The 26-year-old man was praised for sharing his salt and pepper hair with many online commenting on how it made him look “more experienced” and event “attractive”
Many men dread looking in the mirror to find their hair is receding or greying, but one lad has been praised for embracing his silver locks at the age of 26.
The man shared a photo of his thick, albeit greying, head of hair in a viral post shared to Reddit’s r/mildlyinfuriating group on November 18, which can be seen here. User Nibber51 said: “I’m 26 years old and this is my natural hair colour, my beard and moustache started to go white too. People think I’m in my late 30s.”
Grey hair occurs when cells called melanocytes decrease in number. The fewer melanocytes mean a lack of pigment in the hair that in turn results in a silver-grey colour.
While most people start to show signs of greying hair later in life, there are several circumstances where those in their 20s can see a change in hair colour. Colorado State University said by 50, half of men and women with have at least 50 per cent grey hair.
Robert H. Shmerling MD of the Harvard Medical School explained there were numerous reasons why people develop grey hair. Reasons include genetics and stress as well as other factors.
“When and how thoroughly your hair turns grey is influenced mostly by the genes you inherit from your parents,” he said in a 2022 post. “Though stress may play a role in the process, it would be more helpful to look to past generations rather than your current stress levels to help you predict when or if you’ll go grey.”
Since being uploaded onto the Reddit group on November 18, the post has received more than 39,000 upvotes and an estimated 6,300 comments. The Mirror found the overwhelming number of people who commented on the post were full of praise for the man and others in a similar situation.
Reddit user Justmrsduff posted: “It adds texture and depth. Grey hair or men is definitely attractive. In men grey hair just adds character.”
Scfw0c0f commented: “Mine did too, similar age. Roll with it. Some people will start to think you are more experienced than you are and defer to you in professional settings.”
ChewySlinky added: “I’ve met several younger guys with hair like this and none of them are wanting for attention.” While SolarMatter said: “Look at it this way: It makes you look wiser and in 10 years when others start to catch up with you, you will have already come to terms [with] it. I also think it looks cool.”
JuanaBlanca chipped in: “My husband started going salt and pepper around 30. I’ve always loved it. He’s 47 now and it’s still that way – as opposed to having greyed by now.”
