Hair Color Going Darker

Darkening hair color
Photo: Maaleen/Shutterstock
Q: I am 63 and my hair color is going darker instead of gray. This is annoying because people do not believe how old I am. I would like to know why this is happening.
 
A: You should know that I receive a lot of mail from women your age (and many who are much younger) who complain to me about their hair going gray, so it's refreshing to deal with a question from someone with a different problem.
 
The fact is, there are a lot of things that can affect your hair color. Sometimes it is genetic. Sometimes it is a reaction to medications. Sometimes it is a side-effect of diet. It can also be a result of mineral deposits in your water supply. It could even be a combination of any or all of these factors.
 
My initial advice is to speak with your doctor to make sure there is not a medical cause for this development, and to make sure you can isolate it and treat it if there is. Aside from that there is the task of evaluating any medications you may be taking, the mineral content of your water supply, and evaluating your diet (most of these can be discussed with your doctor).
 
I would love to give you more advice or information, but I honestly don't have enough information from you to make any judgment (or even an educated guess) as to what might be causing the darkening of your hair.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Going gray
 
Hereditary hair color
 
Why and how does hair turn gray?
 
I am 82 years old and still have dark brown hair. Is there a reason for not graying?