Premature canities is a major cause of low self-esteem in young people. Hair gets its colour from natural pigments in the body called melanin. Human hair follicles can contain one of two types of melanin: the black-brown pigment called eumelanin, which is mainly present in black and brown hair, and the yellow or red pigment called pheomelanin, which is present in auburn and blonde hair. Dr Desmond Tobin, professor of cell biology at the University of Bradford in England, suggests that with growing age, the melanocyte activity slows down or stops, thus decreasing the pigment our hair receives which causes greying of hair.
The diagnosis of premature canities is primarily clinical. A doctor may advise tests to check the levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid or a thyroid profile in young people who don't have a family history of premature greying.
Despite all the research, the cause of canities remains far from clear and no effective therapy is available. Still, some treatments have worked in select cases:. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar. This would also explain why U. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can cause hair loss.
In some cases , it also causes regrown hair to lose pigment, thanks to a melanin deficiency. This can also affect parts of the body that have hair, turning the hair white or gray. Hormonal changes due to thyroid conditions like hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can also be to blame for too-soon white hair. Thyroid health actually plays a big role in hair color. If your thyroid is overactive or underactive, it can cause your body to create less melanin, which you need for pigmented hair.
Vitamin B is the big boss of vitamins. It not only gives you energy but also contributes to hair growth and hair color. B helps healthy red blood cells carry oxygen to the other cells in your body, which — you guessed it — includes your hair cells. A lack of B can mess with melanin production, leading to loss of pigment. BTW, sometimes the cause of a vitamin B deficiency is pernicious anemia.
This condition makes it impossible for your body to absorb the B needed to create enough healthy red blood cells. Vitamins B-6, D, and E and biotin are crucial to hair health too. A deficiency of the mineral copper can also hurt melanin production and lead to gray hair.
Oxidative stress is an imbalance in your body between free radicals those nasty unstable molecules that contribute to disease and aging and antioxidants. This imbalance prevents antioxidants from counteracting the damaging effects of free radicals. Studies suggest oxidative stress also has a hand in the aging process of hair follicles. A little research on your go-to hair products dyes, shampoos, etc. Many shampoos contain harsh chemicals that may not be doing your hair any favors and may even decrease melanin.
Hydrogen peroxide is one chemical in particular that has been shown to prompt the damaging effects of oxidative stress on hair. White locks, premature or not, are usually a done deal. Effective prevention depends on the cause. However, treating certain health conditions can help prevent early white hairs in the first place. With thyroid conditions, repigmentation may be possible after hormone therapy treatment. Consult your doc if you think your thyroid is to blame. If you have low vitamin B levels, upping this essential vitamin may improve your hair follicles and bring your natural hair color back to life.
A study found that several nutritional deficiencies affect pigmentation and suggested that vitamin supplements or dietary changes could help bring color back. Zinc, iron, magnesium, selenium, and copper are also super important for hair health. Copper , especially, is often overlooked, and research has found that low levels of copper can lead to gray hair. Adding foods to your fridge that are brimming with antioxidants can help reduce oxidative stress.
Gooseberry is a tiny, nutritious fruit known for its high antioxidant content that can help battle oxidative stress. The human body has millions of hair follicles or small sacs lining the skin. The follicles generate hair and color or pigment cells that contain melanin. Over time, hair follicles lose pigment cells, resulting in white hair color.
In this article, we look at some common causes of prematurely white hair, along with ways to slow the graying process down or prevent it, in some instances. Any deficiencies of vitamin B-6, B, biotin , vitamin D , or vitamin E can contribute to premature graying. One report in the journal Development notes various deficiency studies on vitamin D-3, vitamin B, and copper and their connection to graying hair.
It finds nutritional deficiencies affect pigmentation , suggesting color can return with vitamin supplementation. A study reported in the International Journal of Trichology looked to factors related to premature graying in young Indians under 25 years of age.
It found low levels of serum ferritin, which stores iron in the body, vitamin B, and the good cholesterol HDL-C were common in participants with premature hair graying. Race and ethnicity play roles, as well. Premature graying in white people can start as early as 20 years old, while a person can be as young as 25 years old among Asians, and 30 years in African-Americans populations, according to the same study.
While graying is mostly genetic, oxidative stress in the body may play a part when the process happens prematurely. Oxidative stress causes imbalances when antioxidants are not enough to counteract the damaging effects of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells, contributing to aging and disease. Too much oxidative stress can promote the development of diseases, including the skin-pigment condition vitiligo. Vitiligo may also turn the hair white due to melanin cell death or the loss of cell function.
In fact, research published in showed a connection between hair abnormalities and thyroid dysfunction. White hair is also common in alopecia areata , an autoimmune skin condition that causes hair loss on the scalp, face and other parts of the body. When the hair grows back, it tends to be white due to melanin deficiency.
There are conflicting research studies on real-life stress, such as that caused by injury, leading to premature graying. One study from New York University, reported in Nature Medicine , finds that the cells responsible for hair color can be depleted when the body is under stress. Other studies indicate that while stress may play a part, it is only a small part of a bigger picture where disease and other factors contribute.
A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology also demonstrated that smoking is linked to premature white hair in young men. Chemical hair dyes and hair products, even shampoos, can contribute to premature hair graying. Many of these products contain harmful ingredients that decrease melanin.
Hydrogen peroxide, which is in many hair dyes, is one such harmful chemical. Excessive use of products that bleach hair will also eventually cause it to turn white. If genetics or aging is the cause, nothing can prevent or reverse the process.
However, treating graying hair could allow color pigmentation to return if the loss is due to a medical condition. When diet and vitamin deficiencies are the cause of prematurely white hair, correcting these may reverse the problem or stop it from worsening.
A diet rich in antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress. Anyone who has white hair resulting from a vitamin deficiency should consume more foods loaded with those vitamins. For example, seafood, eggs, and meats are good sources of vitamin B, and milk, salmon, and cheese are excellent sources of vitamin D.
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