[Schaumburger]

In the past year, I've been noticing quite a bit more gray hair. I get it colored about every 7 weeks (I've tried the home coloring route, but I'm hand challenged and getting it colored professionally looks better for me). When I'm up to the 7 week mark the gray hair is getting pretty noticeable -- at least it is to me.

So for the ladies of TOTV -- do most of you fight the gray hair or embrace it? And if you did eventually embrace the gray hair at what age did you start embracing it?

Looking at photos of a few prominent women in politics: Nancy Pelosi age71, Hillary Rodham Clinton age 64, Michele Bachman age 55, Jan Brewer age 67, I don't see a lot of gray hair on these ladies. Do you think they are coloring their hair or just very fortunate? And at the age of 65+ does a head of entirely dark brown hair or golden blond hair look realistic/natural?

Just wondering what the ladies of TOTV think about this.

[Barefoot]

Of course the prominent women you mentioned don't colour their hair.

A lot of Villagers find that highlights are a good solution.

[KatzPajamas]

For the last 10 years, I got highlights and something called a glaze (it slowly washes out instead of having an abrupt line of gray hair). It has now been close to 6 months since I had any highlights or glaze done, and I have quite alot of gray around my face. My family is supportive of me going gray, especially my husband. I have also had a few compliments from friends about it.
My 82 year old mother in law still has her hair dyed on schedule. It is supposed to be a dark red, but often is dark purple instead. Either way, it is a stark contrast to her very pale complexion. She thinks the lack of gray makes her look younger, while most of the family thinks it makes her face look older. One hs to wonder if the soft gray isn't nature's way of helping us not look like we are off to Trick or Treat.

[gerryann]

I died my hair for many years, then decided to let it go natural. Turned out it was completely white and I liked it. Then I moved back by my daughter. The first thing she said when she saw me was.....Mom, I have a good hairdresser. Well, I gave in and last December (2010), I started dying it again. ( a fairly light blond). Well now I'm staying here in TV and seeing many.many woman with shiny white, beautiful hair. So, I decided just yesterday to let it go natural again. When I go back to my daughters and she tells me she doesn't like it...I will tell her it's ME, and if she doesn't like it........oh well......

[TrudyM]

I got tired of the roots always showing and went white quite awhile ago. It was still grey in the back up till about 5 years ago. I started going grey at 18 so dyed it for a long time. Let it go natural when I hit 40 by then it was mostly white. I am lazy however and a little cheap (ok alot cheap) so I also wear it very long. I guess I am stuck in the 60's. If it's short I need to perm it another reason I stopped coloring it at the time I was perming it and it was getting too dry with both dyeing and perm. I have notice that more women are letting it go white at least around here but back when I let mine go natural everyone thought I was nuts.
Times have changed.
Trudy

[ddan32162]

I, too, colored my hair for many years. I have (had) very dark natural color, and for quite some time I kept going lighter in order to keep the roots from showing up so quickly. Last year I turned 60, and decided to make the change. First I highlighted - it was okay; then as it grew out, I did the non-permanent color a few times in order to blend in, and now I'm completely natural. Quite a bit of gray, but nicely "highlighted" all by itself. I'm saving a ton of money not getting it colored, and I feel super about how I look. I don't have the body of a 30 something, so why should my hair look like a 30 something! ! !

[Uptown Girl]

In my professional (retired) opinion, there are a number of things to consider, like:
What color is the grey around your face.... sparkly or battleship dull?
What color are your eyebrows.... getting grey there?
What is your base skin tone? Have you noticed it change?
What shape is your hair in now? Has continual chemical work compromised it?
Would you change your hairstyle if you were suddenly completely grey?

Here's something to try:
Put on your makeup, then wrap a black towel, sweat shirt, whatever you have that's black, around your head turban-style so just the grey shows around your face. Stand back and observe for a moment. Imagine you are meeting YOU for the first time. What stands out? Does the grey throw focus to your eyes? Smile?

My hair was always long and dark brown/black. My intention was to grey naturally, but as that happened, it looked pretty bad and everyone continually said I looked tired...
so I began to dye.
Being in 'the industry' I couldn't EVER attend my clients with ugly roots hanging out of my head, so my touch-ups were frequent... every 2 weeks.
It became a pain in the butt and even with the finest products my hair and scalp were bombarded too often for my personal comfort.

Upon deciding to move to TV, I wore a baseball hat until my roots were grown out enough, gave myself a pixie and styled it disheveled a bit while it grew to a manageable length. It was the most efficient way to make the transition. (especially from my brunette color)

The freedom of it all is a wonderful thing, and my husband loves my new look. In fact, I get compliments on my hair from perfect strangers all the time. It sparkles in the sun and looks even better with a little Florida tan.

[DandyGirl]

I started going gray/white around my face in my 30's so I started coloring. What a chore to keep it up cause my hair grows fast. After having chemo for breast cancer in 2009, I decided when my hair comes back it will be natural. Love my salt & pepper hair (heavy on the salt!) The hubby loves it too.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by DandyGirl

I started going gray/white around my face in my 30's so I started coloring. What a chore to keep it up cause my hair grows fast. After having chemo for breast cancer in 2009, I decided when my hair comes back it will be natural. Love my salt & pepper hair (heavy on the salt!) The hubby loves it too.

Here is a huge hug from two girls who lost their hair to chemo. Hair is so nice to have in the winter to keep your head warm in Ohio..who knew?

So glad your hair is back.

Gray, grayish, blonde, white...any color...celebrate who you are and be glad you are here!

Gracie and daughter Helene.

[Happinow]

Gracie I just knew you were a survivor! I can tell it in your positive attitude. Bless your heart and your daughter's heart. I lost a sister to cancer.

As for the gray hair?? I think some women can wear it distinctively and some....well....should get it colored. I guess it depends on how you feel with gray hair. If it doesn't bother you than keep it. If it doesn't make you feel good about yourself then color it. Just remember it's not what's on the outside, it's what's on the inside......

I'm not going to say if I color mine or not! Oh I must come clean, I do color it, but just around the edges!

[sandybill2]

I was going regularly to hairdresser to have my hair "highlighted." My granddaughter looked at me one day and asked "Grandma, why are you paying to have your hair highlighted---when you have natural highlights? I stopped having my hair highlighted after she asked that question. Of course, my natural highlights are gray but I am happy aging as gracefully as I can---and I am saving money by not having highlights done which gives me more to spend on the good life here in The Villages.

[DandyGirl]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Here is a huge hug from two girls who lost their hair to chemo. Hair is so nice to have in the winter to keep your head warm in Ohio..who knew?

So glad your hair is back.

Gray, grayish, blonde, white...any color...celebrate who you are and be glad you are here!

Gracie and daughter Helene.

Hugs back to you girls too!

[debzaranti]

I've always had long hair and started to grey in my 20s. Dyed it for about 25 years (dark warm brown), had to dye it every 3 weeks because of the amount of white showing upon grow-out. One day I took a really close look at myself in the mirror in some harsh, bright light...and came to the realization that the dark hair wasn't fooling anybody about my age but me! The "roadmap" that is my face told the truth of the years. LOL!

Had my stylist whack it off to about 1" all over my head (cut off most of the color), then let it grow back long, but it's natural color. Does it make me look older, yeah, maybe...but I AM OLDER NOW!! I do get compliments on the natural color...surprisingly a lot of them are from men (women too)! Who knew men even noticed a woman's hair color??

I'd say, go for it....try grey. If you hate it, go back to coloring it. Be aware, however, you may need to change your make-up and clothing colors once you go grey. If your colors are too subtle, you look washed-out. Too bright and you look like you belong on Clown Alley. It's a fine line there! LOL! Good luck.

[Schaumburger]

Ladies, thank you for the feedback. I will probably fight the fight for a couple more years...or maybe next week I will decide to let nature take it's course. Wondering how much genetics plays a part...my dad was almost totally gray by his mid-forties. My mom didn't start getting gray hair until she was in her early 50's, and went gray very slowly through
her 50's.

[De Lis]

We retired in the summer and moved to The Villages at the same time. Haven't dyed my hair since; the game is over and I don't have to try to look younger or "more caring" about my appearance. I just want to age gracefully and with dignity. I keep my hair trimmed regularly and think it looks great. What more would I want? Those are my personal thoughts.

Question ladies: Why does our culture always talk about "anti-aging" products? Why can't we refer to them as "aging gracefully" products? As Baby Boomers can't we control this factor? I just find it demeaning.