Premature Graying-Causes And Control

Basically gray hair happens to all of us at one point or the other. Gray hair does not necessarily mean old age. Melanocytes are tiny hair pigment cells found within the hair follicle, which produce the hair dark color. As we grow old, the activity of the melanocytes gradually declines until they stop producing pigment. New hair grown at this stage, results in gray hair. Some people go gray in their 20s or 30s others still don’t witness not until in their 50s. When you go gray, that does not mean you have a medical situation although medical situation can lead to graying. So we are going to see the possible factors that can actually lead to graying.

Factors responsible for graying

Stress

Genes

Vitamin deficiency

Medical condition

Smoking

Poor nutrition

Damage of follicles

Natural bleaching

Age

Details

Stress

Much stress, can actually resulting in graying. When you work for long hour, or always involve in strenuous activities all the time, it can result in premature graying. Because the stress will certain do interfere with the systematic functioning of the body as a result of lack of proper rest, food and body care.

Genes

Gene play a large role in early graying, if it is in the lineage that is there is the natural tendencies or developing early graying. I know someone who was born with some element of gray hair. So it could just be genetics.

Vitamin deficiency

This deficiency can be due to intake of food low in vitamin B12, which can be mainly found in meat, eggs, and milk. Deficiency in folic acid can also cause graying. Folic acid deficiency can be as a result of liver disease, alcoholism, dialysis, pregnancy and even during breast feeding. Correcting folic acid can correct it.

Medical

Medical conditions such as vitiligo which cause loss of pigment in the skin resulting in very light patches of skin and possibly premature gray hair. Problems with Thyroid or pituitary disease can cause graying. A situation where there is thyroid glands deficiency whereby the blood can not absorb vitamine-12. It can also occur if the stomach can't absorb vitamin B12, due to medical surgery which involves the stomach or small intestine such as gastric bypass surgery, Crohn's disease of the small intestine, celiac disease, fish tapeworms, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, and lack of protein, can lead to vitamin B 12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia can cause premature graying.

Smoking

Statistics has shown that smokers look older than their age. Smoking speeds up the aging process, mostly at the lungs. A report from the British medical journal published that out of 3000 smokers 81 individual show graying before the age of 50. When compared to the numbers of non-smokers, gray hair was 50% less common in the non-smokers. Cigarette smoking can be linked to premature gray hair.

Poor nutrition

Nutrition is important for proper development of the body and of melanin. Eat food rich in essential vitamins and protein for the proper pigmentation.

Damage of follicles

When there is damage to the hair follicle that is responsible for pigment, graying sets in. chemicals, radiations from the atmosphere, burns etc. can cause damage to hair follicles.

Natural bleaching

Naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide can also build up in the hair, bleaching the color of the hair

Age

Of cause as earlier discussed, as one grows old, gray hair is always there to show for it.

Control measures

It is impossible to stop graying completely so it is recommendable that one controls it. Here some control measures:

1.       Kill the stress

2.       Eat up and balance the diet

3.       Correct problems of pituitary or thyroid glands by seeking medical recommendations and treatment

4.       Keep a healthy life style

5.       Run a medical check for anemia, and good measures to fix it by eating food rich in iron and other nutrients

6.       Increase intake of iron rich food, such as beans, seafood, nuts, unripe plantain, vegetables etc.

7.       Take a steep to increase or boost melanocytes by taking food supplements.

8.       Quit smoking