Is There a connection between Scottish heritage and...

[Cameron of Texas]

'premature' grey or white hair?

Or does the Scottish temperament just age us faster?

It's probably just mine own confirmation bias but I was wondering if there was a connection

[CollinMacD]

From the MacDonald side, baldness seems to be more of a problem, however, in my case no baldness yet at 69, little greying on side, but still light brown hair, reddish beard with grey...CHEERS>

[Pleater]

Possibly - my father and his mother went silver white in their 20s - my sister has a black streak in her hair until her early 30's when it went pure white.

My father's grandad Wilson was a farmer displaced from Scotland.

[Tobus]

I've no idea whether there exists any link between Scottish heritage and premature grey, but my Kilpatrick forebears all went completely white-haired in their twenties. I was a little more fortunate, with only significant greying in my thirties. I'm in my mid-forties now, and still not completely grey (but getting there quickly). And thankfully, balding is not an issue in my family.

Keep in mind that Scottish genes are just a mish-mash of a bunch of European genes. Or, more correctly, the gene pool in Scotland contains genes from Ireland, England, France, and many more.

[Tarheel]

The one point I can speak of on my side of the family is, my direct paternal side has/had retained their hair well into their 80's. The men change to grey or silver after their mid 50's. We have been in America since 1657.

I think the diet, weather and other factors available in the New World may have contributed to our good follicle fortunes. Our women grey a little earlier in life but it is probably because of the men.

[Cameron of Texas]

my father had mostly white hair by age 40. I'm 47 and might have 10-15 dark hairs coming from my scalp.

[Guthrumironhead]

All my Guthrie cousins, aunts,and uncles went gray in their early 30s. Dad always says all his hair has either turned gray or turned loose!

[Jock Scot]

'premature' grey or white hair?

Or does the Scottish temperament just age us faster?

It's probably just mine own confirmation bias but I was wondering if there was a connection

An interesting question, to which I have no sensible answer.

[imrichmond]

My Glaswegian father was far from completely grey even when he passed away at the age of 82. On the other hand, my English mother was completely grey before she was 40. I myself was completely grey by my mid-50s. When I was in my mid-30s and my father was in his mid-50s, I was so much greyer than he that strangers would sometime take me for my dad's older brother, much to his delight. Both of us, I might add, never had a hint of baldness. I doubt that Scottish heritage has as much to do with greying and ageing as do specific family genes.

[ThistleDown]

An interesting question, to which I have no sensible answer.

Neither do I. My great great grandfather maintained a full head of grey and a beard of grey/silver/white at 70; I've no age-relevant image of his son; my grandfather died at 56 with very dark brown hair and what was described as a 'white' beard;, my father moved from dark brown to grey in his late 60s and to a thinning silver when he died at 82. My brother -- at 72 -- is s&p and I -- at 78 -- have a mane of mixed brown and grey . But my beard has been 'silver' for the last ten+ years.

My great great grandfather and me.