Greying of hair is a part of our natural aging process. What exactly happens at the microscopic level! There are various changes happening in each organ as we age. In the skin, one of it is decrease in skin pigment production (melanin), which is why we tend to become light skinned as we age. What happens at the hair root is slightly different. The stem cells that incorporate colour to individual hair strands fail to replicate/ regenerate with age and therefore the loss of hair colour.
But few of us, including myself, experience greying prematurely (premature canities)
Let’s find out why do we lose these colour cells early!
Our Genes play a major role. It’s time to find out when our predecessors turned grey.
The next most common cause that is correctable is deficiency of vitamins like vitamin D3, vitamin B12 and minerals like iron, copper and zinc. So Healthy Eating!
Stress and lifestyle are the most underestimated contributors to greying. Physical and mental stress which is further aggravated by lack of sleep hygiene, Smoking leading to release of stress hormones which exponentially increases hair greying. Troubles of Kali Yuga!!
Adding one more to the stress list! Environmental Stress – excessive sun exposure, Air pollution, harsh shampoos can make us lose hair colour.
With the help of your doctor, rule out other systemic and autoimmune causes like Thyroid disorders, vitiligo and alopecia areata which causes greying. And definitely needs to be addressed.
Also Read: What foods should be avoided to help prevent acne?
Can my Greying be Reversed?
Unlikely if you are actually aging and greying!
When it’s early (less than 25 or even in school going children), one or two strands here and there, need not be paid too much attention. A grey hair hardly ever re-pigments. You might chop the few. The new hair that follows can be pigmented if the underlying deficiency or disease is addressed.
Once greying begins, the best we can do is to delay the process by simple lifestyle changes.
The importance of sleep and an active lifestyle can’t be overstressed. Following a consistent sleep schedule at night helps in regulating the hormones and repairing the damage that has occurred in the cellular level which prevents greying.
Vitamins and antioxidant rich foods like eggs, fish, green vegetables, berries, nuts, almonds, legumes, help to combat oxidative stress. Incorporating the above in a balanced diet on a regular basis can delay greying. Avoid processed food and junk that contain only empty calories and none of the essential minerals.
Keeping our stress under control by …Ugh! What a over simplified statement. By something that is tailored to your own needs.
External factors like heat and radiation can be addressed. Wearing caps and hats to protect from uv rays and pollution. Minimising the use of heat styling tools and chemical procedures to hair.
Smoking accelerates the overall aging process and it is more pronouncedly visible on our skin and hair. Quitting smoking can make a huge difference.
While we can’t change our genes, we can definitely slow things down by taking care of ourselves. There’s something beautiful about keeping things simple and gracefully accepting the changes that come with life and our bodies.
