# I'm getting grey hair and beard, and I'm not even 30! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2012, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712 "2012-08-07T07:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/1 "2012-08-07T07:31:38Z")
Seriously what the hell? :eek: They ones on my head are proliferating to the point it is becoming noticeable, the beard not so much but they are multiplying. I mean I can pass as a high school student which can be annoying, but I’ll have a head of grey hair to go with it?! ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/2 "2012-08-07T07:53:45Z")
It’s weird, but not completely unheard of. I used to work with a guy who was completely and totally silver by the time he was 35. You’ll just have to start touching it up if it bothers you. I solved my hair problems (both grayness and lack of hair) by just shaving it all off. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/3 "2012-08-07T08:04:08Z")
Don’t sweat it - a little grey can be sexy. When my wife first noticed my grey (she used to cut my hair when we were first married and living in poverty) she started to cry. I didn’t know at first because she was trying to hold it back but her tears fell on my shoulders as she cut my hair. When I asked her why she was crying she said she was sorry for being so hard on me and making me old. As I laughed it off it was one of the closets moments we’ve shared. Then we did it and it rocked! Use it man! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/4 "2012-08-07T10:05:49Z")
Happened to me. I was losing my hair before I was 30. Sucks, but what can ya do? Well, actually there are a few options, but I chose none of them. Perhaps to my detriment. There was kid in my class at High School who was losing his hair in his teens, and his crown was completely bald before he was 20. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/5 "2012-08-07T10:08:48Z")
It worked for Steve Martin. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/6 "2012-08-07T10:12:25Z")
Anderson Cooper is a silver-haired American treasure! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/7 "2012-08-07T11:43:51Z")
Hah! I’m 66, and have only a few gray hairs on top. Lots of other things are crappy, though. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/8 "2012-08-07T12:01:59Z")
I started seeing a few gray hairs while I was still in college and now, at 37, am about 10% gray. While I am not thrilled with it, I would rather that than losing my hair. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/9 "2012-08-07T13:07:21Z")
I got my first gray hair when I was 17, and it was showing up in my 30s. I’ve always liked having gray hair – mostly because it was a good-looking steel gray. I’m nearly white now and I still like the way it looks. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/10 "2012-08-07T14:22:52Z")
I started going grey my sophomore year of college (my dad started in high school), and now, at 29, I’ve got a fair amount and some pretty rad salt-and-pepper at my temples. I rather like it. Not to mention that I still have a crazy thick head of hair, as does my dad, and grandpa died with a big shock of white (he was a model in his later years, actually: “When my patients get sick, I recommend Brand X medication!”). So I don’t really sweat it. I’d rather have lots of grey hair than a less-than-normal amount of any other color. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/11 "2012-08-07T16:01:07Z")
My mom and dad didn’t start going grey until they were in their 50s, which eliminates the genetic theory. ---
**Author:** ![Coustralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Coustralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coustralee)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/12 "2012-08-07T17:23:07Z")
with grey power comes grey responsibility ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/13 "2012-08-07T17:29:19Z")
Well now at least people won’t mistake you for a teenager. Drives me crazy that my beard turned grey and the rest of my hair didn’t. Nothing makes you look like a bum as much as grey stubble. (are we going with ‘grey’ instead of ‘gray’ for some reason?) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/14 "2012-08-07T17:43:00Z")
Not unusual. I found a few grays in my hair and beard in my 20s, and I saw several friends and coworkers also had a few gray hairs around that time. I guess that makes it sound like I spend a lot of time staring at people’s heads, but I don’t think that’s the case. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/15 "2012-08-07T17:48:13Z")
As far as I can tell, grey lowers your chance of getting a date or getting a job. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/16 "2012-08-07T17:52:46Z")
Trust me, many, many women find it sexy, especially with dark hair. I’ve dated an inordinate percentage of early-greyers, including a few who were going gray at 20. Mrrow!! ---
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/17 "2012-08-07T18:13:12Z")
I’ve had a few gray hairs since my early 20s. I always just plucked them out, but now I’m 33 and they are getting too numerous to pluck. I plan to start coloring my hair soon, just haven’t gotten around to it. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/18 "2012-08-07T18:21:24Z")
My son (I’ll call him the Boy) is now 5 years old. I started to get gray after he was born. I blame the Boy. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/19 "2012-08-07T18:41:21Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I mean I can pass as a high school student Dude, what are you blathering about? Are you complaining about looking young or looking old? :dubious: You’ve made posts in other threads about how “cursed” you are about your boyish looks. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712/20 "2012-08-07T20:04:33Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Dude, what are you blathering about? Are you complaining about looking young or looking old? :dubious: You’ve made posts in other threads about how “cursed” you are about your boyish looks. Before I get the mods cracking down on me for it, let me apologize for saying “blathering”. That was out of line and I shouldn’t have said it. I’m sorry. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-grey-hair-and-beard-and-im-not-even-30/630712.md?page=2)