Why is my hair turning white at a young age?

Hair is human’s ultimate ornament and any sort of challenge arising in hair health can significantly impact an individual's countenance. There are so many concerns that may arise from diminishing hair health; greying of hair being one of them.

As it is popularly said in India that the white hair is a testament to the experience of a person but it is only justified when the individual is aged. The greying in young people can be a matter of concern and must be addressed on time.

What causes greying of hair?

The greying is caused by multiple reasons; lack of melanin is a major one. Apart from aging and melanin, other factors like genetics, stress, Vitamin B-12 deficiency, smoking etc. may also be the reason behind grey strands.

What is Melanin?

Melanin is a naturally occurring substance that provides color to hair ,eye and skin. These are produced in melanocytes and are present in areas including:

• Hair
• Eye
• Skin
• Some areas of the brain, adrenal gland and inner part of ear.

What does Melanin do for Hair?

The two major functions that a melanin perform are:

• Determination of hair color.
• Protection of hair from harmful UV Rays.

Types of Melanin

There are three types of melanin mainly produced in our body.They are:

• Eumelanin: Eumelanin is the reason for dark colors in skin, eyes and hair.There are two types of eumelanin- Black and Brown. The amount of brown and black eumelanin varies, that's why some have pure black hair while others have brown.But when there's no black eumelanin and only a small amount of brown melanin,it results in blonde hair.

• Pheomelanin. This type of melanin is present in our  lips, nipples and other pinkish parts of the body determining their color. The ones who have an equal share of eumelanin and pheomelanin resultantly have red hair.

• Neuromelanin. While eumelanin and pheomelanin control the colors of things you see (such as skin, hair and eyes), neuromelanin is responsible for the color of your neurons.

What causes a decline in Melanin production in hair?

From aging to hydrogen peroxide ,there are a number of reasons behind the reduction in production of melanin in the hair. Aging,which is a natural phenomenon is an inalterable factor. Aside from this,the factors like stress,smoking,hormonal change during pregnancy or menopause, can significantly impact the melanin’s production.

The genetic factors like vitiligo or albinism and some underlying medical conditions like thyroid disorder,and autoimmune disorders,may also be the intense factors disrupting the production of melanin in the body.

Some other reasons including oxidative stress and the production of hydrogen peroxide  by hair follicles may lead to gradual loss of hair color as well.

How to prevent white hair?

Grey strands or white hairs,when arrives before the actual time, causes distress in our mind because it not only impacts our appearance but also our self- confidence.Many people with premature greying tends to hide it by using dyes instead of identifying the underlying cause as they are not aware of the preventive measures that they can adopt to prevent white hair.Lets navigate through some measures essential for preventing greying:

• Eat foods rich in Vitamin A, B, C, D, and E.
• Practice meditation or yoga to control stress.
• Take supplements if recommended by a dietician.
• Conduct medical check ups to identify if there's an underlying disease(required only if problem is severe)

How to increase Melanin in hair naturally?

The deficiency of essential vitamins (especially vitamin A,C and E) and antioxidants are the major causes of depleting melanin hence the first thing that we should do is to include all the essential nutrients and antioxidants important for melanin production in our diet.

A healthy diet is a prerequisite for healthy hair; hence it's imperative to incorporate green in our plate.We can add the following things to our plate in order to boost the availability of vitamins in our food:

• Leafy greens (kale, spinach, or collard greens)
• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other nuts)
• Whole grains
• Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
• Beans (red beans, pinto beans, black beans, and other legumes)
• Berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)

Minerals

Minerals are an essential requirement for healthier hair; so if you're also fed up with premature  greying or white hair,increase the proportion of copper and iron in your diet .The iron helps in supplying oxygen to the hair follicles through RBCs,whereas the copper increases production of melanin.Both these minerals play an eminent role in preventing hair from premature greying.Foods that are rich in iron and copper are:

• Dark green vegetables
• Almonds,
• Peanuts, 
• Dark chocolates
• Lentils 

Biotin

Biotin is another water-soluble vitamin that helps in hair growth and maintains its health. Biotin deficiency is often associated with premature hair greying. Hence, adding sufficient biotin to your diet or taking biotin supplements can increase melanin production.

Natural Remedies

The natural ingredients like Bhringraj,Triphala,Vibhitaka also possess properties that can increase the melanin count and prevent premature greying.If we apply these to our scalp,we might see our hair healing from premature greying.

Melanin-Rich Product

One should find hair products that are rich in ingredients essential for boosting up the melanin;hundreds of options are available; however one should be very careful while selecting any product.Firstly,identify your hair type. Only after identifying one should look for the product best suited for their hair type. Also,ensure your product has melanin-rich ingredients like lutein,probiotics,astaxanthin etc.as it may significantly increase the melanin in the follicles.

Supplements

Though only limited research is available at present, the initial studies suggest that vitamin B12 can accelerate melanin production. Other alternative treatments including folic acid and phototherapy (although more research is needed) may also be adopted to boost the production of melanin.

Scientific Facts V/s Myths

Hair care Products 

Various kinds of hair products are available in the market that we can use to prevent greying:

1. Hair serums consisting of Vitamin B12, antioxidants and keratin :The hair serums addresses the underlying cause of greying and help significantly reduce white hairs by alleviating oxidative stress, fulfilling the deficient vitamins and neutralizing free radicals that damage hair follicles.

2. Oils : Some oils like Bhringraj Oil act as anti greying oil as they  add nourishment to our unhealthy hair in order to prevent premature greying.

3. Shampoo: The shampoos rich in onions can be quite beneficial as they are packed with sulfur, which is an important building block for keratin-a structural protein in the hair.It improves the blood circulation ,nourishes scalp and reduces oxidative stress.It also restores catalase, an enzyme that breaks down the buildup of hydrogen peroxide in hair follicles.

4. Hair supplements: The hair supplements rich in omega 3 , biotin, zinc iron and other essential vitamins not only prevents us from premature greying but also provides strength to our hair.

Summary

Some people consider hair as their first love,thus any concern arising from hair can deeply affect them.Greying being one of those, can be a major headache for the young people.

Lack of melanin - a pigment that determines the color of hair, is the reason behind greying or white hair;whose level  is influenced by a number of factors including diet, genetics, underlying diseases,hydrogen peroxide and others.

It is very important to take preventive measures to stop premature greying,and we can do so by consuming a healthy balanced meal rich in vitamins,minerals and antioxidants,such as -leafy vegetables,dark chocolates ,nuts,fruits,lentils and others.

Also,we need to make ourselves more aware about the facts around hair health and should not get influenced by the myths floating around.

In order to increase melanin, we should increase consumption of natural sources of Vitamin A,C,and E, Vitamin B12 supplements, iron and copper.We can also opt for products rich in melanin ingredients like omega 3,biotin ,etc.

Some hair products like hair serums ,onion rich shampoo, conditioners and supplements are often used to alleviate greying of hair.

Conclusively,it's important to understand that hair health is very important as it not only affects our appearance but can also impact our self confidence. It is part of overall physical well being hence one must take care of it like any other organ.

Recommended Products by Blue Nectar:

Bhringraj Hairfall Control Oil for Healthy Scalp(10 Herbs)

Batana & Almond Leave-In Conditioner for Soft, Smooth, and Manageable Hair (14 Herbs, 200g)

Briganantadi Amla, Honey, Hair Fall Control Shampoo | Strong & Healthy Hair

Green Tea Hair Serum for Frizz Free & Stronger Hair with Plant Based Biotin(12 herbs, 50ml)

Honduras Batana & Almond Oil Hair Serum for Fuller Hair(18 herbs, 50ml)

Related Articles:

Is Your Lifestyle Causing Grey Hair On Indian Skin?

10 Tips to prevent premature greying of hair with ayurvedic hair oil 

References:

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/abcs-premature-graying

https://www.healthline.com/health/melanin-in-hair