Our hair grows grey at some point of time. It is a happening that each one of us try to prevent from further occurrence. The start of hair graying and the speed at which people go gray differs significantly from person to person. Hair graying in most of the people actually starts in their late 20s but they do not observe it instantly. Premature graying starts before late teens for Caucasians and for the Africans and Asians it starts before the age of 30. Alternatively, most of the people have 50 % or more gray hair before the age of 50.
The absence of melanin is one the main causes of gray hair. As we grow in age, the production of melanin cells starts to lessen making hair turn gray eventually. The age at which one starts to get gray hair mainly depends on the genes inherited from their family. However, this is not always true and you can help prevent graying of hair with proper hair care. Before looking for remedies to stop gray hair, we must know the causes in order to take up the proper measures to prevent it.
Causes of Hair Graying
One of the main causes of premature hair graying is the reduction of melanin production over time. The melanocyte in the hair follicles that is responsible for producing melanin starts producing less and less melanin. This further leads to the loss of hair fiber color strength causing graying of hair.
Premature hair graying also results because of nervous breakdown, insufficient nutrition, stress etc. The graying of hair in individuals after the age of 30 and 40 is considered as normal. But, if hair graying starts early, you should consult a doctor and seek treatment.
Graying hair doesn’t mean that you are suffering any medical illness except in rare cases. Though there is not scientific identification of any particular reason for people experiencing premature hair graying, hereditary genes play an important role.
Deficiency of vitamin B-12 as well as thyroid or pituitary gland problem cause graying of hair. You can stop premature hair gray by correcting the problems with thyroid gland.
Another important cause of gray hair is the cells responsible for hair color dying away to create pigment. Hydrogen peroxide produced naturally may accumulate in the hair and bleach the color.
Apart from these causes, there are other factors which lad to graying of hair. These factors include:
- Skipping meals
- Improper eating habits and timing
- Nutrient deficiency
- Over dose of caffeine
- Smoking
- Extreme use of electric dryers and hair irons
Symptoms and Signs of hair graying
Area above the ears and at the temples are the most common areas on the scalp on which one develop first gray hair. This graying of hair may then spread around the sides and to the top of the scalp. The beard and mustache may begin to start graying quite early while the hairs on the chest and public region began graying only after some years after the scalp hair starts graying. However, you can spot premature graying of hair with its various symptoms. Premature graying of hair may lead to the following hair symptoms-
- Hair loss or thinning
- Hair discoloring before the age of 35
- Brittle and dry hair
- Headache (if you develop gray hair due to sinus or nutritional deficiency)
Home Remedies to prevent graying of hair
There are several natural ways for avoiding gray hair. Some of the homemade remedies are in fact very effective in lessening hair graying. Here, I have listed some of the effective natural remedies that can prove useful to get rid of the problem proficiently.
Curry leaves is one of the best ingredients that ensures preventing premature graying of hair. Including them into your daily diet, you can avoid further graying of hair. You can also apply curry leaves in your hair. For this, boil a few curry leaves in coconut oil and then strain it out of the oil. Let the oil cool down and then apply it over the scalp. This will surely decrease the rate of hair graying.
Ribbed gourd also helps in lessening hair graying. Take a few pieces of ribbed gourd and dry it in the sun. Once they are dry, soak them in coconut oil for three to four hours. Then boil this until the residue becomes black. Let it cool down and then massage your scalp with the residue.
Amaranth vegetable is also useful to stop graying of the hair. Extract juice from the fresh leaves of these vegetable and apply it on your hair. It helps in retaining the black colour of hair and also assist in the healthy growth of new hair.
Massaging your hair with cow’s milk butter will stop hair graying. You should do this for at least twice a week to get better result.
Amla, Indian gooseberry is another very important ingredient that helps in treating premature graying of hair. Cut it into small pieces and dry them. Once dried, put them in coconut oil and then apply this oil on your hair.
Take one tablespoon of amla juice, almond oil and few drops of lime juice and mix them well together. Apply this into your hair and keep it overnight. Wash your hair in the morning. It is an effective home remedy ensuring to treat premature graying of hair.
Following a proper diet plan will also aid you in avoiding premature graying of hair. It is always better to avoid refined flour and sugar, soft drinks, pastries, jam, spicy foods and food, chilies and oily food.
Include lots of vegetables and fruits into your daily diet to stop premature graying of hair.
Mix a tablespoon of yeast into a liter of yogurt and have this bowl of mixture prior to every meal. This is very effective in treating premature graying of hair.