The Surprising Reason Your Shampoo Could Be Making You Go Gray

We all expect our hair to gradually go gray as we age — it's something that happens to everyone as part of the natural aging process. However, you'd normally expect to see your hair going gray as you enter middle age and beyond, rather than it being something that happens at a younger age. Despite this, your hair can start to go gray earlier — you might even spot gray hairs in your twenties, let alone your thirties and forties.

There are a few potential reasons for this, and you might be surprised to hear that even your shampoo can be making you go gray. You might assume that by using shampoo you're looking after your hair, but depending on the product that you use, it can contribute to — or even be the main cause of — premature graying (via The New Times). Here's the surprising reason your shampoo could be making you go gray.

The melanin present in your hair starts to deplete as you age, leading to colorless — or gray — hair. While this is natural and will happen to everybody, different factors can make the process speed up somewhat. Using shampoos and other hair products with lots of harsh chemicals will increase the chances of premature graying twofold: The chemicals not only speed up melanin depletion, but also dry out your hair excessively.

Per The New Times, excess dryness can cause graying, as oil production is decreased. A dry scalp and hair can be caused not only through the use of harsh chemicals but hair dryers and warm water too. Meanwhile, some conditions — like dandruff, fungal infections, and vitamin B deficiency — can also cause premature graying, whether through drying your scalp or otherwise (via WebMD).

It might be worth switching shampoos if you think yours could be causing you to go gray. Alternatively, you could embrace it — after all, celebrities like Chrissy Teigen are actively choosing to dye their hair gray.