The color of hair is a result of the pigment melanin which is made by special cells called melanocytes. The production of the pigment is largely genetically determined so you inherit your hair color from your parents.

As we age though, these melanocytes stop producing as much of the melanin and our hair color becomes gray. Eventually over time the melanocytes completely stop producing melanin and our hair changes to white.

The process in which we start to get gray hairs usually begins for most people in their 40s or 50s, but there are cases of people going gray at a much younger age.

It is more obvious if you have dark hair than if you have blond hair and it seems to happen sooner in men than in women. Men can start showing some gray on the temples at about age 35 while for women it is more common in their 50s.

For everyone it is a natural part of aging, but gray hair can sometimes result from having certain medical problems such as thyroid disease.

Does having gray hair stop you from getting a hair transplant?

The color of your hair and your age are not important factors when it comes to being able to get a hair transplant. More relevant and important considerations are your health, what medical conditions you have, if any, and how healthy your scalp is.

Only consultation with a specialist can provide a definitive answer on whether or not you are a suitable candidate for a hair transplantation procedure such as the FUT, FUE or DHI.

Gray hair may be drier than the normal hair but this could be a result of aging and less oils being produced by the scalp to lubricate the hair follicles.

Gray hair can sometimes be due to a medical condition, which is important to inform your doctor about so they can assess if you are still a good candidate for hair transplant surgery.

Although the procedure is minimally invasive and generally considered safe, there may be a higher risk of complications if you are in poor health. Your tissues also may not recover as well if your health is compromised in some way.

Hair transplant options in Turkey

There are many clinics and specialists that do hair transplant procedures in Turkey. You can obtain a consultation with specialists who can evaluate your situation and determine which procedure is likely to work well for you. For instance, you can click here to find out about the Vera Clinic and what procedures they offer.

It can be tricky if you have only some hairs that are gray and some that are dark since it may be more challenging for a doctor to produce a natural graft. It is therefore important that you discuss this with the specialist.

In many ways it may be easier if all the hair is one color, but the FUE procedure may still produce a natural look if the doctor is careful with what follicles are extracted for grafting.