self-esteem. Although while greying hair is a sign of experience, it might be worrying when it starts to happen extremely young in life. When hair greying begins before the age of 20, it is regarded as premature. By the age of 50, the hair begins to gradually dwindle in colour. There are treatments for hair greying before 50, even though there is no going back once it starts. Before any proposed treatment is given, it is essential to understand the causes of premature onset of grey hair.
Causes of Young-Age Grey Hair
You may have had thick, bouncy, black hair when you were younger, but it’s common for hair to become grey or white as people age. If your hair naturally becomes grey as you age, it gives the impression that you are more mature or ageing gracefully. Yet having grey hair at a young age is atypical and reason for concern.
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The skin cells on your body are layered by the hair follicles. These follicles contain melanin-producing pigment cells, which give your hair colour. Grey hair results from melanin loss as you age. This is a typical occurrence. But, if this occurs in the early stages, the cause must be found. Let’s examine the numerous causes of grey hair at a young age as well as prevention measures.
1. Immunological Illness
When the immune system of the body assaults its own cells, the situation is known as an immunological illness (autoimmune disease). The risk of developing grey hair at a young age increases when your immune system assaults your hair because melanin is lost.
2. Stress and Anxiety
Gray hair is caused by a decrease in stem cells in hair follicles. The major causes of this depletion are the anxiety and stress we now experience. The health of your hair can be significantly impacted by worry and stress, even though they can also lead to other problems including sleep disorders, irregular eating patterns, and unbalanced blood pressure. Young persons with hard employment may frequently get grey hair.
3. Smoking
Smoking raises free radicals, which have a tendency to harm the melanin cells that give hair its colour. Smoking’s toxins harm hair follicles, causing premature greying of the hair. Smoking causes blood arteries to narrow, limiting blood supply to hair follicles and resulting in hair loss. Smoking has an impact on the condition of the hair generally.
4. A lack of nutrition
Your vitality is increased by vitamin B12, which is also important for the health and colour of your hair. Vitamin absorption into the body is hindered as a result of vitamin B12 insufficiency. The production of healthy red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to all of the body’s cells, including hair cells, depends on proper amounts of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency weakens these blood cells, which in turn reduces the formation of melanin.
5. Genetics
There isn’t much that can be done to prevent premature greying if it runs in the family. If you start greying your hair at an early age, your ancestors may have also been born with grey hair. In these situations, cosmetic repair is the only option; you can choose to dye your hair to restore its youthful, healthy appearance.
6. Hormone Discord
An issue with the thyroid can result in hormonal imbalance, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, which accelerates the ageing process. The majority of biological processes are regulated by the thyroid gland, making thyroid gland health of utmost importance. Thyroid gland dysfunction will result in reduced melanin synthesis, which can cause grey hair to appear early in life.
Can you reverse premature greying?
- Finding strategies to reverse the problem depends in part on determining the reason of premature greying. Following are several treatments for premature greying of hair, according to the cause:
- Treating the underlying medical problem may assist in restoring the pigmentation to the hair if it is the cause of young-onset grey hair.
- One of the causes of grey hair at a young age is hormonal imbalance brought on by thyroid issues. To stop or delay premature greying, a hormonal imbalance treatment might increase pigmentation production.
- Treatment options exist for premature greying caused by a vitamin B12 shortage. To address the deficit, increase your intake of foods high in vitamin B12 or add vitamin B12 tablets to your daily diet. Not only will this aid in repigmentation, but it will also strengthen hair.
- There is no assurance that stress or smoking will undo melanin damage. The idea that hair colour might return after stopping smoking is untrue.
- Beyond age 30, melanin starts to naturally deteriorate. Your genes determine how quickly your hair colour fades. You cannot avoid the condition if your parents and/or grandparents aged prematurely. If hereditary predisposition to greying exists, it is quite unlikely that hair colour can be restored. The loss of melanin will prevent hair follicles from producing pigment on their own. Grey hair results from melanin production slowing down, while completely white hair results from melanin production ceasing.
Guidelines to Avoid Hair Greying at an Early Age
Prevention is preferable to treatment. Instead of trying to find treatments for grey hair at a young age after the harm is done, it is preferable to concentrate towards avoiding it. Here are a few simple suggestions to prevent early greying:
- Curry leaves and henna should be blended together and added to the oil of your choice. The mixture should be massaged into your hair and scalp. Henna and curry leaves are both very helpful in preventing grey hair. This may also be used to your hair as an anti-aging mask.
- Vitamins and proteins are crucial for maintaining healthy hair in general. As almond oil is a good source of protein and vitamin E, use it to massage your scalp and hair.
- Steer clear of abrasive shampoos and conditioners. Use gentle washes whenever feasible; organic shampoos composed of natural components are even better. Shampoo and conditioner ingredients harm hair follicles, resulting in greying and hair loss.
- After rubbing your hair with your preferred oil, wash it with a mixture of shikakai, reetha, and amla powder. This will help maintain the health of hair and stop greying.
- Combine your usual hair conditioner with a mixture of black tea leaves and water. Before washing your hair, apply it to your hair and leave it on for one to two hours. This will assist in hiding grey hair.
