What Causes Gray Hair and How to Prevent It
Nov 21, 2024 | By Maria Eliza Pineda
One of the first and most common signs of aging is getting gray hair. But what causes gray hair in the first place? This change comes with other signs like wrinkles, weaker bones, and muscles. These aren’t necessarily bad things! Aging is beautiful, and people should be able to embrace entering a new chapter in their lives. However, there’s no denying that keeping the signs of aging at bay is the goal for many people, much like how we want to maintain our health and keep ourselves looking good.
We all know that aging brings many changes to the body. But let’s focus on one aspect: gray hair. While gray hair is a sign of aging, there are also instances where grays can come early, such as to those in their teens or twenties. This is called premature graying. So, evidently, graying is not just caused by purely aging and can be caused by other factors. The question is, what exactly causes it, and how can it be prevented?
What Causes Gray Hair?
Genetics
Have you ever see young people with gray hair and seniors with perfectly pigmented hair? It does happen! So, what can cause this? Sometimes, it’s just this thing called genetics. Some people go gray earlier and never at all or start graying way later in life. Genes are a massive factor in height, skin, hair loss, facial features, and many more. They’re the same with gray hair. You can observe your relatives and family to know if you’ve gotten the premature or early graying gene.
Age
Age is the most common cause of gray hair; the older you get, the more unavoidable it is. As mentioned before, gray hair is just another symptom that comes with getting older, like wrinkles and age spots. It is natural and nothing to be scared of. Your hair just grows slower and produces less pigment as you age. Such is life. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to cover the grays or prevent it, but don’t stress yourself out if you start to show signs of aging. Aging is a beautiful thing and something that happens to everyone.
Stress
Stress is one of the most common but covert causes of gray hair, but the good news is that it is a preventable cause. Have you ever heard expressions that relate gray hair to being stressed or having problems? There is a basis for this. A studyshows that pigment-producing cells decrease if the body is stressed.
Nutritional Deficiencies
A lack of essential nutrients or vitamins is often linked to premature graying, particularly in younger people. Hair, like any part of the body, relies on proper nutrition to stay healthy. It needs vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and protein to remain strong, hydrated, and maintain its color. Without these nutrients, problems can arise, such as hair loss, dandruff, weakness, and the development of gray hair due to the loss of pigmentation.
Sun Damage
Sun exposure can lighten hair, giving dark hair a brassy, light brown tint and blonde hair some striking highlights. This is where the term “surfer hair” comes from. As you’ll notice, many surfers have very light highlights in their hair. This is because saltwater and sun rays can bleach the hair. But too much sun can be damaging, causing hair to become brittle, dry, and even gray prematurely. The harmful UV rays affect scalp health and can lead to these problems.
Chemicals
When you notice gray hairs, the first instinct is often to dye them away. But this can create a vicious cycle. Using hair dye regularly to cover grays can increase their number over time. The harsh chemicals in hair dye damage your hair and reduce melanin production, which can lead to even more gray hair. The more you dye, the more grays you might end up with.
Smoking
Studies reveal that smoking can accelerate graying hair. Smokers are roughly 2.5 times more likely to notice gray hairs before turning 30 than non-smokers. The chemicals in cigarettes damage the melanin-producing cells in your hair, speeding up the graying process. So, smoking doesn't just harm your health—it can also cause you to gray early.
How Do You Prevent Gray Hair?
You now have an idea of the most common causes of gray hair and can deduce some solutions for this as well! Let’s get into further detail about that and provide you with some remedies to help prevent gray hair.
Natural Remedies
Polygonum Multiflorum
Courtesy of Pinterest
Polygonum multiflorum is a plant native to China that’s been hailed as the anti-aging holy grail. This plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and remedies for ages, and studies show that it can even fight inflammation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
Aside from this, polygonum multiflorum has also been proven to reverse the graying process in hair. It stimulates pigment-producing cells and brings back the hair’s natural color. Furthermore, it also improves the hair’s overall health.
Product to reverse grey hair:
https://hairmayraki.com/anti-grey-hair-color-restoring-treatment/
Curry Leaves
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According to the International Journal of Farmtech Research, curry leaves have been a traditional go-to for tackling premature graying. They’re not just a cultural staple but also a powerhouse of nutrition. Packed with protein, antioxidants, and beta-carotene, curry leaves can boost your hair health. Protein strengthens your hair, antioxidants protect it from damage, and beta-carotene supports growth and helps prevent graying. If you’re looking for a natural way to keep your hair looking its best, curry leaves might be just what you need.
Antioxidants
Oxidative stress occurs when the body doesn’t get enough antioxidants and toxins and free radicals start to cause havoc on health. This speeds up aging and causes wrinkles, health issues, cell damage, gray hair, and much more.
Thankfully, this is easy to prevent. Simply add more antioxidants to your diet! Research foods that are high in antioxidants or look into supplements that you can take to boost your antioxidant intake.
Manage Stress
Stress is another factor that can wreak havoc on the body. While many people may dismiss it, stress can cause serious health problems and premature graying.
To prevent this, manage your stress and practice self-care. Relax, spend time with loved ones, don’t overthink, don’t overwork, and make sure you take breaks and care for yourself.
Healthy Lifestyle
Making lifestyle changes can significantly improve your hair's health. Quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, staying fit, and managing stress are all key steps in preventing gray hair. Committing to a healthy lifestyle will help your body better retain essential nutrients, which helps keep your hair strong, hydrated, and vibrant.
Protect Your Hair
Your hair gets damaged daily just by living life. This is unavoidable, but there are ways to protect your hair to lessen the amount of damage. Protect your hair from the elements by wearing heat protectants and hair oils, staying away from damaging products, and lessening heat styling.
Gray is Okay
Understanding what causes gray hair—whether it’s getting older, your genes, or lifestyle choices—can help you take action to prevent it. Positive changes like quitting smoking, eating better, staying active, and managing stress can benefit your hair. Adding natural remedies like curry leaves and Polygonum multiflorum into the mix can also be a great way to keep your hair healthy and maybe even delay graying.
By taking care of yourself and making these adjustments, you can keep your hair looking its best and maintain a more youthful vibe. But remember, going gray is okay! If you don’t want to hide or prevent those grays, wear them loud and proud because gray is beautiful.