Why are Gen Z going grey so young?

It’s more than just growing wiser

More and more young people are posting videos of their grey hair on TikTok – and it feels like they’re going grey earlier than past generations. While Gen Z may just feel more comfortable showing off their silver roots, they could be a sign of health issues.

Although we've already established that 50-somethings don’t always have all-over grey hair as The Golden Girls lead us to believe, it seems like more and more 20 and 30-somethings do.

People as young as 19 are posting their grey hair on TikTok, and whether they’re embracing their silver strands or showing us their hair pre-salon visit, many of them are confused about what’s causing their early colour change.

What causes hair to go grey?

Melanin is the pigment that colours our hair, as well as our skin and eyes. 

Professional hair stylist and education director Colin Ford told In Style “Melanin and your genetic code are the main factors in determining what your natural hair colour will be.” 

“As we age, less melanin is produced, which means a lack of pigment in the hair, resulting in a silvery-grey colour.”

While we’re bound to go grey as we get older, there are a handful of factors that determine when the colour change happens. 

One study from 2021 found that ‘hair-graying onset varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties.’

Certified trichologist Angela Onuoha agreed, saying “greying is primarily linked to genetics and ethnicity".

But the expert said “early greying can occur in the 20s to 30s”, and if you are noticing your roots are much greyer than they once were, you might be experiencing premature greying.

One study from 2021 found that ‘hair-graying onset varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties.’ Image: iStock

Vitamin and mineral levels and grey hair

Several issues can cause premature greying, but in a video posted to TikTok, US-based integrative health coach Catarina Orr-Lee, said you may want to get a blood test if you’re experiencing pigment loss.

She claimed high levels of zinc and calcium, plus low levels of iron and manganese could contribute to grey hairs. She also mentioned copper as a culprit. 

NYC board-certified dermatologist Dr. Viktoryia Kazlosukaya told Newsweek“It’s no surprise — copper, zinc and iron play a role in tyrosinase activity,” which is “an enzyme essential for pigment synthesis.”

Anemia can wreak havoc on your health, but it can also lead to hair changes like premature greying. Though the skin specialist said that treating your iron deficiency “can restore hair colour to normal.”

Vitamin B-12 has also been linked to greying hair, with a deficiency thought to contribute to increased silver strands.

In a video posted to TikTok, US-based integrative health coach Catarina Orr-Lee, said you may want to get a blood test if you’re experiencing pigment loss. Image: iStock

Other causes of premature greying

On top of our vitamin and mineral levels, stress could be speeding up our greying process. 

Hairstylist and chief product officer at Goldie Locks hair care, Devin Graciano said “A stressful lifestyle in any capacity will impact the speed in which you go grey.”

The way we look after our hair does actually impact how it retains colour too, as celebrity stylist Lacy Redway said “Chemical treatments can damage the production of pigment in your hair and permanently alter the state, or your environment, and UV rays from the sun can speed up the process of going grey.”

And in addition to all of these factors, health conditions such as thyroid disorders and autoimmune diseases can affect the loss of pigment in our hair. 

So whether Gen Z are more stressed than other generations, struggling with vitamin and mineral imbalances, damaging their hair or just genetically predisposed to go grey early, it’s clear they’re finally feeling comfortable to show off their silver tresses – and we love to see it.

Originally published as Why are Gen Z going grey so young?