There's a great song by the Crash Test Dummies called "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm"

....but when he came back...his black hair had turned bright white.....he said it was because the cars crashed so hard..."

Tell everyone you had a car crash.

Your hairdresser probably has some good suggestions, but I'd suggest increasing the streaks (although I'm fine about calling them highlights) and letting your own hair take over. I notice in your tags that you included losing hair and hair thinning. If you're having a problem with that, I'd definitely discuss this with your stylist. You may want to stop any color if it is damaging your hair.

I've been there, Barbara. My conclusion: you can find a great look that incorporates your gray, but don't expect to keep it up without professional help.

After years of dying my salt-and-pepper hair dark brown, I got sick of covering up my roots. I still visit the colorist; otherwise my gray would turn that nasty shade of yellow. But I don't have to go nearly as often. The colorist used a rinse to create a look for me that allows the dark roots to mingle attractively with nearly blonde hair. It's quite low maintenance, even though my hair grows quickly--at this time of year I can let up to six weeks go by between treatments. Most people find this look fresher and more youthful, but what matters to me is that I like the ease of it.

If you're only doing it for financial reasons why go gray when the color you have looks so pretty on you? The drug store and supermarket aisles are full of haircolor options that only cost 5 to 7 or 8 bucks and you just shampoo it in every few weeks. That's what I do, mostly because I'm too lazy to do salon appointments that often. I don't even bother trying to do the roots and then the ends like the box says. I just slap it on the whole thing and let it sit for 20 or 30 minutes while I surf the net or something and voila! no more gray for this month! My only suggestion would be to pick a shade to start that looks lighter on the box than what you really want. They tend to go a bit darker than the color shown, especially on the ends.

I like Rona's suggestion too as a way to ease into the transition and maintain a brighter appearance if you'd rather go more natural. Hers looks great in her pic.

Surf66 -- Good idear. I DID crash pretty hard after skidding on my knees into 50. :*]

Thanks. Good idea. Low-maintenance sounds especially tasty.

Thanks. I was a home-dyer for years until the roots started getting so nastily white. Even the permanent formulas start to lighten right away and, after 10 days or so, I'm back where I started. Using the allover permanent dyes every 10 days made my hair like straw, so that's when I resorted to salon color. I'm not coordinated enough to just do the roots on the back of my head.

Rona does look good, doesn't she? I've gotten so colorless in the face over the years that I'm concerned about looking like I just died, once the hair goes pale.

Gaaaack. Aging ain't for sissies (to paraphrase Bette Davis).