Graying of hair is a process that every person faces sooner or later. Most often this happens due to genetics or age reasons, and sometimes due to certain disorders in the body. Can we somehow influence the process of the appearance of gray hair and how to get rid of them – in our article.
Why does gray hair appear
First you need to figure out what causes gray hair. There are several main reasons.
lack of melanin
The natural pigment melanin is responsible for the natural shade of the hair. It is produced by melanocytes, which are found in hair follicles. When the production of melanin decreases, and hydrogen peroxide appears inside the hair, the process of graying begins in a person.
More melanin is produced in the body if ultraviolet radiation hits the surface of the skin. Also, the increased secretion of the pigment can be affected by the consumption of certain minerals and vitamins – iron, calcium, vitamins A and B.
health disorders
Of course, gray hair can also occur as a result of certain diseases: alopecia, vitiligo, hormonal deficiency, thyroid disorders or diseases of the autoimmune system. Only doctors can determine whether graying is associated with any disease.
Bad habits
Improper diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep disturbance and other bad habits also negatively affect human health, which can cause graying of hair. For example, in the bodies of smokers, oxidative processes occur that lead to the death of melanocytes, and as a result, to premature gray hair.1.
Stress
Stress negatively affects the state of the whole organism, including the hair follicles. Depression and major shocks affect the nervous system, which can cause hair to turn gray.2.
Vitamin deficiency
Another common factor in the appearance of gray hair is the lack of vitamins and nutrients. For example, B vitamins affect the synthesis of melanin in the body. That is, their lack can just lead to premature graying.
Deficiency of copper, selenium, calcium and ferritin also negatively affects many processes in the body, respectively, it can also be the cause of gray hair. In order not to provoke the appearance of gray hair, it is important to eat well, give up low-component diets and carefully monitor the level of vitamins.3.
Genetic predisposition
The average age at which gray hair appears is 30–35 years, but it is impossible to rule out a genetic factor. If many members of your family started going gray at a relatively young age, it’s most likely due to genetics.
Also, one of the factors of premature graying, according to scientists, is the geography of the origin of ancestors.
How to get rid of gray hair at home
It is impossible to restore the natural color of gray hair. But the graying process can be slowed down or masked. This can be done in several ways.
Hair coloring
The most obvious option is hair coloring. You can paint over gray hair with paint or special washable masking products, tint shampoos. If there are not so many gray hairs and regular monochromatic coloring is not included in the plans, you can do highlighting or partial coloring, for example, shatush.
Taking vitamins
Since one of the causes of graying of hair is precisely the lack of vitamins, restoring their balance in the body can stop the development of this process. But this should be done only after passing the tests and under the supervision of a doctor.
Make sure your diet is varied and contains enough of the nutrients needed to feed the hair follicles and cell metabolism. Deficiency of certain micro- and macronutrients causes increased hair loss, brittleness and leads to premature graying.
Below is a table of vitamins and minerals that should be present in your diet for hair health, as well as which foods contain them:
| Vitamins and minerals | Products |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Red meat, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, liver |
| Biotin (B7), B12 | Eggs, red fish, red meat, animal by-products, legumes, nuts, cauliflower |
| Folic acid | Liver, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables |
| Calcium | Dairy and dairy products, fish, almonds |
| Vitamin D | Fatty fish, red meat, mushrooms |
| Omega-3 | Fatty fish, nuts, vegetable oils |
Cosmetic procedures
You can also slow down the process of graying hair with the help of special cosmetic procedures. Many trichologists recommend taking a course physiotherapy, plasma therapy or mesotherapy. This improves blood circulation and strengthens hair follicles. Another effective way to combat early graying is to massage the scalp.
Healthy lifestyle
A balanced diet, giving up bad habits, regular physical activity, lack of stress will help to normalize the state of health and thereby slow down the aging process of the body.
Popular questions and answers
Experts answer questions: Tatyana Kachanova – Chief Physician of the FUE Clinic, Natalia Shchepleva – dermatovenereologist, trichologist and podologist, as well as nutritionist Ksenia Chernaya.
How to prevent gray hair?
“Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent the process of graying hair. But you can try to slow down this process. First you need to find out what causes early gray hair. Depending on this, the methods of dealing with it will differ.
Even if the cause is found and eliminated, gray hair will not decrease, but perhaps the process itself will slow down.
Natalia Shchepleva:
“It is impossible to prevent the appearance of gray hair. Very often gray hair is a genetic factor. But you should always, whether there is gray hair or not, strive to create the most favorable conditions for hair: take care of them, avoid mechanical or thermal effects, and also eat a balanced diet. But, unfortunately, there are no guarantees that gray hair will stop appearing.”
How to deal with gray hair at a young age?
“The easiest and fastest way is to mask gray hair, that is, dye your hair. You can also try to prevent early graying of hair through vitamins, and if they have already begun to gray, to maintain the health of those who have not yet lost their pigment.
To do this, you can resort to procedures: plasma therapy or mesotherapy. They have a positive effect on the overall health of the hair follicles, nourishing them. In addition, the diet should be healthy and contain foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, B vitamins, folic acid, as well as calcium, selenium, iron, copper, zinc, and sulfur. Or take vitamin complexes after consulting a doctor.
Xenia Chernaya:
“In order to prevent the appearance of gray hair at an early age, full sleep (8-9 hours) is recommended as a standard. It is better to go to bed at the same time and ideally give up bad habits. In nutrition, do not forget about foods containing B vitamins and Omega-3. These are fish (tuna, herring, mackerel), seafood, flax seeds, chia, meat and nuts. And, of course, try to avoid stressful situations, because. during stress, elements are formed that damage skin cells that produce pigment (melanocytes). As a result, the cells lose their ability to produce melanin and the person turns gray.”
Natalia Shchepleva:
“As already mentioned, gray hair is often a genetic factor. The appearance of gray hair is often affected by stress, since hair is hormone-dependent. If a person is under chronic stress, this will be reflected in the structure and color of his hair.
Is it possible to get rid of gray hair once and for all?
“Unfortunately this is not possible. Melanin is the pigment that gives hair its color. With age or due to other factors, melanin ceases to be produced, and the hair loses its color. Air pockets and lack of pigment – these two factors determine the gray-white color of the hair. And if the hair has already turned gray, then there is no way to restore their color: they have lost the pigment forever.
But you can mask the gray hair with coloring. Moreover, it is better to give preference to more gentle dyes: tinted shampoos, aerosols or gels with a masking effect. If these options do not suit you, it is better to choose paints that do not contain ammonia, since it has the most aggressive effect on the hair.
In addition, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle: eat right and varied, give up smoking and alcohol, play sports.”
Xenia Chernaya:
“You can only remove the gray hair that has appeared by making a haircut or coloring. There are no other ways. Therefore, it is better to take care of your health in advance in order to prevent its occurrence.
Natalia Shchepleva:
“You can’t get rid of gray hair. Especially once and for all. Gray hair will appear anyway. What to do? Paint over.”
Is it possible to pull out gray hair?
“It’s better not to do it at all. If you pull out a gray hair 2-3 times, it will recover and grow again, but if you do it systematically, then the hole from which it grew will become empty.
Xenia Chernaya:
“It is absolutely impossible to pull out gray hair. In this case, the follicles can be damaged and new hair will no longer grow in the injured part of the scalp. There is a big risk of getting gaps in the future.”
Natalia Shchepleva:
“It is useless to pull out gray hair, because exactly the same gray hair can appear next to the pulled out hair. But what about? Just maintain the quality of life, monitor the diet, if possible, avoid stress, which still does not guarantee the hair from the appearance of gray hair.
Sources:
1. Prokhorov L.Yu., Gudoshnikov V.I. Graying of hair during aging: local mechanisms. M., 2016
2. Prokhorov L.Yu., Gudoshnikov V.I. Influence of stress and environment on human skin aging. M., 2014
3. Isaev V.A., Simonenko S.V. Prevention of aging. M., 2014