Why does hair turn gray or white?

Heredity is the main reason hair turns gray or white.

If your mom’s or dad’s hair started turning gray at a young age, then you may also become prematurely gray. Although this is not always the case, age plays a large part in the graying process. Pigments in the hair shaft are generated from cells at the base of the root of the hair. As we age, these cells produce less pigment (color) until no pigment is left in the hair. We end up with transparent hair. To read more about the graying process, check out this interesting web site