Why does hair turn gray so early?

Gray hair appears in most people who have crossed a certain age limit. People most often notice their first gray hair at the age of 30-35, and then their number gradually increases over time.

However, premature graying is a common problem for many men and women who do not want to look older than their years, but suddenly find themselves with individual white hairs or even entire strands. A similar nuisance can happen both to those who often visit doctors and to people who are absolutely healthy.

Why do some people go gray and start dyeing their hair at 20, while others don’t have any worries until they are 50? If gray hair appears early, is there anything that can be done?

From the day a person discovers a few gray hairs, it can take more than 10 years before gray hair becomes predominant. Therefore, you can try to stop or at least slow down this process.

But first, it’s worth understanding how gray hair differs from “young” hair and where it comes from.

What is gray hair?

Eumelanin and pheomelanin

Melanocytes produce eumelanin, which is responsible for the black or dark brown color, and pheomelanin, which determines the reddish-yellow color.

In a certain proportion, these pigments color keratin, the main protein that makes up hair. Dark or light hair color depends on how much melanin each hair follicle receives. In turn, the volume and combination of different types of melanin are mainly determined by our genes. Thus, we get the widest range of natural shades: golden, light brown, reddish, chestnut, black.

Melanocytes begin to work before we are born, and their function gradually regresses over the years. Typically, their activity decreases by 10-20% every 10 years after age 30. As graying progresses, the melanocytes die off until they disappear completely, and then all the hair grows colorless, that is, gray.

Hydrogen peroxide

In 2009, scientists in Europe discovered another factor that causes hair to discolor with age. They found that hair follicles produce some amount of hydrogen peroxide. As any teenager knows, this substance is widely used to artificially whiten hair.

This substance is usually broken down by the enzyme catalase. But as a person ages, catalase production becomes less efficient. As a result, hydrogen peroxide accumulates, and it turns out that it whitens the hair from the inside, as if the owner had dyed it with bleaching dye.

Why does gray hair appear? (7 reasons)

There are many factors that can change hair pigmentation. Scientists divide them into internal (genetic characteristics, hormones, metabolism, age) and external (ecology, various adverse effects).

Very often, heredity is a predisposing factor. This means that most people will start to experience gray hair around the same age as their parents and grandparents. By the way, statistics show that representatives of different races turn gray at different times. The fastest are Caucasoids, then Mongoloids, and last of all are Negroids. It is noteworthy that those with red hair, on average, acquire gray hair earlier than anyone else.

Stress and psychological problems can also cause early graying of hair. According to research, people who suffer from anxiety and stress for a long period of time can expect gray hair to appear early. Depression and sadness can have a detrimental effect on health in general and reduce melanin production in particular.

It is noted that the early appearance of gray hair is more common in people who suffer from chronic sinusitis and colds.

Using hot water to wash your hair can disrupt the mechanism of pigment formation and cause graying.

Smoking also affects the age at which gray hair appears. The harmful substances that a smoker receives reduce the level of oxygen in the blood and the cells “starve”, including melanocytes.

Problems with the thyroid gland can cause hair discoloration.

A diet lacking vitamins can cause premature graying. The lack of certain vitamins, iron, copper, iodine in the daily diet is considered a significant factor.

How to eat to avoid going gray?

Lifestyle and diet are key factors in maintaining health and youth, but most of us buy food without thinking about its usefulness or making an attempt to maintain the right balance of vitamins and minerals.

Meanwhile, any product contains a certain set of substances, each of which performs its own function and its deficiency can cause certain disorders. Including hair loss and bleaching.

6 Minerals That Help Prevent Early Gray Hair

1. Calcium. Milk and any dairy products are a good source of calcium.
2. Chromium. Wheat bread, wine, and oysters are sources of chromium.
3. Copper. Green vegetables, eggs, chicken, mushrooms and beans, almonds and pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of copper.
4. Iodine. If you have problems with the thyroid gland, products containing iodine will help with hair loss and premature graying of hair. These are garlic, persimmon, black currant, sea fish.
5. Zinc. Mushrooms, oysters, whole grains and egg yolks are the main sources of zinc.
6. Iron. Beef, buckwheat, eggs, apples, seaweed, legumes and cocoa will help avoid iron deficiency in the body.

Groups of vitamins vital for hair

1. Beta carotene Known as an antioxidant, it helps the scalp stay healthy and also ensures proper sebum production. Vegetables, carrots, cabbage, spinach, fish, liver are the main sources of it.
2. Vitamins C, E and B vitamins (B3, B5, B6, B7, B12) promote active blood circulation in the scalp.
3. Vitamin Inositol considered very important for hair follicles. It is found in the greatest concentration in prunes, melon, and kiwi. It is present in some quantities in seeds (legumes, cereals, nuts), as well as milk and meat.

These substances are critical for preventing premature graying, as well as maintaining healthy hair. If you lead a healthy lifestyle and include enough vitamins and minerals in your diet every day, your hair will be healthy and shiny.

What to do to avoid going gray?

In addition to age-related skin changes and other annoying but inevitable side effects of the wisdom that comes with age, we are also faced with graying hair. But there are anti-aging serums for the skin, as well as surgical and non-surgical methods that can quite effectively counteract the effects of aging. What about hair?

Today, the most common way to “fight” gray hair is to dye all hair with a special dye. Unfortunately, we have to admit that this method is still the most effective: doctors and cosmetologists have not yet learned how to return the color to gray hair.

However, there are several principles, the observance of which helps to postpone gray hair until later years, and in some cases, to get rid of prematurely appearing single gray hairs.

Drinking enough fluids

Hair follicles need fluid to function properly. Lack of moisture and hydration prevents nutrients from reaching the hair follicles and thus can trigger the appearance of gray hair.

Neglect of thirst, addiction to alcohol and coffee abuse increase the likelihood of going gray prematurely.

Proper nutrition

The substances listed above will help maintain youthful and healthy hair for as long as possible. It is especially important to include foods with vitamin B12, folic acid and Omega-3 in your diet. These three ingredients are most effective in combating gray hair when taken as vitamin supplements or in foods.

Improved blood circulation

Blood circulation and blood supply are vital to preventing gray hair. There's little point in eating vitamins and minerals if they can't reach your hair follicles.

Physical activity will be helpful to improve blood circulation. For the lazy and busy, massage your scalp with your fingertips. If you spend 5-10 minutes a day on it, microcirculation will improve significantly and your hair may “change its mind” about turning gray and falling out.

Stress management

Stress is not the only cause of gray hair, but it is one of them. In 2012, Nobel Prize winner in chemistry Robert Lefkowitz discovered a mechanism that may explain why stress causes gray hair.

An extreme situation causes the release of numerous neurotransmitter substances designed to mobilize all the body's reserve resources. Usually their effect is short-lived and really helps to cope with the threat. Long-term exposure to these substances on the body, however, can cause graying and a host of other negative effects.

To give up smoking

It has been scientifically proven that smoking causes premature aging of the body and poor circulation. Giving up it is the first step of any person who wants to prolong his youth.

In addition to active rest and diet, it is important to take care of adequate, sufficiently long sleep.

It is generally accepted that gray hair appears in people who have reached a certain age. However, recently more and more people under 30 have noticed this problem. Premature gray hair can appear even in completely healthy people. So why is it that some people start going gray at 20, while others don’t have a single gray hair on their head even at 50? In this article we will talk about why people go gray early, what gray hair is and how to treat it.

What is gray hair?

Graying is the result of the hair bleaching process due to the loss of pigments that are responsible for dyeing the hair a certain color, as a result of which the hair is filled with air bubbles.

Hair follicles are deprived of the necessary nutrients and amino acids, as a result of which melanocyte cells suffer. After 30, every 10 years these cells reduce their activity until they disappear completely, and when this happens, the hair begins to grow gray. This entire process is completely individual and is influenced by many factors.

There are the following types of gray hair:

Causes

If you are over 40 years old, then the process of graying is absolutely natural and physiological. For some people, this process may not begin at all.

Let's consider the main reasons for the appearance of gray hair:

1. The process of age-related changes - aging
2. Genetic factor
3. The result of congenital or transmitted diseases
4. Constant stress

Graying factors are internal and external. The rate at which gray hairs appear is also affected by the environment and the negative impacts of the environment.

Why does hair turn gray at an early age?

Premature graying (if these are not single gray hairs) is when the hair turns gray at the age of 35 years. It is almost impossible to completely stop the process; it is only possible to slow it down if the cause is not genetic. It is best to follow some dietary guidelines and lead a healthy lifestyle to prevent this problem in the future.

If gray hair appears at the age of 20, you should definitely consult a doctor. This pathology is unnatural and requires a comprehensive examination to discover the cause.

10 reasons for gray hair in young girls

Although recently many young girls have been dyeing their hair gray on purpose, following fashion trends, not everyone likes this tone.

There are a number of factors that directly affect the formation of gray hairs in young girls. These include:

1. Heredity
   Very often, gray hairs appear in people at approximately the same age as their father and mother. It also depends on your natural hair color. Blondes and redheads go gray before everyone else.
2. Stress and frequent nervous breakdowns
   Long-term depression, constant quarrels and mental disorders have a very detrimental effect on our health. Due to the strong release of adrenaline into the blood, a person can turn gray even in one day, regardless of age. It is very important to take care of your psyche and nerves, since stress often causes not only gray hair, but also the formation of cancer cells.
3. Diet lacking vitamins and protein
   If your diet is missing vitamins A, B and C, as well as nutrients such as folic acid, copper, iodine and iron, this needs to be corrected urgently. In addition, a protein-free diet, which is so popular among women, only contributes to the appearance of gray hair.
4. Viral diseases or immune system problems
5. Thyroid diseases
6. Poor circulation
7. Effect of drugs
8. Chronic colds
9. Smoking
10. Frequent consumption of coffee and salt in large quantities

To accurately determine the cause, we advise you to consult a trichologist or dermatologist, who will send you for examination. Very often, early gray hair is a signal of problems in the body. The main thing is not to panic; gray hair is not a sign of old age.

What to do to avoid early gray hair?

If early graying of hair is not genetic in you, then there are some rules that will help slow down this process. The main thing is to understand that it is impossible to stop the manifestations of gray hair; it is very likely to simply postpone this process to a later time. To do this, follow the following rules.

Food should be rich in vitamins, minerals and always plant and animal proteins. Add more vegetables and fruits to your diet, as well as foods rich in calcium, zinc, iron, copper and iodine. Eat more dairy products, fresh berries, whole grains, lean meats, sea fish, legumes and nuts.

A sufficient amount of fluid is simply necessary for the good functioning of the hair follicles. Moisture will help nutrients reach the follicles faster and prevent early gray hair.

If possible, try to avoid nervous situations or at least control your emotions. Learn to calm yourself or take special training. Stress is the main cause of most diseases, so take care of yourself and your nerves.

Scientists have proven that smoking and alcohol can cause early aging of the body, as well as worsen blood circulation. If you want to stay young as long as possible, give up cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

Adequate, long-term sleep will improve not only the condition of your hair and skin, but also your overall appearance.

The only way that will definitely help hide gray hair is coloring. But paint will not save you from this problem, but will only make it invisible. There are also cosmetics and folk remedies that promise to help you get rid of gray hair, but of course it will not be possible to completely return your hair to its former color, since this is physiologically impossible.

Normally, men begin to go gray at the age of 30-35, and women at 40-45. Over time, this figure changes catastrophically; already at the age of 20, young people notice the first gray hairs. What are the causes of premature aging among the fair sex?

Features of the process of graying strands

There are 2 pigments responsible for hair color – eumelanin (brown and black) and pheomelanin (red and red). With a small content of these elements, the strands turn out to be light, platinum. With age, the production of tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for the renewal of pigments, decreases, hydrogen peroxide is formed, which “washes out” the natural shade of the strands. As a result, it appears gray hair.

Causes of early gray hair in women

It should be noted that representatives of different nations go gray in different ways. Caucasian type - by the age of 35, Asians - from 40 years old, Negroid races begin to turn gray after 50 years, and Indians - by 70.

Attention! Most often, gray hair appears in the root zone, but sometimes it can start from the end and spread throughout the hair in patches, affecting individual areas.

Factors influencing early graying:

1. Emotional shocks, worries and worries, frequent stressful situations;
2. Long hours of work at the computer, which leads to severe fatigue;
3. Heredity;
4. Diseases such as atherosclerosis, liver disorders, diabetes mellitus, vascular diseases, autonomic changes, pathologies of the digestive and endocrine systems;
5. The absence of vitamin B10 in the body affects the absorption of protein, without which pigmentation does not occur;
6. Lack of iodine, copper, iron in the body;
7. Bad habits (smoking, alcohol);
8. Frequent adherence to protein-free diets, which leads to protein starvation - the hairs become thinner, the follicles become dehydrated;
9. Incorrect movement of the strands (damage to the structure of the bulb with curling irons, flat irons, hair dryers);
10. Frequent coloring, lamination, keratin straightening (cosmetic compositions contain hydrogen peroxide, which washes out the natural pigment).

On a note! People say that if you go gray early, you will live long. It turns out that gray hair is an indicator of excellent health, because gray strands rid the body of damaged cells.

During adolescence, you need to learn how to respond correctly to criticism, endure relationships with young people, and not fall into depression at the slightest offense or despair (read literature on the topic of psycho-emotional personal growth).

Women, by physiological nature, tend to experience hormonal disorders - pregnancy, breastfeeding, postmenopause, etc. At this time, you need to be especially careful about your health, eat right and prevent the occurrence of vitamin deficiency.

How to avoid going gray at an early age?

If the period of early gray hair is programmed by genetics, then it cannot be avoided.

When this process is influenced by auxiliary factors, then to eliminate them it is important to follow a number of simple rules:

1. Proper and balanced nutrition - protein, fish, vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, cabbage of all varieties, sweet potatoes, fermented milk products, hard cheeses, seafood, nuts, cereals.
2. Less stress means less gray hair. It is important to learn not to react sharply to criticism, not to get upset over trifles, to treat life situations philosophically - what did not happen - for better or worse - life will put everything in its place.
3. Regularly, seasonally, take multivitamin complexes, be sure to compensate for the deficiency in the body of folic acid, vitamin A, E, C, group B, microelements - zinc, iron, copper.
4. Massage the head when combing - it is useful to drop a couple of drops of essential oil of lavender, citrus, tea tree, coconut onto the brush.
5. Protecting your hair from the negative effects of the environment is to wear hats depending on the time of year.
6. Stop bad habits, it affects not only your hair, but also all vital systems of the body.

It is important to accept life optimistically and enjoy every manifestation of it. But you can restore damaged gray strands with salon courses of mesotherapy, magnesium injections, physiotherapy (laser, current, electrical stimulation of the bulbs, etc.).

It is necessary to organize proper care of the strands, nourish them with natural masks, use high-quality washing products, and rinse the hair with herbal infusions.

The appearance of gray hair in girls is already stressful. However, this process can be stopped. In the end, you can dye your strands, which will distract you from this unpleasant factor. Enjoy life and be in a great mood!