Healthy and beautiful hair is the crown that none of us want to take off, and maintaining it requires consistent care. But what if you wake up one morning and notice a grey strand between your shiny and lustrous locks? Some of you may wonder about its reasons since it is majorly associated with aging.
In your early 20s or 30s, the issue of early greying can become more concerning. However, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in this. Pre mature greying of hair is a common occurrence, even among younger individuals, though it’s more commonly associated with aging. This blog is a walkthrough to help you understand the reason for grey hair and tips to treat hair premature greying.
What Happens in Premature Hair Greying?
Your hair has a natural pigment referred to as melanin that gives it color. Its amount decides whether your hair is black, brown, or blonde. Early grey hair occurs when your hair starts losing its natural color before your early or mid-30s. Naturally, this process occurs in the 40s or 50s. However, it is a natural process and is a point of concern only if it appears earlier than expected.
Did you know for white people, studies say that greying begins at mid 30s, for Asians, it’s late 30s, and for black people, it’s mid 40s.
Reasons for Premature Grey Hair
No one expects white strands when they are young. If you are experiencing this, you must be looking for the reasons for premature grey hair, which are listed here:
Family History
As per the studies, your genetics are one of the common reasons for pre mature greying of hair and are crucial in determining when you get grey hair. If your parents or grandparents had their hair greying started early, you are highly likely to get it at the same age. You can’t reverse premature grey hair if genetics is its main cause.
Stress
Stress can have a huge impact on hair health. If you stress about things a lot, it can speed up the loss of melanin, which is among the common causes of greying of hair. Difficulty sleeping, feeling anxious, and appetite changes can also contribute to stress levels and, ultimately, hair health.
Lack of Nutrition
A diet low in nutrition can also be one of the early greying causes. Vitamins like B12 and biotin and minerals like iron and copper are important for maintaining the pigmentation in your hair. If these nutrients are missing from your plate, hair premature greying can appear faster than expected.
Autoimmune Diseases
This is another cause of premature grey hair. Some problems, like alopecia and vitiligo, involve the immune system mistakenly invading the cells that produce hair pigment.
Smoking
Smoking doesn’t just take a toll on your lung and skin health but also impacts your hair health. Studies have a proven link between smoking and greying of hair. The toxins in the cigarettes harm hair follicles and can slow down the blood flow to the follicles. Based on this, smokers have higher chances of pre mature greying of hair than non-smokers.
Is it Possible to Reverse Grey Hair?
This is a burning question, and in most cases, the answer is no. Once melanin production stops or decreases over time, it’s difficult to reverse grey hair. The good news is that this is not the case all the time. If reversible factors like nutritional deficiencies or stress are the leading factors, you can slow down further hair greying early.
Tips to Slow Down Premature Greying
Since hair gives you a younger and more appealing look, you would want to retain its color by hook or crook. So, we give you the best grey hair remedies to slow it down:
Diet and Supplements
As mentioned earlier, you should have the right amount of vitamins and minerals in your diet. Add foods with an abundance of copper, vitamin B12, biotin, and iron. After consulting with your doctor, you can also add supplements if needed.
Oiling
Massaging your scalp with natural oils like coconut or amla can help nourish your scalp health. Oiling your scalp and hair with these oils as part of your hair care routine can increase blood circulation to your scalp and lower the chances of further greying your hair.
Managing Stress
If stress is a part of your daily life, find ways to relieve it through meditation, yoga, or exercise. It can mark a positive effect on your hair greying early and overall well-being.
Summing Up
Early grey hair can be stressful sometimes but you should remember that it is a natural process and not always a health concern. Improper nutrition, stress, and lifestyle habits can be the common premature white hair causes. If you find it significant at a far younger age, do consult a doctor to fight the right adjustments in your life and retain the beauty of your hair.
Reference Links:
https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/abcs-premature-graying
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320288#causes-of-white-hair
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163723001368