Grey hair is a natural process and is part of aging. Naturally, any color black or brown will be lost and will turn grey as you age.
The color of the hair is because of the pigment melanin which not just gives color to hair but also to our skin and eyes. Melanin pigment is produced by follicular melanocytes present at the base of the hair shaft. Lesser the melanin pigment, lighter will be skin and hair color.
Why Do We Get Grey Hair
As we age it is natural to lose melanin in the hair. Usually the risk of going grey increases 10 to 20 percent every decade after the age of 30. On aging, the melanin-producing cells in the hair shaft, start to die. So, after that, the rest of the hair growth will be without color hence turning them grey.
WHY GREY HAIR– reasons and causes
Certainly, stress alone can not be the reason for grey hair.
Let’s look into various factors.
When it comes to aging GENETICS largely determines when your hair will go grey. Like if your parents experienced early graying of hair, you might too. Also, the race can somewhat predict the age when one begins to grey. Those of Asian descent may go grey little early than African Americans, who typically show graying in the mid-40s.
What if nutritional deficiency is the root cause of graying of hair!
- If one is not taking a balanced diet and is having a lifestyle that includes unhealthy habits, this might even lead to early graying of hair due to lack of nutrients.
- According to Ayurveda, imbalance in metabolism and digestion can generate heat in the body which can further give rise to the issue of grey hairs.
Watch Out Few Unhealthy Habits Like
- Excessive eating of junk food.
- Smoking and immoderate consumption of Alcohol.
- Excessive exposure to pollution and direct sun rays
Ways To Overcome Nutritional Deficiency
- Natural ways to gain nutrients is by savoring on protein-rich food like milk, paneer, pulse, chicken, egg, fish in your daily diet.
- Diet can be supplemented with vitamin B-12, iron, folate, and copper-rich food, for example, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and coconut oil.
Underlying Health Conditions
- Some implicit health conditions can also lead to premature graying of hair like THYROID disease vitiligo and alopecia areata.
- May be hormonal fluctuation which can be handled by the consulting doctors.If corrected one can restore the melanin and thus the natural color of hair.
Ways to delay graying of hair
To a certain extent, one can slow down or delay the premature growth of hair.
Practice a few tips underneath-
- Avoid junk food and take a healthy diet.
- Reduce exposure to pollution or chemicals.
- Manage stress to control hormonal fluctuation.
- Maintain weight.
MYTHS about natural hair color restoration
- False promises for restoring original hair color are many but they are mere myths to quiet an extent.
- Hair mask having ingredients like coconut oil and lemon juice are for enhancing hair shine but cannot restore hair color.
- Potato skin having natural starches help darken grey hair but till you keep applying it. The effect vanished as soon as you stop using it.
- The use of supplements like Zinc Vitamin B-12 and D -3 can be of some help until and unless graying of hair is because of aging and is natural.
Also enjoy to read: Get Naturally Straight Hair with These Excellent Home Remedies
Written by: Rashmi Sharma
