Growing old with white hair

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

I WAS looking through all the blogs at Blog Her/Life Well Said the other day and I came upon a blog entitled “How to tell if you’re getting old.” 

It inspired me to write my answer to that question. I can say I'm getting old because of the white or gray hair.

Much has been written about this topic and in fact there is another site that discusses how to fight against graying hair. Here, I will tell you my personal experience on how to deal with aging, specifically graying hair. 

First it is safe to assume that human beings want to maintain their youth. There are a select few who face creeping old age with calm and zero fear. 

As a woman I am one of those who's always conscious of their looks. It is human nature. Naturally, we would like to preserve our beauty or whatever beauty is there to preserve. 

In fact some signs of old age are scary to many others. It can cause distress and fighting it off would cost a fortune. 

Let me share then to you my own battle with graying hair. It was 10 years ago when I came across a few strands of gray hair in my hair brush. I was in denial about it but the more I brushed, the more gray hairs kept falling off my head.

When I started having white hair in high school, I didn't mind it because it was too few and far between. Back then, there's a “twissor” or tweezer that I used to pull out the white hair. It was a form of therapy for me especially during weekends.

When I was with my daughters and nieces, I bonded with them by letting them pull out my white hair. Problem is they pulled one strand too many and the white hair was enough to fill a small bowl.

When I was on TV, my hair's glossy look is maintained by the ever lovely Carla Salvana alias “Kilay 2000.” Carla, a native of Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental, northern Mindanao, Philippines remains my favorite hairdresser. 

I asked him one day where the strands of my white hair were and Carla would reply “it is all over madam. It was bullseye.”  Since then, I've been dyeing my hair every six months. 

To one used to having glossy black hair, blonde hair, strawberry red hair, brunette hair or whatever hair color, the presence of white or gray hair may at first be disconcerting and unbelievable. From six months, it became three months and so on. 

When I arrived in the US, I noticed that I had more gray hair. There's no Carla in the US and the cost of dyeing my hair may cost a fortune.

I've been reading on this subject and I came across an article entitled “The Science of Graying Hair.” In it, the writer said the human hair produces a strong hormone called catalyses that functions as an oxidative catalyst. Catalyses decomposes hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

In aging, the person's catalyses level lowers and the hydrogen peroxoide doesn’t break down and so can’t protect or build up hair follicle.”

Genes has something to do with the lowered catalyses level also. I did notice my mother’s hair turning white early on. So I think that's the reason why I had white hair early. 

Other studies would point to malnutrition and anemia as the culprits. My hemoglobin level is low so I guess that also led to my hair going white early.

I presented that problem to Carla Salvana six years ago and his answer was funny that even until now I recall it. “Madam- the problem with you is you look for white hair- don’t look for white hair so no worries.” It makes sense.

Still the question haunts me today. Will I still dye and hide my whitening/graying hair, deny its existence or just flaunt it? 

The many nights I've thought about it, the more I recalled Carla's answer. And come on guys, it's not only the hair on our head that grows white, it's also in our private parts.

Nobody told me about it, at least my mother never told me about it. So having lived quite a life, I embraced my growing old and I don't have any worries about it.

White hair is a sign of wisdom after all. Again, only the brave ones face this stage of life with calm and zero fears. For others, it's still a question of whether to dye or not dye one's hair. What about you, Gerva Celeredad?

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)