Ever notice friends your age sprouting grays while others keep their natural color? It's frustratingly uneven, but science explains why.
The primary driver of gray hair is genetics. The genes inherited from your parents largely dictate the pace of hair aging. If your mother or father went gray early, there's a strong likelihood you'll follow suit.
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Research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine reveals that hair follicles eventually stop signaling melanocytes—the cells responsible for hair color—leading to unpigmented, gray (or white) strands. Contrary to popular myth, this doesn't happen overnight. Existing hairs retain their color; only new growth turns gray.
