When Does Your Hair Turn Gray?

Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and African-Americans in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.

What is the average age to go grey?

The age at which your hair turns grey varies a lot per person. There are people who get their first grey hairs in their twenties, and others that only start greying in their fifties. However, the average age that people turn grey is around when they're 30 or 35 years old.

What determines when your hair turns gray?

As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color — like gray, silver, or white — as it grows. ... Eventually, the hair will look completely gray.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.