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Other than dye, what can I do about graying hair?

Not a lot, really. “There is no known method of preventing or slowing down the graying process,” says Laurence Meyer, PhD, a professor of dermatology at the University of Utah. That said, a new study found that oxidative stress is a factor in graying – so eating foods rich in antioxidants (like fruit and beans) might help slow the process. Too late for you? Try Just for Men, suggests Dana Rogalski, of the American Board of Certified Haircolorists. According to the manufacturer, its colours are less vibrant (containing fewer red tones) than women’s dyes, and work faster because they don’t strip away natural colour before applying the new colour. Warning: The dye may appear darker in your hair than it is on the box, says Rogalski. There’s better news on the distant horizon. Harvard researchers have connected greying to the die-off of adult stem cells underneath the scalp. These stem cells produce cells called melanocytes that give hair its pigment. If scientists can pinpoint the trigger that starts the die-off, a sure-fire treatment could emerge.