"Sit still - there, got it!" says Errol Douglas, triumphantly removing a grey hair from my head and presenting it to me with a flourish, sending me into a state of open-mouthed shock. That was more than six months ago, and while I said last week that the main reason I hadn't been to the hairdresser's for so long was that I was enjoying being able to tie back my hair, I must also confess that the fear of Errol finding an entire family of grey definitely played a part, too.

It wasn't the greyness of the hair that was so shocking - in fact, I think grey afro hair looks great (especially grey dreadlocks: just take a look at how they transformed Billy Ocean) - but rather that this particular grey hair, not to mention each one I have found since, has been straight. I don't mean a touch less curly than my regular hair; I mean so straight it makes Jude Law look a little camp.

"Grey hair bears no relation to your existing hair," Errol explains when I finally pluck up the courage to see him again. "It's completely different hair, it has no pigment, hence the grey, and it can be a completely different texture from the hair you've had previously."

According to tricologist Philip Kingsley, afro hair is thought to turn grey more slowly than Caucasian hair, which is something of a consolation, I guess, because it means my curls should be safe for a few years yet.

But what about those who are tempted to cover up the grey from the comfort of their bathroom? "Grey hair is not something I would recommend trying to cover with home colour kits," Errol warns. "It's something that needs to be looked after professionally. Visiting a salon is a must, so that colour charts can be used to match hair colours with your skin and make-up. Discuss which colours you think suit you, and come to an agreement that both you and the stylist are happy with. For afro hair, I'd recommend dark browns and near black - actual black will look solid and unnatural."

Incidentally, that advice applies as much to men as it does to women.