Choosing to “go gray gracefully” is a personal choice. It’s not for everyone for various reasons, and that’s understandable. My hair has been slowly turning gray since I was twenty-one, and although I toyed with the idea of ditching the dye at the start of the pandemic like many others did, I’m just not ready to take that leap. However, it turns out there are many benefits to keeping your natural color.
1. Healthy Hair
Simply put, natural or “virgin” hair is stronger and healthier. Brittle and dry hair can result from the chemical process, and that’s the complete opposite of the lustrous look we all strive for.
Dante Jaramillo, a Seattle-based colorist, explains to Wealth of Geeks, “Given the nature of most chemical treatments, deciding not to color your hair anymore will mean that you’re no longer damaging your hair with the stripping/color agents.”
2. Improved Scalp Health
If you have dyed your hair in the past or are currently doing it, you might have noticed that your scalp can be itchy or flakey for a few days after the treatment is applied. Stopping this cycle will drastically improve your scalp health. There is a chemical in hair dye called paraphenylenediamine, which is an irritant and allergen. Once you no longer expose yourself to this substance, the itchiness you experience will cease.
3. Money Saved
Who doesn’t love to save money? In this economy? By no longer spending anywhere from $150-$500 (depending on where you go and in what city) every 4-8 weeks, those choosing to gray gracefully will see significant savings in their bank account. Think about all the fun things you can do with that money in your pocket!
4. Take Back Your Time
In addition to money saved, the amount of time saved is notable when ditching the dye. One fellow Texan, who stopped coloring her hair at the beginning of the pandemic, shared that traveling to see her colorist was often a half-day affair between the commute and time spent in the chair. There are so many better ways to spend your time.
5. Embrace Your Authenticity
This benefit is significant for many of the people I spoke with. Graying is a natural occurrence that happens to all of this, so embracing the authenticity of your true self can be inspiring and uplifting.
My friend Lily chose to let go of the traditional beauty standards in 2015 and grow out her gray. “Mentally, it was a bit harder because I would see pictures of myself with dark hair and convince myself I wasn’t aging,” she explains. “I would wake up thinking I was 30, but the mirror would show me otherwise. So, the vanity part had to be addressed.”
6. Own the Aging Process
Much like embracing authenticity, owning the aging process can be liberating. We can’t hold it off forever, so why not just accept the inevitable, welcome maturation with open arms, and honor Mother Nature in all of her finite wisdom?
7. Less Toxic Chemical Exposure
Exposing ourselves to the chemicals found in the majority of hair dyes puts us at risk for an increase in developing cancer. There can be up to 5,000 chemicals in various dyes, although not all are linked to cancer; many are considered carcinogenic and could be associated with different types of cancer, per the National Cancer Institute.
8. Hair Loss
Dying your hair can cause hair loss, and no one wants that! According to Dr. Daelos in Dermatology Times, “Hair dyeing does not inhibit hair growth, but it may cause hair loss by damaging the hair that is color-treated.” So, why not shed that hair-dying routine instead of losing hair and possibly your self-confidence, too?
9. Allergies and Skin Conditions
The chemicals in hair dye can cause allergic reactions and skin conditions. These might not always occur when you initially begin dying your hair but can become an onset issue the longer you do. Some allergic reactions per the NHS consist of swollen eyes, itchy or raised irritated skin, feeling lightheaded or faint.
10. Eco-Friendly
Avoiding hair dyes and going gray naturally decreases chemical waste and has a positive environmental impact. Many of the chemicals used in hair dyes end up in our waterways after rinsing, so you are personally reducing your ecological footprint by choosing to go gray.
11. Freedom
By removing the extra stress of visiting a salon regularly, you experience a liberating freedom. No more worrying about the money spent, time used, or if the color will come out right, and you won’t be left looking like a copper penny (my personal experience of dying my own hair)!
12. Rebellion
Rebellion might be my favorite reason because I’m a fan of shrugging off the pressures of societal and patriarchal norms. Thumbing your nose at the concept of “staying young for as long as possible” and all that entails is just not worth it. Ditch those unrealistic beauty standards and embrace the beauty of aging!
13. Setting a Good Example for Younger People
Coloring your hair can equate to not being satisfied with your appearance. That you’re not pretty enough or that the hair color you were born with is ugly. This school of thought can set a bad example for younger people, lowering self-esteem and confidence. Is dying our hair and not accepting the natural aging process worth the message we’re sending to our youth?
14. Adventurous Haircuts
Once you start growing out your natural hair color, you can become more adventurous with your haircuts and even choose to cut off any length you’re tired of maintaining. Many women take this opportunity to experiment with that classic “bob” or “pixie” cut they’ve long admired but weren’t quite ready to seize ahold of. Now is your chance–go for it!
