, and discovered that going grey does in fact add years to our appearance.
We have all heard the term ‘silver fox’ when referring to an older gentlemen with grey hair and good looks, but for women it can be a completely different story. Society has made it acceptable for men to age gracefully and for women to fear growing old and looking their age or even older. However, ever changing trends can help to change this perception.
Women are more prone to the fear of the first grey hair, with 72% of the female survey participants claiming they dread the sight of their first grey. This was a complete contrast to the male respondents, of which only a tiny 36% said they feared going grey.
When you look at the fact that on average, going grey adds six years to a woman’s appearance and only three years to a man’s, is it hard to see why more women want to avoid the inevitable? More women start to dye their hair at a younger age and therefore delay the process for years, however 72% of women end up dying their hair from the very first grey hair.
The stigma around grey haired women looking older is currently being challenged by young women around the world adopting the trend of “granny hair”. Stars like Rihanna and YouTube star Zoella sparked the new color trend and now more and more young women are sporting grey locks. Instagram is now a sea of grey selfies and the outpouring of love for the silver look is allowing older women to embrace the grey.
However, men are not completely exempt from the fear of their follicular status ageing them beyond their years. 71% of men said that balding and a receding hairline is the main cause of premature ageing. With footballers and popular main celebrities all opting for hair transplants, the pressure for men to sport a good head of hair is stronger than ever.
To further show how much going grey can affect our appearance and how we see ourselves ageing, Crown Clinic have created this simple infographic to highlight some of the biggest issues we have with going grey. The infographic shows the difference between women and men and their perception on what ages them and how it affects their self-esteem:
