L'Oreal developing a (possibly dangerous) pill to prevent grey hair

Yes, L’Oreal is developing a pill that could ward off grey hairs in the future – that is, if you start taking it at least ten years before your projected “grey date.” Meaning, if you’ve already started going grey, this pill won’t work for you. Not even if you’re projected to go grey in five years. It HAS to be ten years before, and then forever after that to ensure that your hair does not age. If taking a lifelong pill for your hair sounds attractive to you, you should be warned that this pill might have dangerous side effects. Some dermatologists, such as Dr. Maria Colavincenzo, have started to voice concerns about the pill. In an interview with MSNBC, Dr. Colavincenzo said, “How is it going to affect the skin and the organs? You can put anything in a capsule and market it as making your hair grow back and someone will buy it. I get upset about a vulnerable market – and people worried about going gray are going to go for this.” Tests for pills that deliver long-term results like the pill is promising could take decades, however the pill is scheduled to hit the market in 2015. It could be many more years before any damage on the body is discovered. As the FDA does not strictly regulate most pills such as vitamins or supplements, this pill could very well make it onto shelves and into the hands of consumers. While taking the pill regularly over decades of one’s life with the goal to prevent greys might seem vain, the time and money spend on dye jobs and touch-ups might be around the same commitment, perhaps even more. To some people, this pill might seem like a very reasonable addition to their lifestyle. Especially considering that many people are already taking supplements such as Propecia for balding and Reversatrol for wrinkles. L’Oreal’s pill might also be attractive to consumers because it is marketed as more natural than most anti-aging techniques. The pill uses a fruit extract to combat the oxidant stress that causes hair to turn grey – which is, in comparison, safer-sounding than injecting botox into your face. Obviously it is a drug with vanity as its only purpose – to my knowledge, growing grey is not unhealthy or signify an underlying medical condition in most cases. It’s scary to think about how many untested methods and drugs are actually out there and are not being monitored properly. Once teenagers start taking this pill, grey hair could potentially be a rarity if the pill is effective. That thought makes me sad, because it is already to rare to see people actually rocking their age with pride. And really, I think grey hair (even white) can really be stunning. It’s unfortunate that we’re continuously being tempted and manipulated to go against the naturally occurring processes of our bodies.

About The Author

Patricia Colli, Editor of Beutiful Magazine, is a human rights activist, equality advocate, and promoter of health, acceptance and wellbeing. Having experienced disordered eating, unhealthy exercise patterns and poor body image, she is especially passionate about shedding light on eating disorders and the power of body acceptance.