Many women take special pride in the colour and shine of their hair. Unfortunately, that can all change unexpectedly when you begin noticing grey hairs in your otherwise uniformly-coloured mane. In the beginning, it’s only individual grey hairs, but soon they can begin to multiply despite your young age. Find out why you can develop grey hair, how to stop the premature greying process, and whether it’s possible to reverse the damage already done.
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1. What causes premature grey hair?
It’s perfectly normal for the hair to begin turning grey at the age of 50 or 60. Noticing individual grey hairs in your 30s and 40s is also becoming more common. However, hair greying is considered to be premature when it’s happening before you turn 20 or in your early 20s. Stray grey hairs may be less noticeable when your hair is light, but black-haired people will obviously notice grey hairs faster. The location of the first grey hairs differs for men and women: women will likely notice the first grey areas on their forehead, while men typically develop the first grey hairs in the temple area.
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There are dozens of causes for premature loss of hair pigment, which leads to grey hair. Here are the most common ones:
- Genetics. If your parents developed grey hair fairly early, you are very likely to experience the same changes earlier than your peers.
- Stress. In case you often experience stress and have little to no control over it, you may notice grey hairs earlier than you would have wanted.
- Thyroid conditions. Some thyroid conditions, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism have a similar effect on your hair, causing it to lose colour.
- Hair care mistakes. Constantly dyeing your hair, especially bleaching it, can lead to premature loss of pigment. The same goes for harsh shampoos and overuse of styling products.
- Vitamin deficiency. Vitamins and minerals are essential to your body in a number of ways, including the colour of your hair. Vitamins B12, B6, D, E, biotin, and copper deficiencies can all lead to premature grey hairs.
2. Can hair greying be reversed?
The important thing to understand here is that you can only influence your hair greying process if it’s not caused by genetics. If your parents have had grey hair since their young years, there is nothing you can do to stop or reverse your own grey hair condition. It’s also worth remembering that the hairs that have already turned grey or white will not regain pigmentation, which means you can only wait until they fall out to see whether new hairs also grow grey. So the general answer to this question is no, the hair greying process cannot be reversed, but in some cases, it can be slowed down or prevented.
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3. How to stop or prevent grey hairs
If you have no reasons to suspect your premature development of grey hairs is a genetic conditions, here is what you can try to slow down, stop, or prevent new grey hairs from appearing:
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- Consult a doctor. Two of the most common reasons for developing grey hairs, thyroid conditions and vitamin deficiency, are closely linked to your overall health. See a doctor and get the necessary tests to rule out those reasons. If you cannot test the vitamin levels in your body at the moment, add more B12, B6, D, E vitamins, as well as biotin and copper to your diet.
- Take proper care of your hair. Quit bleaching your hair or dyeing it with harsh chemicals. Switch to milder shampoos and styling products. Avoid chemically straightening your hair and overusing hair straighteners and dryers.
- Reduce stress levels. This is one of those tips that sounds easy but is hard to accomplish, but lowering your stress levels by getting rid of the annoying factors in your life, whether it’s an overly demanding job or a toxic partner, can do wonders for your wellbeing and the state of your hair. Quitting smoking won’t hurt either.
- Try homeopathy. If you believe in homemade and homeopathic treatments, you can use some of them to try and regain your hair colour. Rinsing your hair with black tea or applying a mixture of crushed curry leaves and your favourite oil to your hair roots are the two most popular solutions against grey hair.
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