Premature Greying of Hair – Causes and Remedies

Premature greying of hair is nothing but loss of natural hair color before age. It can be distressing for individuals when the hair follicles have stopped making melanin at a young age resulting in shades of gray.

Why does it happen?

You might blame it on a stressful job, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and copper deficiencies, smoking, a medical condition like thyroid or Vitiligo, genetics, or environmental and hormonal factors.

Personalized advice from a dermatologist or trichologist can provide potential treatment. While the greying of hair is mainly a natural and unavoidable procedure, there are no scientifically proven methods to prevent it. Several preventive measures can help in reversing the condition to some extent.

Silver strands Science

The pigment named melanin is responsible for the color of the hair. Deduction in the pigment-producing cell in our hair follicles called melanocytes is the science behind graying of hair. 

Premature greying of hair due to external and environmental aspects

The cells produced by these pigments are very fragile. Whenever our body is ill or unwell, the production of pigment by these cells gets interrupted.

During an ailment, our health deteriorates, and hence production declines. 

For example – stress or tension, a prolonged illness such as typhoid or malaria, diabetes, asthma, kidney or liver diseases, etc, can cause this condition.

Causes

1-The degree of darkness of our hair and skin is genetic. Those who have a family trait of premature greying of hair are naturally prone to this condition.

 2- Shortage of Vitamin B12 or Vitamin B5.

3- Anemia also leads to premature greying.

4- Stress is caused due to hormonal imbalances.

How to stop this condition?

1- Keep the scalp uncluttered and tidy. Those who have short hair should wash them daily with a DIY shampoo.

2- Eat a healthy diet. Minimize intake of junk food.

3- Excessive intake of salt also leads to premature greying.

4- Consume at least eight to ten glasses of water every day.

5- Minimize consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, and coffee.

6- Walk in the open air and exercise regularly.

7- Try and reduce mental stress in your life.

8- Multivitamin tablets that contain copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium can also stop early hair whitening.

9- Intake of vitamin B12 and B complex tablets also prove beneficial when taken for two to three months.

Home remedies

Home therapies are loved and welcomed by everybody. These remedies do not have any side effects. They are one of the most trusted and hassle-free techniques.

Remedy number one

Ingredients

• Three tbsp – Coconut oil
• One tbsp – Lemon Juice

Method

• Mix the two components. 
• Massage your entire head with it.
• Leave it for thirty minutes. 
• Then shampoo. 
• Use it twice a week.

Remedy number two

Ingredients

• All you need is cow’s pure ghee.

Method

• Heat a small quantity of cow’s ghee. 
• Massage your head with it.
• You can use it daily.
• Shampoo your hair.

Remedy number three

Ingredients

• One cup – curry leaves
• One cup – coconut oil

Method

• Combine the two components and boil on a slow fire until the leaves turn dark in color.
• Keep the blend overnight to chill down.
• Strain it with a cloth and fill it up in a bottle.
• Massage regularly with this oil.

Remedy number four 

Ingredients

• One – red onion
• Juice of one – Lemon

Method

• Extract juice from red onion
• Mix lemon juice to it.
• Use it as a hair mask.
• Apply before shampooing all over the scalp and leave it for half an hour.

Remedy number five

Ingredients

• Mustard oil

Method

• Lightly heat cold-pressed mustard oil.
• Massage the scalp with this oil.
• Leave it overnight.
• Wash it off the next day.
• Use it twice a week.

Remedy number six

Ingredients

• Two to three – Indian Gooseberries
• Half tsp – Almond oil
• Five drops – Lemon Juice

Method

• Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
• Massage your scalp daily at night with this mixture.

Remedy number seven

Ingredients

• Five to six beans – Shikakai (powder)
• Half cup – Curd

Method

• Mix the two ingredients.
• Leave it for an hour.
• Use it as a hair mask.
• Leave it for half an hour.
• Wash it off with shampoo.
• Utilize it weekly.

You can follow the process which is most suitable for you. Select the most straightforward recipe out of the many remedies. Avoid using fragrant oil and chemicals in your hair.

Here I would like to tell you one thing, if you start any one of the above-mentioned treatments (to derive full benefit out of it), it must be followed for a minimum of six months to one year.

Role of Vitamins for our overall health

Vitamins play an important role in our fitness. An elaborated note on its types uses and more.

Types of vitamins

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• Water-soluble Vitamins (WSV)

Fat-soluble vitamins – These vitamins are stored in the fat of the body, an example is vitamin D.

Water-soluble Vitamins (WSV) – After usage, it passes out through urine. They should be taken daily. The most important WSV is Vitamin B12 which is stored in the liver. This Vitamin is important for the development of our nervous system.

Signs of Vitamin B12 insufficiency

• Lack of this vitamin (B12) generates premature greying of hair.
• A person starts forgetting things.
• An individual will get tired easily.
• There is difficulty in recognizing things.

Important – Absorption of Vitamin B12 is more vital than its consumption.  

Sources of this Vitamin B12 are – 

The sources from which this deficiency can be

overcome are as follows – 

1-Apple Cider Vinegar – contains some components that will help the absorption of B12.

Consumption – Twice daily.

Intake – one tsp empty stomach and one tsp before dinner.

2- Sprouts are the best source of Vitamin B12.

3- Fermented rice with curd.

How to ferment rice?

Take cooked rice. Add double the quantity of curd to this

rice. (example -1 bowl rice, 2 bowls curd). Cover the mixture either with a thin cloth or with a gridded lid. Leave it overnight. The next morning consume it as breakfast. You can add grated ginger, salt, pepper, and curry leaves to enhance its taste.

4- Almonds, milk, fish, cheese, crab, chicken, eggs, red meat, green vegetables, curd, cauliflower, etc.

Reasons for white hair in Children

• Genetic
• Junk food
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Application of chemical products on hair
• Pollution
• Oxidative stress caused by passive smoking
• Anemia
• Due to stress
• Iodine deficiency

Solutions

Balanced diet – Include Vitamins A, B, Minerals (Iron, Zinc, Copper), and Protein in the diet.

Head Massage – Scalp massage (once a week) with cow’s ghee is beneficial.

Oiling – Apply homemade Amla(Indian Gooseberry)Oil. Massage gently and try to keep it overnight. The next day shampoo can be done.

Curd – Use it as an application or consume it.

Cure for white or grey hair 

There is no specific and detailed remedy particularly designed to fix covering greys. Some medicines and therapies used and experimented with are as follows – 

1- Paba – Para Amino Benzoic Acid

Paba demonstrated (temporary) positive results. According to an experiment conducted on a bunch of people. This medicine only gave positive outcomes until its consumption.  

2- Calcium Pantothenate

Calcium Pantothenate is a kind of vitamin. Although, the result was quite appealing. It was not a very effective cure.

3- Melitene

Melitene is an ingredient included in many lotions. Many say that using this ingredient for six months reverses the premature greying of hair, but there is no solid proof of that.

4- Latanoprost

Latanoprost is available in eye drops. Studies say that this can be beneficial in improving grey hair conditions. 

5- PUVAsol

An experiment has been conducted with PUVAsol. No concrete outcome was discovered.

Those were the names of a few medicines and therapies used by experts in researching to reverse grey hair situations but had no definite result.

The fact is that once the hair has turned grey, it cannot be reversed. However, there are methods to change its appearance.

Can dyes be used for covering greys?

Selecting the exact category of hair dye is an important aspect. There are many types of hair dyes available in the market.

Permanant, semi permanant, demi permanant, temporary etc. Usually, ammonia or PPD present in hair dyes causes allergies.

How to know which category of dye should be used?

1-If there is 30 to 40 percent grey hair, then 

Demi or Semi-permanent hair dye can be used. It is much safer than permanent dyes but requires frequent touch-ups.

2- Permanent hair dyes are for those with more than 40 percent grey strands.

Advised semi-permanent hair dye for grey hair 

In case one faces allergies to the regular hair color then, always opt for homemade hair dyes. Henna and Indigo are examples of semi-permanent hair dyes.

Antioxidant health drink for hair and health transformation

Ingredients

• One Kg – Spinach leaves
• Half Kg – Corriander leaves
• Four-liter – Water

Method

• Cook the leaves in water.
• Boil it until the quantity of the water is reduced to half.  
• Strain this concoction and refrigerate it.

Dosage

• Consume one glass of this drink in the morning.
• You can add 1 tsp of honey to the liquid.
• It is a very effective antioxidant health drink.

Closing

There is no alternative to a healthy life and a wholesome diet. Drinking a sufficient amount of water is an important factor. Enough water supply to the body glorifies your skin and makes you healthy. Take care of your diet, and do not forget to be engaged in some physical activity. You can certainly include yoga in your daily routine for your overall wellness.