Why does hair turn gray?

We consider gray hair a mandatory companion of maturity, but in general, hair can lose pigment at any age. Due to a breakdown in genes, hormonal failure, amid severe stress, grief, even fear – together with experts we understand why hair turns gray.

How does hair turn gray?

Our hair is colored by a special pigment called melanin. Its varieties, brown or black eumelanin and red-yellow pheomelanin, mixing with each other, give the strands a unique shade – chestnut, straw, blue-black or fiery red. How does hair turn gray? Over the years, hydrogen peroxide accumulates in the bulbs (the one with which brunettes are turned into blondes). Peroxide leads to the death of cells that produce melanin, interferes with the transport of pigment to the growing hair shaft. And the strands fade, become gray, and then completely colorless.

Graying, hair not only loses pigment – their structure also changes. In the core voids are formed, which are filled with air bubbles. By the way, because of them, the strands seem white – like sea foam, consisting of a large number of air bubbles.

Curiously, gray hair grows faster than normal hair. And they appear earlier in brunettes. Indeed, for a dark color, a higher concentration of pigments is needed – and a more intense reaction, to which the body has less and less strength over the years.

There is no miracle drug that gets rid of white strands, and there is only one way out for those who turn gray – coloring.

At what age does gray hair appear?

After 30 years, less and less pigments are produced, and at the age of 33-35, many Europeans already discover the first silver threads. Asians turn gray in their 40s, but the luckiest in this sense are people from Africa. What age do you think they get gray hair? At 50 and beyond! Moreover, in women – another 5 years later than in men.

To find out at what age your hair will turn gray, experts advise remembering when white strands adorned your parents’ heads. Too much in this matter depends on genetics.

Why does hair turn gray at an early age?

However, gray hair can appear even earlier than that of mom and dad – why, let’s figure it out.

Genetics

At University College London, scientists have discovered a gene responsible for the appearance of gray hair. IRF4 regulates the production of melanin, which, as we found out, gives the strands one color or another (and not only the strands – also the eyes and skin). A defective IRF4 variant causes melanin production to malfunction, causing hair to turn gray faster. The author of the study, Andre Ruiz-Suarez, says that the mistake of nature can be corrected by activating the gene. As an example, he cites dozens of successful experiments on mice. But so far only on them.

Stress

Science knows the case when a man’s hair turned gray a few hours after falling down the stairs. Perhaps, of course, he was a carrier of the defective IRF4 gene. But some researchers are convinced that stress hormones were to blame in this case. They damage cells, including those that produce melanin, and thus start the process of graying hair.

Another question is why gray hair appears so quickly. After all, in general, the hair does not become white immediately, but as it grows. What can make a person turn gray in a matter of hours – or overnight, like Marie Antoinette before execution? Perhaps the reason is a sharp, stressful hair loss. In the general mass, hair with pigment falls out, and gray hair, on the contrary, remains, which makes it more noticeable.

Vitamin deficiency

Another common reason why hair starts to turn gray is due to a lack of nutrients:

  • B vitamins;

  • vitamin D;

  • gland;

  • zinc;

  • calcium

  • copper.

Due to their deficiency, the strands become thinner, fall out and turn gray. However, if you are young, this process is reversible: it is worth including these vitamins and microelements in the menu, as the hair will become thicker, and at least new hair will grow back with the usual pigment.

Protein deficiency

Why else do people turn gray? Due to a lack of tyrosine in the body. This amino acid is found in animal products and is often deficient in vegetarians and low-calorie dieters. Interestingly, if animal proteins start to be excluded by older or middle-aged people who have a slower metabolism, this will affect health, but will not affect hair color in any way. But if young people who need a lot of nutrients switch to plant foods, the strands will turn white. For example, a young mother who has gone on a strict diet after giving birth runs the risk of becoming a “grandmother” in a short time. Due to the lack of amino acids and copper, the hair will begin to fall out, and the rest will turn gray.

disease

Gray hair may appear on the background of:

  • anemia;

  • diseases of the nervous system;

  • herpes;

  • streptococcal infection;

  • bronchial asthma;

  • vitiligo;

  • disorders of the adrenal glands and digestive tract;

  • thyroid problems.

Early gray hair can also appear due to celiac disease and alopecia areata, in which it is difficult for growing hair to retain color. It can also be a sign of cardiovascular disease.

Bad habits

The appearance of gray hair is also associated with lifestyle: some bad habits can affect this process. For example, smoking – it has been proven that smokers turn white 4 times more often than non-smokers. The cause of early gray hair can also be malnutrition: due to a deficiency of proteins, vitamins and trace elements, the production of melanin decreases, and the hair begins to lose color (we wrote about this above).

Taking medication

What else makes hair gray is from taking some “strong” drugs – painkillers, antitumor, rheumatoid, etc. But doctors reassure: if the strands turn white from pills, the color will certainly return 2-3 months after the end of drug therapy.

The causes of early gray hair are stress, genetics, protein and vitamin deficiencies, diseases and bad habits.

How to prevent early gray hair?

First of all, watch yourself. The first gray hair usually appears on the temples and on the top of the head. And before that, the hair begins to fall out more strongly, their growth slows down – these are, as trichologists say, the first “bells”. If you notice something like this, take immediate action.

Healthy lifestyle

Go to bed early and get up early, move more, eat right – everyone knows about these rules, but for some reason rarely anyone follows them. But for health and beauty, this is the most necessary thing! And they also help prevent the appearance of gray hair.

Reducing stress

Martin Pickard of Columbia University has proven that eliminating the source of stress can do more than just prevent graying. If you are under forty, you can even make your hair darken again! For several years, the researcher has collected a collection of 397 gray hair belonging to men and women of different ages. All these hairs were not entirely gray, but half. After interviewing the owners, Picard found that in most cases, the hair turned white after some kind of stressful event. And in calm periods, gray hair … darkened. For example, a strand on the head of a 35-year-old man who lost his job regained color after he found it. And some of the hair of a 30-year-old African-American woman, which turned white after a difficult divorce, turned black again after 2 years, when the stress receded. “Just as rings in a tree’s trunk tell the story of a tree’s life, hair can tell a lot about our destiny,” says Martin Picard. – Being under the skin in the form of follicles, they fall under the influence of stress hormones, suffer from deficiencies and other negative factors. All these “sufferings” crystallize, and when the hair grows, we can see them – the strand will be weakened, brittle or gray. But up to about 40 years, these processes are reversible. If the gray hair is stressful, and not senile, against the background of well-being, it can recede, we have proved this.”

Balanced diet

Researchers from the University of Bradford and Johannes Gutenberg University came to the conclusion that you can prevent the appearance of gray hair if you include in the menu foods rich in vitamins B12 and D, copper, iron, zinc, calcium. As well as the enzyme catalase – it is found, for example, in avocados and raw potatoes. It is important that the diet has a lot of protein (see above). And in general it should be balanced. Against the background of strict diets, it is very real to turn gray.

Head massage

Trichologists also advise to massage the scalp more often – it improves blood circulation, and hence the nutrition of hair follicles. And this has a positive effect on everything – including the production of melanin. Not to mention the fact that head massage is great for relieving stress, one of the main sources of gray hair.

Salon procedures

There is an opinion that microelement mesotherapy and plasmolifting will help to stop stress graying. The meaning of these procedures is all in the same improvement in the nutrition of hair follicles, restoration of metabolic processes.

Cosmetical tools

In addition to hair dye, no cosmetics will help eliminate gray hair. However, good home care can improve the quality of the hair and make the white strands look more impressive. Hairdressers advise:

  • constantly moisturize and nourish the strands to avoid their fragility and brittleness;

  • fight yellowness – there are tint shampoos that will remove the ugly yellow shade of gray hair, make it colder, silvery;

  • cut your hair regularly to keep your hair looking beautiful and well-groomed;

  • once every two weeks, intensively cleanse the scalp, massage;

  • when styling, use thermal protection, and in the summer – leave-in hair products (they may also contain sunscreens) so as not to dry out already dry gray hair even more.

Shampoo Elseve “Luxury 6 oils” nourishing, L’Oréal Paris

Light and nourishing, it is enriched with 6 oils of rare colors that give hair shine, smoothness, silkiness, make curls obedient and fill them with vitality.

Elseve Laminating Shampoo “Color Expert” for colored and highlighted hair, L’Oréal Paris

If you choose to color your hair, the red peony formula in the shampoo will keep your color vibrant and vibrant for up to 10 weeks. It nourishes the strands well and gives them shine.

Elseve Violet Shampoo “Color Expert” for blonde hair and highlighted brunettes, against yellowness, L’Oréal Paris

The formula with a UV filter and purple pigment neutralizes unwanted yellow and red tones, gently cleanses and cares for hair.

Strengthening shampoo Fructis “Persistent color” for colored or highlighted hair, Garnier

The formula with acai berries holds pigments inside the hair, intensively nourishes, makes curls soft and manageable and enhances the mirror shine.

Firming conditioner Fructis “Triple Recovery”, Garnier

Triglyceride and three oils (avocado, shea and olive) in the balm perfectly fight dry and brittle hair. Curls look stronger, silky and shiny.

Mask Elseve “Color Expert” for blonde hair and highlighted brunettes, against yellowness, L’Oréal Paris

A mask with purple pigment neutralizes unwanted yellow and red tones, nourishes them.

Express mask with prokeratin complex Dercos Kera-Solutions, Vichy

Fills hair microdamages, contributing to their restoration along the entire length. The prokeratin complex, coconut oil and vitamin B5 are soloed in the mask. These components make curls moisturized, less brittle, elastic and shiny.

Complex leave-in cream Fructis “Growth in full force”, Garnier

Cream with a light texture and a pleasant fruity aroma makes the hair more hydrated and strong, manageable and shiny. The main characters of the product are moisturizing sugar cane extract, green tea leaf extract and apple extract with their antioxidant properties, as well as lemon extract.

Complex leave-in care Fructis “SOS-rescuer. Cream 10-in-1, Garnier

Rescues very damaged hair. The caring formula with amla oil and aminokeratin strengthens curls, protects them from brittleness and adds smoothness and shine. As a bonus – thermal protection up to 230 ˚С during styling.

Leave-in cream Elseve “Ultra strength” for weak and prone to hair loss, L’Oréal Paris

Thanks to biotin, vitamin B5 and arginine, hair looks stronger and healthier. The firming cream protects them from tangling and breakage when brushing and from temperatures of 230°C when styling.

Is it possible to get rid of gray hair?

Alas, there is no miraculous drug that here and now gets rid of white strands. As well as vaccinations that protect against graying in adulthood. Pulling out gray hairs is also useless, and sometimes even harmful: if the capillary is injured, a new hair may simply not grow. Therefore, there is only one way out for those who are graying – coloring.

Europeans start going gray at 35, Asians at 40, and Africans at 50.

Summary results

Briefly about the main thing.

Why does the hair on the head turn gray? 

As bulbs age, hydrogen peroxide builds up. It destroys melanin, the pigment that gives our hair, eyes and skin their unique color. As a result, the strands fade, become gray, and then completely colorless – gray. But sometimes the hair turns white earlier than the time appointed by nature. This may be due to:

  • breakdown of the IRF4 gene, which regulates the production of melanin;

  • stress

  • deficiency of vitamins and microelements;

  • lack of protein in the diet;

  • some diseases;

  • smoking;

  • medication.

At what age does gray hair appear? 

Normally, Europeans can detect gray hairs as early as 33-35 years old. Asians in their 40s, Africans in their 50s and later. Moreover, according to statistics, women turn gray 5 years later than men.

What will help delay the appearance of gray hair? 

A healthy lifestyle, that is, sports, good sleep and rest, the absence of bad habits, as well as:

  • balanced diet;

  • minimizing stress;

  • scalp massage and salon procedures – primarily mesotherapy and plasmolifting.

What cosmetics do you need if you have gray hair? 

  • Moisturizing, nourishing products that protect hair from brittleness and brittleness.

  • Tinted shampoos that will remove the ugly yellow tint of gray hair and make it more noble, silvery.

  • Thermal protective agents are needed so that during styling they do not damage or dry out already dry gray hair.

Well, for the radical elimination of gray hair – hair dyes and renewal of coloring as gray roots grow.

Leave a Reply