Vitamins for grey hair reversal. Vitamins for Gray Hair Reversal: Top Nutrients to Prevent Premature Graying
What causes premature gray hair. How can vitamins help prevent early graying. Which nutrients are essential for maintaining hair pigmentation. Can gray hair be reversed with supplements. What lifestyle changes can slow down hair graying.
The Science Behind Gray Hair: Understanding the Causes
Gray hair is a natural part of the aging process, but premature graying can be concerning for many individuals. To understand how to potentially prevent or slow down this process, it’s crucial to first examine the underlying causes of gray hair.
What Causes Hair to Turn Gray?
Hair color is determined by melanin, a pigment produced in the hair follicles. As we age, melanin production decreases, resulting in gray or white hair. However, several factors can accelerate this process:
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Genetics
- Medical conditions
- Stress
- Smoking
- Chemical hair products
- Environmental factors
While genetics play a significant role in determining when you’ll start to gray, other factors can be controlled to some extent. Let’s delve deeper into each of these causes.
The Role of Vitamin Deficiencies in Premature Graying
Proper nutrition is essential for maintaining healthy hair pigmentation. Certain vitamin deficiencies have been linked to premature graying.
Which Vitamins Are Crucial for Hair Pigmentation?
Research has identified several key nutrients that may help prevent premature graying:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin E
- Copper
- Iron
- Zinc
- Biotin
A study found that individuals under 25 with premature graying often had low levels of serum ferritin, vitamin B12, and HDL-C (good cholesterol). This suggests that addressing these deficiencies may help slow down the graying process.
Genetic Factors in Hair Graying: Is It Inevitable?
While we can’t change our genetic makeup, understanding the role of genetics in hair graying can help us better manage our expectations and take proactive steps to maintain hair health.
How Do Genetics Influence Gray Hair?
The gene IRF4 (interferon regulatory factor 4) plays a crucial role in hair color. It regulates melanin production and is associated with the graying process. If your parents or grandparents experienced premature graying, you may be more likely to develop gray hair at an early age.
However, it’s important to note that having a genetic predisposition to gray hair doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. Environmental factors and lifestyle choices can still influence the timing and extent of graying.
Medical Conditions and Gray Hair: Unexpected Connections
Certain medical conditions can directly affect hair pigmentation and contribute to premature graying.
Which Medical Conditions Can Cause Gray Hair?
- Vitiligo: This condition affects melanin production in the skin and can also impact hair follicles.
- Thyroid dysfunction: Thyroid issues can disrupt the hair follicle cycle and pigmentation.
- Alopecia areata: This autoimmune disease can cause hair loss and depigmentation (poliosis).
If you’re experiencing premature graying along with other unexplained symptoms, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out underlying medical conditions.
The Stress Factor: How Stress Affects Hair Color
We’ve all heard the phrase “stress is turning my hair gray,” but is there any truth to this claim?
Can Stress Really Cause Gray Hair?
Recent research suggests that stress can indeed contribute to graying hair. A study on mice revealed that both physiological and psychological stress could lead to melanocyte loss in stem cells, resulting in gray hair.
The mechanism behind this involves the sympathetic nervous system releasing noradrenaline under stress. This activates stem cells that change into melanocytes, which then migrate away from the hair follicles, leading to gray or white hair.
Lifestyle Factors: Smoking, Chemical Products, and Environmental Impact
Our daily habits and environment can significantly impact hair health and pigmentation.
How Does Smoking Affect Hair Color?
Smoking not only harms overall health but also accelerates hair graying. It reduces blood flow to hair follicles and exposes them to harmful toxins. Studies have shown that smokers are twice as likely to experience premature graying before age 30 compared to non-smokers.
Are Chemical Hair Products Contributing to Gray Hair?
While chemical hair dyes are often used to cover gray hair, excessive use of these products may ironically contribute to premature graying. Harsh chemicals in dyes and some hair care products can affect melanin levels in the hair strands. Prolonged exposure to substances like hydrogen peroxide may fade hair color and accelerate graying.
How Do Environmental Factors Influence Graying?
Environmental pollutants and UV radiation can generate free radicals that damage melanin in hair strands, speeding up the graying process. Protecting your hair from excessive sun exposure and pollution can help maintain its natural color for longer.
Vitamins and Nutrients for Gray Hair Prevention
While it’s not possible to reverse graying in hair strands that have already lost their pigment, certain vitamins and nutrients may help prevent premature graying and preserve existing color.
Which Vitamins Are Most Effective for Preventing Gray Hair?
- Vitamin D: Essential for both bone and hair health, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to premature graying. Incorporate foods like eggs, mushrooms, fatty fish, meat, and dairy products into your diet. Vitamin D supplements may also be beneficial.
- Vitamin B12: One of the most common deficiencies associated with premature graying. Vitamin B12 helps reduce homocysteine levels, which can contribute to hair bleaching. Foods rich in B12 include meat, eggs, milk, and fish. The recommended daily intake for most adults is 2.4 mcg.
- Vitamin B9 (Folate): Often used in conjunction with B12 to combat premature graying. Good sources include leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains.
- Biotin: While more research is needed, some studies suggest biotin may help maintain hair pigmentation. It’s found in foods like eggs, nuts, and whole grains.
- Vitamin E: An antioxidant that may help protect hair follicles from oxidative stress. Found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
- Iron: Iron deficiency anemia has been associated with premature graying. Include iron-rich foods like red meat, spinach, and lentils in your diet.
- Copper: Plays a role in melanin production. Good sources include shellfish, nuts, and seeds.
While these nutrients are important for overall hair health, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced diet rather than relying solely on supplements. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.
Lifestyle Changes to Support Healthy Hair Pigmentation
In addition to proper nutrition, certain lifestyle changes can help maintain natural hair color for longer.
What Lifestyle Changes Can Help Prevent Premature Graying?
- Quit smoking: Eliminating this habit can improve overall health and potentially slow down the graying process.
- Manage stress: Incorporate stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or regular exercise into your routine.
- Protect your hair: Use hats or hair products with UV protection when exposed to sunlight for extended periods.
- Choose gentle hair care products: Opt for natural, chemical-free hair care products to minimize damage to hair follicles.
- Stay hydrated: Proper hydration supports overall hair health and may help maintain pigmentation.
- Get regular check-ups: Annual health screenings can help detect and address any nutrient deficiencies or underlying health conditions that may contribute to premature graying.
While these changes won’t reverse existing gray hair, they can help maintain the health and color of your remaining pigmented strands.
The Future of Gray Hair Research: Potential Breakthroughs
As our understanding of hair biology continues to evolve, researchers are exploring new avenues for preventing or reversing gray hair.
What New Treatments for Gray Hair Are on the Horizon?
Several promising areas of research are currently being explored:
- Stem cell therapy: Scientists are investigating ways to stimulate melanocyte stem cells to produce pigment in gray hair follicles.
- Gene therapy: Targeting specific genes involved in hair pigmentation may offer future solutions for premature graying.
- Topical treatments: Researchers are developing new formulations that may help restore melanin production in the hair follicle.
- Nutraceuticals: Advanced supplements combining multiple nutrients and antioxidants are being studied for their potential to prevent or slow down graying.
While these potential treatments are still in the early stages of research, they offer hope for more effective solutions to gray hair in the future.
In conclusion, while completely reversing gray hair remains challenging, understanding the causes of premature graying and taking proactive steps can help maintain natural hair color for longer. By focusing on proper nutrition, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and staying informed about the latest research, individuals can take control of their hair health and potentially slow down the graying process. Remember, gray hair is a natural part of aging and can be embraced as a sign of wisdom and experience. Whether you choose to cover your grays or let them shine, the most important factor is maintaining the overall health of your hair and body.
Gray Hair Reversal: Vitamins And Supplements
No. Vitamin supplements cannot reverse gray hair. However, they can prevent premature graying. While graying is a part of the aging process and inevitable, premature graying is an issue.
You cannot restore the original color of the gray strands, but you can prevent premature graying with the right vitamin supplements and a few lifestyle changes. In this article, we have shared a list of the top vitamins and supplements to prevent premature graying. Scroll down to know more!
What Causes The Hair To Turn Gray?
The hair follicles contain melanin that gives the hair its color. With age, the hair can lose melanin, turning the strands silver or white. While this is common during old age, if you notice gray hair in your early 20s and 30s, here are the common causes:
1. Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin deficiencies can affect hair pigmentation and cause premature graying. The lack of trace elements like vitamins B12, D3, E, copper, iron, zinc, and biotin can contribute to premature graying (1), (2). A study found low serum ferritin, vitamin B12, and HDL-C (good cholesterol) levels to cause premature graying in individuals under 25 years of age (3).
2. Genetics
You might blame your unruly teens or stressful job for your gray hair. But gray hair can be an inherited trait. Genetics can influence the hair follicle stem cells and melanocytes and cause premature graying (2).
You are likely to have gray hair at an early age if your parents or grandparents had premature graying. The gene IRF4 (interferon regulatory factor 4) plays a key role in hair color. It helps regulate melanin production and is also responsible for gray hair (4).
3. Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions like vitiligo directly alter human hair follicle functions and cause graying. Thyroid dysfunction is linked with hair abnormalities. It affects the hair follicle cycle and pigmentation (5).
Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease, causes hair loss and poliosis (depigmentation of hair). A case study found that poliosis could be caused by autoimmune conditions, infections, genetic syndromes, cutaneous lesions, trauma, and medication usage (6).
4. Stress
Acute stress can turn the hair gray. A mice study revealed that pain (physiological stress) and psychological stress could cause melanocyte loss in the stem cells and cause graying.
The researchers also found that under stress, the sympathetic nervous system releases noradrenaline and activates the stem cells that change to melanocytes. These melanocytes migrate away from the hair follicles, turning the hair gray and white (7).
5. Smoking
Smoking is injurious not only to your physical health but also to your hair health. Smoking reduces the blood flow to hair follicles, and the toxins in cigarettes can affect them, causing early graying. Compared to non-smokers, smokers have double the chances of premature graying before hitting their 30s (8), (9).
6. Chemical Hair Dyes And Products
Do chemical hair dyes only hide your grays? Not really! Excessive use of chemical hair dyes can cause premature graying. The chemical hair dyes and harsh hair care products like shampoos contain chemicals that may affect the melanin levels in the strands. Prolonged exposure to chemicals like hydrogen peroxide may fade the hair color and cause graying.
7. Pollution And UV Exposure
Excessive UV ray exposure and environmental factors like pollution may cause graying. Pollutants in the air generate free radicals that damage melanin in the hair strands, speeding up hair graying (10).
You cannot control hair graying if it is in your genes. However, you can control the other extrinsic factors to minimize graying. It is impossible to reverse graying in strands that have already turned gray. But adding the right nutrients to your diet may preserve the existing color pigments and slow down the graying process.
Vitamins For Gray Hair Reversal
Enrich your diet with the following vitamins and nutrients to prevent premature graying:
Vitamin D is essential not only for bone health but also for hair health. Studies found vitamin D deficiency as one of the reasons for premature graying (11). Vitamin D affects melanin production in the hair follicles. Hence, consume food items like eggs, mushrooms, fatty fish, meat, and dairy products to combat vitamin D deficiency. You may also take vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is the most common cause of premature graying (12). Elevated homocysteine levels in the body generate hydrogen peroxide that bleaches the hair, turning it gray. Taking vitamin B12 supplements reduces homocysteine levels and prevents premature hair graying. Intake of foods rich in vitamin B12 like meat, eggs, milk, and fish can help in gray hair reversal. A daily dosage of 2.4 mcg is recommended for most adults (13).
Vitamin B9 or folate is often used to increase hair growth and plays a significant role in maintaining hair pigmentation. Lack of folic acid in your diet causes gray hair and pigmentation changes in the nails and skin. Consume folic acid-rich foods like kale, beans, green peas, leafy greens, citrus fruits, eggs, and poultry. The daily recommended dietary intake of folic acid for adults is 400 mcg (14).
Anecdotal evidence suggests that vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid can prevent premature hair graying. It is said to play a key role in melanin production and can restore your natural hair color. You can get vitamin B5 from food sources, such as leafy greens, mushrooms, yogurt, whole grains, eggs, beans, fish, liver, and beef.
Low iron levels in the body can lead to hair thinning and premature graying (15). To minimize the deficiency, consume foods like kale, eggs, spinach, red peppers, and peach. Also, foods that are rich in vitamin C help absorb more iron.
Calcium is a key mineral for maintaining your bone strength and hair color. Intake of foods rich in calcium, such as leafy greens, kale, milk, fish, walnuts, cabbage, and fortified cereals, may prevent premature graying (16).
Zinc may influence melanin production and cause premature graying (2). Consuming meat, beans, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, red meat, and fish may help deal with zinc deficiency and prevent gray hair.
If you are not getting enough vitamins through your diet, consult a doctor and consider taking supplements to prevent graying. You may take supplements for the vitamins mentioned above or opt for the following.
Supplements For Gray Hair Reversal
- Vitamin B6: The deficiency of vitamin B6 is more prominent among people who do not eat meat. Oral vitamin B6 supplements may promote melanin development in the hair (17). A daily dietary intake of 1.3 mg vitamin B6 is recommended for adults (18).
- Biotin: You may take biotin supplements to prevent premature graying (2). The recommended daily intake of biotin is 30 mcg for adults (19)
- Copper: This antioxidant is a key component of melanin, and copper deficiency causes premature graying (2).
The Takeaway
You cannot reverse graying. However, you can prevent the natural loss of melanin from the hair strands and slow down the graying process by taking the right vitamins and supplements. If your hair is turning gray, consult a doctor to check for nutritional deficiencies or underlying health conditions. Follow the prescribed treatment and dietary recommendations to maintain hair health and prevent premature graying.
Recommended Articles
19 Sources
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
- The melanocyte lineage in development and disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325379/ - Premature Graying of Hair: Review with Updates
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/ - Factors Associated with Premature Hair Graying in a Young Indian Population
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4830165/ - A direct link between MITF, innate immunity, and hair graying
https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933715/ - Thyroid hormones directly alter human hair follicle functions: anagen prolongation and stimulation of both hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair pigmentation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18728176/ - Alopecia areata with white hair regrowth: case report and review of poliosis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25244170/ - How stress causes gray hair
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-stress-causes-gray-hair - SmokersΓ’ΒΒ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673399/ - Association of premature hair graying with family history, smoking, and obesity: a cross-sectional study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25484268/ - Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695167/ - Epidemiological and Investigative Study of Premature Graying of Hair in Higher Secondary and Pre-University School Children
https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746220/ - Demographic Characteristics and Association of Serum Vitamin B12, Ferritin and Thyroid Function with Premature Canities in Indian Patients from an Urban Skin Clinic of North India: A Retrospective Analysis of 71 Cases
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5448266/ - Vitamin B12
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/ - Folate
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/ - Factors Associated with Premature Hair Graying in a Young Indian Population
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4830165/ - Relationship between Trace Elements and Premature Hair Graying
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6369637/ - Pyridoxine-Dependent Hair Pigmentation in Association With Homocystinuria The Induction of Melanotrichia
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/532789 - Vitamin B6
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-Consumer/ - Biotin
https://ods. od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
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Sindhu Koganti is a Biotechnology graduate and has been in the writing field for over 4 years now. She specializes in writing on Health and Wellness. She has hands-on experience in writing articles and press releases on Life Sciences and Healthcare, Food and Beverages, and Chemicals and Materials. When sheβs not writing, she loves watching movies and listening to music. She also enjoys traveling.
Must have “VITAMINS to REVERSE GREY HAIR” for Sure..! Natural Vitamins & Minerals
As of 2019 silver-gray hair is a trend thatβs even sought after by people as young as their 20s, but not everyone is ready to go for the silver fox or silver vixen look when it happens naturally. At least in women. Agree? Curious to know what are the vitamins to reverse grey hair naturally?
There might be lot of causes due to which your hair turns grey in your teenage. PrematureΒ hair graying is the most commonly faced problems by most of the people in their 20s. I strongly believe that, food has and will always play a major role on not just how your skin and hair feels but your entire body too. Even though there are so many ways from which you can benefit to cover your grays naturally, this post is something different.
See How I Cover my grey using just these two natural leaf powders
Today, lets see how by curing some vitamin deficiencies can give you results that you didnβt even believe of.
Vitamins to REVERSE GREY HAIR
Health experts agree that eating a well-balanced diet that contains the 13 essential vitamins can help maintain the health of your hair. Essential vitamins include A, C, D, E, K, and the B-complex group. Here is your detailed guide to vitamins to reverse grey hair naturally.
Vitamin B12, Vitamin B9, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B3
B-complex vitamins are important for regulating metabolism and maintaining theΒ central nervous system. But theyβre also essential for healthy skin and hair. Some dietitians claim that the more popular B vitamins β such as B-12 β can help strengthen and condition hair
Vitamin B-12 is an essential vitamin, and while gray hair is not one of the primary symptoms of low vitamin B-12 in your system, it can cause graying hair. A recent case study of reversible generalized hyperpigmentation of the skin and nails with reversible premature gray hair due to vitamin B12 deficiency is reported. The pigmentation of the skin and hair returned to normal after treatment with intramuscular cyanocobalamin (injection is used to treat or prevent vitamin B12 deficiency).
Vitamin B-12 anemia, also known as pernicious anemia, is when you have a low red blood cell count because your body is lacking a substance that helps you absorb enough vitamin B-12. One symptom of vitamin B-12 anemia is gray hair.
So even though you might take enough natural vitamin B12 buppliemnts in your daily diet, your body might not be absorbing enough of it due to pernicious anemia. Other symptoms include diarrhea or constipation, lack of energy, loss of appetite, pale skin, trouble concentrating, being regularly out of breath, bleeding gums and a swollen tongue.
Consult a medical physician to whether or not you are suffering from pernicious anemia that is stopping your body to absorbing vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 Rich Foods:
The best way to meet your vitamin B-12 needs is to eat a variety of animal products. It can also be found in varying amounts in all red meats, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products. Some foods, such as cereals and grain products, are fortified with vitamin B-12.
However, in general, your body absorbs vitamin B-12 from animal sources much better than from plant-based foods.
So might be this is the reason, Vegans commonly find themselves going gray or white earlier than their egg- and meat-eating peers because of a deficiency of vitamin B12, which is found in meat, eggs and dairy.
Vitamin B6 can help hair return to its natural color after a serious illness. Vitamin B6 is especially important for women.
An insufficient quantity of vitamin B6 will result in a decreased amount of melanin, which, in turn, results in the early onset of grey hair.
Increase in intake of vitamin B6 is said to increase the count of Melanocytes in our body propartionally. This in turn reduces the growth of grey hair.
Vitamin B6 Rich Foods:
Fish, bananas, spinach, pistachios, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, turkey, grass-fed beef, and chicken are all recommended food sources of this vitamin.
Vitamin B7(Biotin)Β has many benefits. It produces keratin which is a major component of hair and nails. It triggers hairΒ growth, it treatsΒ hairΒ loss related disorders, and it thickens and strengthens theΒ hair. One of our favorite beneficial effects ofΒ BiotinΒ is that is canΒ reverse prematureΒ greyingΒ ofΒ hair. Research has indicated the role of diet in staving off or reversing hair discoloration.
Biotin Rich Foods:
FoodΒ sources ofΒ biotinΒ include red meat, eggs, nuts, seeds and someΒ vegetables. Animal-based protein sources like beef liver, chicken liver, salmon and eggs have a high biotinΒ content.
Vitamin B3(niacin):
Apart from increasing blood, and subsequently nutrient flow in hair follicles, niacin and its related compoundsΒ have been shown to be effective anti-oxidants for the specific free radical species (the accumulation of free radicals which increases the severity and onset of greying hair) involved in the ageing of hair.
Vitamin B3 Rich Foods:
Avocados, Brown rice, Peanuts, Whole wheat, mushrooms,Potatoes, Green Peas, Tuna, Chicken breast.Β
Vitamin B9 (folic acid):Β
When youβre not getting enough vitamin B-9 in your diet, you might experience hair, skin, and nailΒ pigmentation changes. It is purported that when Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) and folic acid are taken together it helps reverse graying by taking the hair back to its original color.
Vitamin B9 Rich Foods:
Β Folate-rich foodsΒ include beans, asparagus, leafy greens, and citrus fruits.
Vitamin D
I can just go on and on to write amount the importance of this vitamin to our body as a whole. Vitamin D is βTHEβ most crucial vitamin that is necessary to keep our overall system functioning without any diseases.
Although I have planned to write a detailed post on the importance of this vitamin to our skin and body, for now I will tell you how the absence of this vitamin can lead to different scalp issues and hair problems.
Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D functions like a hormone, and every single cell in your body has a receptor for it.
Vitamin DΒ stimulatesΒ hairΒ follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, theΒ hair may be affected. Vitamin D deficiency may also be linked to Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss.
Vitamin D to be able to absorb calcium properly, so a lack of one nutrient could lead to a deficiency in another. Vitamin D3 and calcium may also play a role in premature greying.
Source:
There is no better source than sunlight for vitamin D. No pills in this entire world can compensate the amount of vitamin D that we can receive by just standing in sunlight for few minutes daily.Β
Vitamin E
Vitamin EΒ which is extremely beneficial forΒ hair. It nourishes the roots and prevents premature graying.
To use, add one drop of vitamin E oil in any of your hair oils that you use. For more potency and to reverse grey hair more quickly, use vitamin E oil in your home made curry leaves/amla hair oil and apply to the roots of your hair. Massage for 5 minutes and leave it overnight.
Wash your hair with a mild shampoo the next morning and condition as usual.
Vitamin C
Upping your vitamin C intake is another way toΒ boostΒ the peroxide-devouring glutathione in your body that can help reverse grays. Ascorbic acid and adding lemon juice to your tea or water is particularly effective in reducing hydrogen peroxide levels in the body, according to a 2019 study published inΒ Food Chemistry.
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Minerals to reverse grey hair
Hair requires a mixture of both vitamins and minerals to grow. So some of these vitamins to reverse grey hair are impossible to produce without these essentials minerals in your body. So it is crucial to maintain a balance of these vital vitamins and minerals in your body for a healthy mane.
Apart from these vitamins to reverse grey hair, these are some of the essential minerals that are required to help reverse grey hair.
Zinc & Copper
If you spot grey hairs the first mineral you need to think about increasing in your diet is zinc.
A diet low in copper results in a gradual loss of hair color because the enzyme (tyrosinase) responsible for the synthesis of pigmentation requires copper for its activity.
Copper is specifically linked with reducing free radical damage and the production of melanin in our bodies. Melanin is what gives your hair itβs natural color.
Zinc Affects Copper Metabolism?
A dietary zinc overload has been proven to impair dietary copper absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract; and is considered to be primary cause of a copper deficiency
If you want to be in control of grey hair and not a victim then estimating your copper intake followed by an assessment of you foodβs Zinc-to-Copper ratios (Zn/Cu) are the beginning steps to the prevention of grey hair and itβs associated diseases
Chronic stress can also interfere with your levels of zinc which can then also affect your levels of copper.
Recommend Zinc-to-Copper ratios (Zn/Cu):
It is common practice to recommend a ratioΒ of 8-15 mg ofΒ zincΒ for every 1 mg ofΒ copperΒ consumed.
Iron
Iron deficiency, especially when it progresses into full-blown iron deficiency anemia, can cause hair loss and weekens the MelanocytesΒ to produce less and aless melanin, which in turn depletes the natural color of your hair.
AnemiaΒ is a condition that occurs when blood lacks enough healthy blood cells or hemoglobin. The latter is what binds oxygen to compounds within the blood β allowing for efficient delivery of oxygen throughout the body.
Anemia often develops from an iron deficiency β a problem worsened when trace elements of the nutrient cannot be properly delivered.Β This deficiency, along with inadequate amounts of B12, can expedite the whitening of hair.
To combat this problem, include diet that is rich in iron like
- green vegetables, for example spinach, silverbeet and broccoli.
- lentils and beans.
- nuts and seeds.
- grains, for example whole wheat, brown rice and fortified breakfast cereals.
- dried fruit.
Magnesium
A magnesium deficiency gives calcium the freedom to run wild. In other words, those small calcium deposits in and around the hair follicles can cause hair loss. Premature graying is also a side effect when protein synthesis isnβt functioning properly and creating enough melanin.
Magnesium helps with protein synthesis. Since hair follicles are made almost entirely of protein, this is key. Better protein synthesis means healthier hair and a predictable hair cycle with normal growing and resting stages. Protein synthesis also helps create melanin, which helps prevent your hair from going gray.
The best way to increase magnesium in your body is by:
- reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods.
- avoiding high-dose zinc supplements.
- treating vitamin D deficiency.
- eating raw vegetables instead of cooking them
The most important of all..!
Catalase Enzyme
A recent study revealed that, theΒ grey hairΒ is mainly due to the build up ofΒ Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced in our bodies as a by-product of regular metabolism.Β It is also formed as a result of exposure to X-rays, second-hand smoke, stress, and pollution.
An enzyme produced naturally by your body calledΒ catalase breaks down this hydrogen peroxide into water, stopping it from bleaching your hair from the inside out. Unfortunately, catalase production slows with aging, letting the aging process gain a foothold.
Foods rich in Catalase:
The good news is that several foods contain high levels of enzyme catalase. Catalase rich foods include: almond, wheat grass, garlic, onion, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, kale, cucumber, collard, turnip greens, carrots, radish, cherry, potatoes, and sweet potato.
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So when are you starting to include these natural vitamins in your daily diet to get healthy, shiny black hair with no effort?
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If you would like to know more natural healthy eating habits to cure any of your skin and hair problems.. do let me know in the comments. I will take your problem and write a new post on how to cure it naturally without any use of external useless supplements of harmful products.
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Top 10 Best Vitamins For Gray Hairs 2020 β Bestgamingpro
Top 10 Best Vitamins For Gray Hairs 2020
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Medication-Induced Repigmentation of Gray Hair: A Systematic Review – FullText – Skin Appendage Disorders 2020, Vol. 6, No. 1
Abstract
Hair graying is a common sign of aging resulting from complex regulation of melanogenesis. Currently, there is no medical treatment available for hair repigmentation. In this article we review the literature on medication-induced hair repigmentation, discuss the potential mechanisms of action, and review the quality of the literary data. To date, there have been 27 studies discussing medication-induced gray hair repigmentation, including 6 articles on gray hair repigmentation as a primary objective, notably with psoralen treatment or vitamin supplementation, and 21 reports on medication-induced gray hair repigmentation as an incidental finding. Medications noted in the literature include anti-inflammatory medications (thalidomide, lenalidomide, adalimumab, acitretin, etretinate, prednisone, cyclosporin, cisplatinum, interferon-Ξ±, and psoralen), stimulators of melanogenesis (latanoprost, erlotinib, imatinib, tamoxifen, and levodopa), vitamins (calcium pantothenate and para-amino benzoic acid), a medication that accumulates in tissues (clofazimine), and a medication with an undetermined mechanism (captopril). Diffuse repigmentation of gray hair can be induced by certain medications that inhibit inflammation or stimulate melanogenesis. There is also low-quality evidence that some vitamin B complex supplementation can promote gray hair darkening. While these compounds are not currently indicated for the treatment of gray hair, their mechanisms shed light on targets for future medications for hair repigmentation.
Β© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel
Introduction
Hair color has long been a symbol of youth and health, with graying signifying advanced age. Topical means of hair coloring such as permanent hair dyes are affordable and easy to use; however, they can cause irritation of the scalp, allergic reactions, and damage to the hair shaft [1]. Semipermanent and temporary hair dyes are gentler, but since they do not penetrate the hair cortex, they do not camouflage gray hair as well [1].
An optimal therapy would permanently reverse the gray back to its original hair color, without causing damage to the hair shaft or scalp irritation. In a quest for development of this type of therapy, anecdotal reports of medications associated with hair repigmentation have been described. Unfortunately, many cases are not definitively reproducible, and little is understood about the pathophysiology behind hair repigmentation.
Clinical Presentation
Graying of hair, also called canities or achromotrichia, is part of the natural aging process. It has been reported that worldwide 6β23% of people have 50% gray hair by 50 years of age [2]. Graying typically begins in the mid-30s for Caucasians, the late-30s for Asians, and the mid-40s for Africans [3-5]. Premature hair graying is considered when the onset of gray hair begins before the age of 20 years in Caucasians, before the age of 25 years in Asians, and before the age of 30 years in Africans [5, 6].
In men, gray hair typically begins at the temples and sideburns, then spreads to the vertex and lastly the occiput. In women, graying develops at the boundaries of the scalp and moves towards the vertex. Progression of hair graying depends on genetic factors; however, early onset of gray hair does not necessarily correlate with rapid progression [7].
Some causes of premature hair graying are reversible, such as nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B12, iron, and copper deficiency, as well as severe protein malnutrition, have been linked to hair hypopigmentation [4, 8, 9]. Other risk factors significantly associated with premature gray hair include a vegetarian diet and atopy [10].
Pathophysiology
The human hair shaft is composed of two main concentric regions: an inner cortex surrounded by an outer cuticle. In a small proportion of hairs, another innermost layer, the medulla, may be present [3]. Within the unit, there are 5β6 different subpopulations of melanocytes [11]. Melanogenically-active melanocytes are located at the infundibulum, sebaceous gland, and hair bulb around the dermal follicular papilla. Additionally, undifferentiated inactive melanocytes are located in the upper hair follicle reservoir near the arrector pili muscle insertion site, within the outer root sheath of the hair follicle, and in the hair bulb matrix [11]. Active melanocytes produce and transfer melanin to the keratinocytes of the hair shaft cortex, with a small amount also transferred to the medulla, and rarely to the cuticle [5]. The role of the inactive melanocytes is poorly understood, but they are thought to act as a stem cell reserve which can be induced to Βbecome melanin-producing cells if the skin is wounded [3, 5].
Hair melanogenesis is tightly linked to the stages of the hair cycle and is actively pigmented during anagen (growth) but not in catagen (involution) or telogen (quiescence) [4, 5]. Anagen for human scalp hair on average lasts 3.5 years, which requires the small population of follicular melanocytes to produce large amounts of melanin [12]. Follicle-based melanocytes are larger than epidermis-based melanocytes, with a more extensive Golgi apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticulum, thus producing larger melanosomes [13]. Follicular melanin also degrades more slowly than melanin in the epidermis. Because of this, the pigmentation at the distal and proximal ends of the hair shaft is similar [11]. The specific hair color is controlled by the type of melanin pigment produced by follicular melanocytes, including black-brown eumelanin and reddish-brown pheomelanin [4].
Numerous factors control stimulation of melanogenesis at the level of the hair follicle, including melanin-stimulating hormone, ACTH, endothelin-1, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, neutrophils, fibroblast growth factor, nitric oxide, and catecholamines [6]. In contrast, inhibitors of melanogenesis include sphingolipids, bone morphogenetic protein 4, and autoimmune processes (such as vitiligo and alopecia areata) [3, 4, 11, 14]. Certain compounds or diseases can affect the production of these factors and alter hair pigmentation. Conditions occasionally associated with darkening of hair color include Addisonβs disease, neurodermatitis, porphyria cutanea tarda, and inflammatory scalp conditions [3, 15-17]. Conversely, conditions linked to hair lightening or graying include cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism, vitiligo, alopecia areata, and genetic diseases such as Werner syndrome, Louis-Bar syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, or Griscelli syndrome [3, 14, 18, 19].
The development of gray hair is ultimately due to a decrease in the number of melanocytes. This can be either due to a defect in the melanocytic stem cells or destruction of the follicular stem cell population [3-5, 20]. A common issue leading to follicular melanocyte death is oxidative stress due to the development of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from hydrogen peroxide build-up (a natural product of the hair growth process) or ultraviolet (UV) light [3, 4, 20, 21]. Antioxidants such as Bcl-2, catalase, and methionine sulfoxide reductase are naturally produced by melanocytes to protect against ROS damage. These protective molecules are notably absent in gray hair follicles [20, 21]. For example, studies on BCL-2-deficient mice have noted the development of gray hair by the second hair cycle [20, 21]. Interestingly, melanocytes in the outer root sheath appear to be less affected by ROS damage, and they may be a pigment source for reversal of hair color [20]. Other causes of oxidative stress, including pollution, emotional stress, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking, have been linked to the premature development of gray hair [22, 23].
Hair graying is a complex process regulated by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors, with treatment options for hair repigmentation currently being investigated. In this systematic review, we identify medications linked to gray hair repigmentation to further delineate potential targets of hair repigmentation therapy.
Methods
A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and CINAHL ending in May 2019. The search terms were: (((grey OR gray) AND hair) OR canities OR achromotrichia) AND (treatment OR repigmentation OR reversal OR darkening OR therapy). All clinical trials, retrospective studies, case series, and case reports on gray hair and medication-induced color change in humans were included. Excluded were articles written in a language other than English; articles not about hair; review articles; and reports on patients starting with a hair color other than gray or white, or grey hair related to chronic nutritional deficiencies or diseases such as vitiligo or Griscelli syndrome. The quality of the evidence for each article was determined using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine criteria [24].
Results
Two hundred and forty-one articles were evaluated and 27 were included in this systematic review. These consist of 4 prospective cohort studies, 3 retrospective cohort studies, 1 case series, and 19 case reports. This includes an aggregate of 133 patients with medication-induced gray hair repigmentation. Of these studies, 3 prospective studies and 1 case series focused specifically on premature hair graying, while the remaining articles investigated patients with age-related canities. Overall, the quality of the evidence is low, given that most cases were documented as solitary case reports, or in studies which were not reproducible. A summary of the articles and their level of evidence quality is found in Table 1.
TableΒ 1.
Summary of the articles describing medications associated with gray hair repigmentation
The medications reported in the literature can be divided into five categories: anti-inflammatory medications (thalidomide, lenalidomide, adalimumab, acitretin, etretinate, prednisone, cyclosporin, cisplatinum, interferon-Ξ±, and psoralen), stimulators of melanogenesis (erlotinib, imatinib, latanoprost, tamoxifen, and levodopa), vitamins (calcium pantothenate and para-amino benzoic acid [PABA]), medications that accumulate in tissues (clofazimine), and those with a mechanism yet to be determined (captopril).
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
While a majority of the anti-inflammatory medications were documented in case reports, 1 prospective cohort study and 1 retrospective study were noted in the literature, totaling 39 patients.
Psoralen plus UVA light (PUVA) was reported by Pavithran [25] to induce gray hair repigmentation directly in patients with premature gray hair. The author states that the idea stemmed from clinical experience while treating patients with PUVA for psoriasis. Because of this, a prospective study was performed specifically on healthy patients, aged 10β20 years, with premature gray hair (n = 37). After 13 months of treatment, 46% of these patients noted complete scalp hair repigmentation, with no relapse at the 8-month follow-up [25]. Seven additional patients showed partial repigmentation, with pigmented proximal ends of the gray hair shafts or repigmentation with a diffuse or patchy light-brown color [25].
In a retrospective study on men receiving cisplatinum-based chemotherapy for germ cell neoplasms, patients aged 15β54 years were observed at the time of hair regrowth for changes in hair color. Of the 69 patients, 16% noted darkening of the hair color [26]. Two patients noted reversion of the hair color within 2 years after having stopped chemotherapy.
The remaining cases of anti-inflammatory medications inducing gray hair repigmentation were noted in sporadic case reports. The retinoic acid receptor-activating medications acitretin and etretinate were associated with gray hair repigmentation in 2 patients with pityriasis rubra pilaris and 1 patient with psoriasis after 6β12 months of treatment [27-29]. A patient receiving interferon-Ξ± for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C described scalp hair repigmentation beginning 2 months after treatment, and persistent pigmentation after having discontinued the therapy [30]. Single case reports on a variety of other anti-inflammatory medications known to inhibit proinflammatory cytokine activity (including thalidomide, lenalidomide, adalimumab, cyclosporin, and prednisone) have also been linked to hair repigmentation after 2β24 months of treatment [31-37].
Stimulators of Melanogenesis
Five medications thought to stimulate melanogenesis were documented in 1 retrospective study and 6 case reports of hair repigmentation. In a retrospective study on patients receiving imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia, 7% of 133 patients were reported to experience repigmentation of gray hair 2β14 months into treatment [38]. Another tyrosine kinase inhibitor, erlotinib, was also reported to induce progressive hair repigmentation 3 months and 2 years after treatment in 2 separate cases of patients with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma [39, 40]. One case of erlotinib-associated hair repigmentation began after an episode of folliculitis on the scalp [39].
A case of latanoprost eye drop use was connected with diffuse scalp hair repigmentation 3 years after having started a therapy for open-angle glaucoma [41]. Another patient reported scalp hair repigmentation 2.5 years after having started tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer [42]. Lastly, 2 patients receiving levodopa for Parkinsonβs disease reported diffuse hair repigmentation within 8β9 months after having begun treatment [43, 44].
Vitamin Supplementation
Studies of vitamin B supplementation with calcium pantothenate or potassium PABA are some of the earliest ones directed specifically at gray hair repigmentation. Successful repigmentation of premature gray hair in 2 healthy patients with high-dose calcium pantothenate (200 mg daily) was noted to begin as soon as 1 month after treatment [45]. A follow-up 3-year prospective cohort study of 7 women with premature gray hair, aged 12β31 years, reported that 28% of the patients noted repigmentation with 200 mg daily, while 28% noted repigmentation with 100 mg within 3 months [46]. One prospective cohort study and 1 retrospective study investigated the use of PABA for gray hair [47, 48]. In 1941, Sieve [47] performed the first documented study on repigmentation of gray hair on 50 patients with premature or age-related hair graying using PABA at 200 mg daily. He reported subjective marked hair darkening in all patients after 2 months of treatment. Another study investigated the effect of PABA at high doses (12β24 g/day) on age-related gray hair when used for the treatment of systemic diseases such as lymphoblastoma cutis, dermatomyositis, dermatitis herpetiformis, and scleroderma (n = 20) [48]. Thirty-five percent of the patients noted hair darkening after 2β10 months of treatment. Conversely, a prospective study on the use of 100 mg calcium pantothenate with 200 mg PABA daily for gray hair (27 subjects with age-related canities and 6 with premature graying) found 6% of the patients (all age-related graying) with a definite hair color change and 21% with a slight color change on clinical evaluation after 8 months of supplementation [49]. This study also noted that the repigmented hair returned to gray after supplement discontinuation.
Accumulation in Tissues
Hair repigmentation with high-dose clofazimine during treatment of borderline lepromatous leprosy was noted as increased pigmentation of the skin initially, followed by hair repigmentation at 6 months of treatment. Increased skin pigmentation is a common side effect of clofazimine due to drug crystal accumulation in body tissues and fluids; however, it is not commonly reported to induce hair color darkening [50]. The hair repigmentation persisted for 8 months after having completed treatment.
Unknown Etiology
A case of frontal scalp hair repigmentation was described 1 year after adding captopril and slow-release verapamil to a patientβs hypertension regimen. The connection between these medications and hair repigmentation is yet to be determined [51].
Discussion
As evidenced by the many cases of gray hair repigmentation in the literature, the development of gray hair may not be an irreversible process. The implication of hair pigmentation reversibility could have a noteworthy impact on the quality of life of a significant number of patients, and clinicians should be made aware of this. Most medications linked to repigmentation play an anti-inflammatory role, while fewer compounds affect melanogenesis, provide vitamin supplementation, or act on an unidentified target in the hair pigmentation process. While there are over 130 cases of medication-induced gray hair repigmentation reported in the literature, it is noteworthy that many of the medications mentioned have been used by millions of patients and only a small minority of patients have experienced hair repigmentation. This may be partially due to a lack of patients reporting hair color changes, but might more likely be due to the complex nature of hair follicle pigmentation regulation, which highlights that targeting one mechanism may not be enough to manipulate it.
Given that the data on gray hair repigmentation mainly stems from case reports, the overall quality of evidence is low. Because of this, the strongest data derive from prospective and retrospective cohort studies on PUVA, imatinib, and cisplatinum-based chemotherapy, as well as on the supplemental vitamins calcium pantothenate and PABA. Given the nature of these medications, their indication, and associated side effects, conducting trials with these toxic medications solely for the purpose of reversing hair color is prohibitive. Nonetheless, the information analyzed provides possible mechanisms of hair repigmentation that can be applied to new medications in the future, hopefully without similar adverse systemic effects.
The anti-inflammatory medications listed in this review inhibit proinflammatory cytokines. Adalimumab, thalidomide, and lenalidomide block tumor necrosis factor-Ξ± [52]. Similarly, cyclosporin inhibits the production and activity of IL-2. Acitretin and etretinate bind the retinoic acid receptor and inhibit expression of IL-6. Prednisone, psoralen, cisplatinum, and interferon-Ξ± have more generalized anti-inflammatory activities by decreasing immune cell activation and cytokine expression [52]. Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-Ξ±, IL-6, and IL-1 are known inhibitors of melanogenesis [6]. These cytokines are produced by many cells, including macrophages, which are located around the hair follicle in the perifollicular connective tissue sheath [53]. While the hair follicle is thought to be an area of immune privilege, aging melanocytes may play a role in increasing inflammation around the hair follicle bulb. Residual melanocytes in age-related graying hair bulbs are found to have blunted dendrites, defective melanosome transfer, and failure of precortical keratinocytes to receive melanin granules [5]. Defective compartmentalization of melanogenesis leads to accumulation of ROS and attracts inflammatory cells to the hair follicle [5]. The broken-down immune barrier of the hair follicle allows proinflammatory cytokines to access and further inhibit melanogenesis. It is possible that inhibition of these cytokines may break the feedback inhibition on hair pigmentation, allowing melanogenesis to resume.
While suppression of inflammation within the hair follicle appears to play a role in promoting repigmentation, the fact that hair repigmentation does not occur in 100% of patients treated with these medications signifies that repigmentation is a multifactorial process controlled by both inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and melanogenesis simulation. Medications such as psoralen, imatinib, erlotinib, latanoprost, tamoxifen, and levodopa are associated with stimulation of pigmentation. Prostaglandins such as latanoprost have previously been shown to cause periocular and iris hyperpigmentation when used for glaucoma [54]. In vivo studies have shown that PGF2Ξ± analogs promote melanocyte dendricity and melanogenesis [55]. Similarly, estrogens increase skin and hair pigmentation by stimulating melanin release by melanocytes [56]. Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, may act as an agonist in this process leading to increased pigmentation in rare cases. Furthermore, levodopa, a metabolite of melanin production, may also lead to hair pigmentation when circulating blood levels reach a certain threshold [52]. While we can hypothesize mechanisms for these medications to promote hair follicle repigmentation, the fact that there are only sporadic cases with the use of these commonly prescribed medications points to the fact that the process of hair repigmentation is not a simple one. Many of the solitary case reports could actually be coincidental timing of medication initiation and sporadic hair repigmentation instead of true causation. In the literature, there are reports of a 21-year-old male and a 67-year-old male with sporadic hair repigmentation without changes in medication or health status [57, 58]. Intermittent melanogenesis dysfunction may be related to a problem in the hair growth cycle, such as incomplete catagen signaling [57].
The cohort study on PUVA in patients with premature gray hair showed promising results. However, these findings may be due to the fact that patients with premature gray hair typically have a smaller percentage of gray hairs. Furthermore, the process of premature hair graying may be more amenable to reversal than age-related hair graying. As noted above, age-related gray hairs have defective melanocytes, which may not be as abundant in premature gray hair [5]. Nonetheless, psoralen may influence hair follicle pigmentation through multiple pathways. Its anti-inflammatory properties include alteration in cytokine and cytokine receptor expression, which may reduce inflammation and melanocyte destruction within the hair follicle. Furthermore, psoralen stimulates melanocyte proliferation and transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes, which could lead to increased hair pigmentation [52].
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib and erlotinib also showed promise for repigmentation in the literature. A known side effect of these medications is folliculitis. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation of the area may incite hair repigmentation in some cases. However, imatinib is also reported in the literature to cause hyperpigmentation of the oral mucosa, skin, and nails [59]. Imatinib inhibits c-Kit, which plays a key role in melanocyte homeostasis [59]. In vivo studies have shown that inhibition of c-Kit influences the number, size, and dendricity of melanocytes, which may influence hair pigmentation in rare cases [60].
Calcium pantothenate and PABA supplementation initially were studied to repigment hair having grayed due to specific vitamin deficiencies. Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) deficiency is rare in the developed world and is unlikely to be the cause of gray hair in the USA [61]. While it is considered safe to take doses of up to 5 g/day, larger doses can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain. PABA, another member of the vitamin B complex family, has been reported to be useful in sclerotic skin disorders such as scleroderma, morphea, and Peyronieβs disease at doses up to 12 g/day without adverse effects [52]. Larger doses lead to an upset stomach, nausea, and hypoglycemia, which can be serious. While studies such as the cohort study by Sieve in 1941 noted impressive hair repigmentation, these trials have not been replicated or verified. With the validity of these studies in question, it is unlikely that vitamin supplementation truly impacts hair repigmentation in the absence of severe vitamin deficiencies. Due to the absence of more recent and repeatable data on vitamin supplementation for gray hair treatment, the use of these vitamins is not strongly supported solely for use for gray hair reversal.
Medications currently in development for gray hair repigmentation target both inhibition of inflammation and stimulation of melanogenesis. Harris [62] reports on a new combination compound, RT1640 (cyclosporin A, minoxidil, and a pigment-promoting drug), which induces gray hair repigmentation in a mouse model. An increase in pigmentation of gray mouse hairs was associated with increased melanocyte progenitor cell counts in up to 80% of hair bulbs. Furthermore, hair was shaved after treatment discontinuation and noted to regrow with continued repigmentation. Similarly, an Ξ±-melanin-stimulating hormone agonist, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-20, was found to preserve follicular melanocyte function and increase pigmentation during melanogenesis in a mouse model [63]. Saha et al. [64] describe the use of C18:0 sphingolipid-rich placental extract to induce microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) and activate quiescent melanocyte stem cells in gray-haired mice. There was significant growth of dense black hair on mice treated with this extract, suggesting reactivation of melanocyte stem cells. Lastly, in a mouse model, flavonoids such as sterubin, luteolin, and hydroxygenkwanin have recently been shown to regenerate pigmented hair when applied during wound healing [65]. Flavonoids are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which scavenge free radicals and promote melanogenesis through the Wnt signaling pathway. As evident by many of these investigational treatments, inhibiting inflammation as well as promoting melanogenesis may be the key to hair repigmentation.
Conclusions
Gray hair is a natural course of aging; however, it may not be an inevitable or permanent process. Medications which target inflammatory cytokines, such as psoralen and cyclosporin, or stimulate melanogenesis, such as imatinib or latanoprost, have been reported to induce gray hair repigmentation in rare cases. While the evidence for these medications is of low quality, and the ability to effectively study them for gray hair treatment is difficult, their limited success sheds light on possible mechanisms to target for future development of hair repigmentation medications.
Disclosure Statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding Sources
The authors did not receive any funding to complete this research.
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Author Contacts
Katerina Yale, MD
Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine
843 Health Sciences Road
Irvine, CA 92617 (USA)
E-Mail [email protected]
Article / Publication Details
First-Page Preview
Received: July 18, 2019
Accepted: October 28, 2019
Published online: December 17, 2019
Issue release date: January 2020
Number of Print Pages: 10
Number of Figures: 0
Number of Tables: 1
ISSN: 2296-9195 (Print)
eISSN: 2296-9160 (Online)
For additional information: https://www.karger.com/SAD
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How To Prevent Gray Hair β The Experts Say It Might Be Possible
Admittedly, I always had a fear of finding my first gray hair. Maybe itβs the way Iβve watched some of my family members go gray prematurely and stop at nothing to cover them, but Iβve always, wrongly, associated graying with βlooking old.β At the ripe age of 30, Iβve now dealt with my fair share of silvery streaks, and after resorting to plucking them out (ouch?), Iβve finally decided to just let them be β but not without seeking other ways to slow the process down, first.
The reality is that going gray, like aging, is natural and inevitable, and for some, it can begin earlier than you might expect. In a world where words like βanti-agingβ are still plastered all over beauty products, itβs understandable to freak out at the sight of your first stray gray, especially when it appears in your 20s or early 30s β but know that this is actually totally normal. In fact, while most people begin to gray between their mid-30s and 40s, itβs possible for others to start at just 20-years-old.
How you deal with your grays is entirely personal, whether you choose to embrace them full-on or cover them up. But for those, like me, who are looking to at least delay the process a bit, there are some preventative measures you can take. Studies have shown that lowering oxidative stress levels can be beneficial to those dealing with premature graying, and that doing so can help lower the rate at which new streaks crop up.
Does this mean that by changing your diet, popping supplements, and getting in some daily meditation, itβs actually possible to halt graying in its tracks? Four expert dermatologists and trichologists share their thoughts.
How To Prevent Gray Hair: What Causes Hair To Go Gray?
βThere are a few main reasons hair turns gray β first and foremost, it is a result of aging,β says cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green. βAs we age, the enzymes which are involved in oxidative stress, such as catalase and MSR A and B, do not work as efficiently as they do when weβre young. Ultimately, this leads to the overproduction of hydrogen peroxide, which then leads to the inhibition of melanin synthesis. As a result, there is less pigment in the hair.β
Green points out that due to the fact that graying is almost always the result of natural aging, thereβs no real way to completely prevent it. βHowever, under not so common circumstances, gray hair may be the result of some illnesses such as a vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid disorders, vitiligo, and alopecia areata,β she says. Additionally, NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Hadley King points out that, while the rate at which you age and therefore gray is largely determined by genetics (and looking into when your older family members started to go gray can be a good indicator), things like smoking, anemia, poor nutrition, and stress levels can also speed up the process.
βThe process of graying is a multivariate equation and hypotheses abound,β says King. βItβs commonly thought that stress causes gray hair. Certainly stress cannot cause the hair to turn gray overnight, but it may accelerate the demise of melanocyte [cells that produce melanin, which pigments our hair] population. Stress hormones may impact the survival and/or activity of melanocytes, but no clear link has been established between stress and gray hair. They could cause inflammation that drives the production of free radicals, and itβs possible that these free radicals could influence melanin production.β
How To Prevent Gray Hair: Oxidative Stress & Graying
With the above in mind, can lowering oxidative stress levels through the factors you do have some control over help slow down graying? Trichologist Penny James of Penny James Salon thinks itβs possible, citing a 2020 study in which increased premature graying was not only linked to oxidative stress, but it was concluded that upping antioxidant intake is likely to yield some therapeutic benefits. But whatβs the best way to approach this?
βOur bodies will naturally go under more oxidative stress as we age,β Green tells TZR. βTo prevent any further oxidative stress, you can reduce your exposure to environmental stressors while limiting the consumption of foods that have higher rates of free radical production, such as red meats and grilled or charred foods.β She suggests instead opting for healthy fats, nuts, and avocados that are rich in vitamin E and vitamin C-rich foods such as berries, peppers, and citrus fruits.
In addition to nutrition and environmental factors, King says that avoiding smoking, treating any thyroid conditions, and managing your stress levels can help, citing a recent study that supports the idea that lowering stress can even reverse graying.
Still, itβs important to keep in mind that most oxidative stress is inevitable. βUltimately, these measures will not fully prevent the natural aging process of your hair, as oxidative stress occurs with natural aging,β says Green. βThereβs nothing to be done to prevent the natural aging process, but lowering your oxidative stress may reduce any oxidative stress thereafter, potentially minimally reducing or slowing down the process in the long run.β
How To Prevent Gray Hair: Are Supplements the Answer?
In a product-obsessed world, itβs natural to wonder if thereβs a magic pill or powder to take instead of, you know, putting in the work. Would it be helpful to up your intake of free radical-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals through oral supplements rather than simply relying on diet?
Opinions are mixed. While the study James cited concluded that supplements can be beneficial, King isnβt fully convinced. βIn general, I would recommend a predominantly plant-based diet rich in antioxidants,β she says. βStudies about humans taking high doses or oral antioxidant supplements often end in increased morbidity and mortality, presumably because our bodies benefit in some ways from free radicals β our immune systems need free radicals to help kill cancer cells, for example. So, caution must be taken before translating these theoretical benefits to taking unproven supplements.β
However, James recommends two different supplements that may have promising effects: a vitamin B-complex and the amino acid L-tyrosine. βI do believe reducing our stress along with the intake of an L-tyrosine supplement and a vitamin B-complex can be of help and might stop more gray from appearing,β she says. βWhat these supplements will do is reduce the edema on the scalp along with reducing your internal stress levels. Theyβll help keep your hair and scalp healthy along with improved blood flow and a much stronger, healthier hair bulb.β
She recommends the B Hair supplement by Hair Clinic (which can be ordered through her salon), since it also contains folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium in addition to B12 and B6. βAll of these will nourish the hair root, increase density in the hair shaft, have a calming effect on your sympathetic nervous system along with boosting growth and preventing loss,β she says. Additionally, she recommends this B-Complex by Pure Encapsulations.
Hair wellness brand Arey recently launched its first product, Not Today, Grey, a daily supplement formulated with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and herbs to specifically address graying and delay the process, namely a powerful complex of B vitamins and the ancient herb fo-ti in addition to selenium, iron, and copper. While thereβs no way to change genetics, the ingredients in Not Today, Grey work together to promote cell turnover, protect against free radicals, fuel melanin production, and improve the protein structure of the hair. Since they are so new, the experts couldnβt comment on whether or not they think taking these supplements would be an effective approach, but itβs an option worth exploring.
Conversely, Green isnβt so convinced that taking specific vitamins would prevent graying at all. βWith graying hairs, the issue at hand is lower catalase (enzyme) activity,β she says. Like antioxidants, vitamin B5 can defend against the formation of free radicals, but isnβt necessarily linked to increasing catalase activity. βIn other words, your hairs will still turn gray,β she says.
L-tyrosine, on the other hand, is an amino acid naturally found in the body that’s responsible for melanin production. In addition to helping to regulate thyroid function, taking an L-tyrosine supplement is thought to enhance mood and improve cognitive function, which is why James recommends it for addressing premature graying. βTaking an L-tyrosine supplement will reduce any inflammation, help reduce stress, and has been proven to help with hair loss,β she says. She recommends trying this L-tyrosine supplement from Pure Encapsulations.
How To Prevent Gray Hair: Are Topical Options Worthwhile?
Most experts say that no topical treatments to stop graying exist, though NYC dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner believes that using shampoos containing zinc pyrithione may have some benefits. βZinc pyrithione containing shampoos may have a variety of benefits for the scalp and the hair, as this ingredient has been shown in studies to provide antioxidant benefits and prevent UV light damage,β he says. These shampoos are typically used to treat dry and itchy scalps, dandruff, and conditions like seborrheic dermatitis. βThey may help in addressing thinning hair, and while there is no good data to support this, I have my own theories that the use of these shampoos may minimize graying hair,β he says. So, while there are no guarantees, itβs another possible option to explore β just proceed with caution if you have color-treated hair, as this ingredient can potentially strip away dye.
How To Prevent Gray Hair: A Healthy Lifestyle
Ultimately, combating oxidative stress may help slow down the process of graying, but thereβs no way to completely prevent it (it is genetic after all) β and not all the experts are convinced it would yield dramatic results. All agree that the best approach is a natural one: eating a nutritious diet, reducing stress levels (hello, exercise, meditation, and sleep!), and avoiding smoking and exposure to environmental stressors like pollution as much as possible.
While some supplements or topicals are available that *may* be beneficial, they shouldnβt be relied on as the sole solution. And, of course, if you do choose to go the supplement route, always consult with your doctor first and be sure to stick to the recommended dosage.
If youβre really concerned about your grays, itβs best to see a trichologist or dermatologist for other treatment, such as PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment. βPRP is a great and effective way to stimulate the stem cells with our own growth factors, causing them to βwake upβ and grow,β says Green. βIt will also ensure that all the right nutrients and sufficient blood flow is getting to the area, creating the perfect environment for catalase to function at its best, allowing the enzymes needed for hair color to work properly.β However, she points out that PRP should be seen as a preventative measure, as it would only have an effect on hair that still has pigment and has not already gone gray.
Other than that, you can turn to more temporary options for covering them with dye or makeup, or simply learn to love and embrace them. Itβs inevitable that everyoneβs hair will eventually go gray, and finding your first silvery streaks at a βyoungerβ age is nothing to be ashamed of. Remember: With age comes wisdom, as well as wrinkles and grays, and thatβs a reality that eventually everyone will have to face.
What, Why & How To Reverse Premature Greying? β SkinKraft
Premature white hair giving you nightmares? If youβre one of those youngsters who is dealing with unwanted grey hair and trying to reverse it through various tricks, this article is a must-read for you.
Greying hair is a part of your natural ageing process. Your skin has millions of hair follicles that contain a pigment called melanin. As you age, hair follicles lose this pigment turning your hair into grey. Scroll down to find out what causes premature greying and how you can deal with it.
Highlights:
What Causes White Hair?
1. Genetics
According to studies, premature greying is related to genetics [1]. It is likely that you will have grey hair at an early age if your mother or father had premature grey hair. It is also related to geography and race according to a study performed in 2013. People in a certain country can have grey hair much earlier than people in other countries. White people can get white hair even in their 20s, while Asian people most likely start getting white hair in their mid 20s. For African-Americans, the age of greying hair starts at 30.
2. Stress
Stress can lead to a flood of problems like anxiety, high blood pressure, sleeping issues, skin disorders and so on. Adding to this list is premature greying of hair. Yes, stress can turn your hair grey [2]. A study done in 2013 observed a link between stress and depletion of stem cells in the hair follicles of mice.
3. Diet
An imbalanced diet can speed up greying of hair. Processed foods, cold drinks, excess intake of salt and sugar increase the risk of free radical generation in the body that can cause grey hair.
4. Vitamin Deficiency
Yes, lack of vitamins like vitamin B, D, E, biotin can lead to premature greying of hair [3]. Vitamin deficiencies can affect pigmentation, but can be reversed using vitamin supplements. Talk to your doctor if you want to incorporate supplements in your diet.
5. Pollution/Weather Conditions
Pollutants in the air generate free radicals and oxidative stress. This can in turn cause damage to the melanin cells, speeding up hair greying[4].
6. Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress [5]Β can be a reason behind your premature white hair. It happens when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. When your antioxidants are not adequate to retaliate the effects of free radicals, it leads to many health issues, including ageing. Excessive oxidate causes a condition called vitiligo. It kills your melanin cells, leading to premature grey hair.
7. Chemical Hair Products
Hair care products like shampoos and conditioners can lead to premature greying of hair, due to the presence of chemicals which decrease your melanin content. Hair dyes containing hydrogen peroxide and bleaching agents can leave the hair white when used for prolonged periods.
7. Smoking
Smoking not only increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease, but also puts your hair at risk. Smoking constricts blood vessels, reduces blood flow to hair follicles and leads to hair loss. The toxins in cigarette smoke can affect hair follicles causing grey hair earlier than expected [6].
9. Medical Conditions
When you talk about the causes of premature white hair, you have to consider few medical conditions as contributing factors. Autoimmune disease and thyroid disorder can trigger grey hair. In autoimmune disease, your own immune system destroys your cells instead of protecting, which can affect your hair pigmentation too.Β
Your thyroid gland also influences your hair colour. In the case of a thyroid disorder, it causes hormonal imbalance and reduces melanin production in your body. Naturally, your hair turns grey.
How To Stop White Hair?
1. Medicated/Doctor Prescribed Products
Treatments start with the determination of the type of greying (natural or premature) and the underlying causes. Your doctor may give shampoos, conditioners, oils, serums and hair masks suited to your hair type. You may also be given nutrition supplements.
2. Cosmetic Shampoos
Cosmetic shampoos contain certain ingredients that can impart a color to your grey locks. Besides offering color, these shampoos can reform the texture of your hair.
3. Essential Oils
Essentials oil helps produce and maintain melanin to the maximum levels. Rosemary, sandalwood, chamomile, lavender, fenugreek, argan and amla essential oils are some of the many available in the market.
4. Food Sources
Antioxidant rich foods can address oxidative stress and grey hair. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are atoms or molecules that have unpaired electrons. While they are hunting for an electron, they cause damage to your body.
Free radicals form in the body due to factors like sunlight, smoking, pollution and aging. Load up on antioxidant foods like berries, green tea, broccoli, olive oil and fish to reverse premature greying of hair [7]. Vitamin rich foods and vitamin supplements should also be your go to.
Home Remedies For Grey Hair
Β Natural ingredients can be used to slow down greying of hair, without causing any side effects. Following is the list of such safe and natural remedies:
1. Curry Leaves
Curry leaves have a centuries-old history of medical use. An international journal of pharm tech research reported about the effect of curry leaves on curing white hair as well as preventing premature greying.
How to use?
Take a couple of curry leaves and mix it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil. Heat the mixture until the oil turns slightly black in colour. Let it cool down for a while and apply the oil gently on your scalp. Keep it overnight for the best results.
2. Gooseberry or Amla
Amla is a herbal remedy for a lot of hair issues and one of them is definitely premature grey hair. It is extremely rich in antioxidants and also has anti-ageing properties. You can get gooseberry fruit or the powder mix easily from the market.
How to use?
Extract the juice from one Amla and mix it with the juice of one fresh lemon. Apply it directly on your scalp and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat your hair dry with a soft towel.
If you are using powder, combine the powder with coconut or olive oil. Heat the mixture until the oil changes colour. Gently apply the warm oil on your hair and scalp.
3. Black Tea
Black tea has tannic acid, which makes your hair darker and shinier.
How to use?
Take 2-3 tea bags or 2 spoons of tea leaves. Make tea without using any sugar. Cool it down before applying. Always use it on clean and wet hair. Keep it for at least 30 minutes and then wash it off properly. You can also use the tea mix with your regular conditioner.Β
4. Bhringaraj
Bhringaraj has been popular since ancient times for its hair care benefits. Many old Ayurveda scriptures have mentioned Bhringaraj’s usage in medicines. Massaging Bhringraj hair oil provides you with a calming effect on your scalp and fights issues like hair fall, grey hair, headache, etc.
How to use?
Readymade Bhringaraj oil is available in the market. In case you want to make it at home, take some Bhringaraj leaves or powder and mix it with coconut oil. Heat the mixture properly. Apply it on your scalp once the mixture cools down.
How To Prevent White Hair?
1. Quit Smoking
Smokers can have a greater chance of pigment loss when compared to non-smokers.
2. Turn To Antioxidants
Incorporate a lot of antioxidant rich foods in your diet. These prevent oxidative stress [8] and grey hair.
3. Protect Your Hair From The Sun
The harmful UV rays from the sun can cause oxidative stress in the body and premature greying of hair. Protect your hair with a hat or scarf while you are outdoors.
4. Avoid Stress
Practise meditation and yoga to keep your mind free of the daily stress.
Why Plucking Grey Hair Is A Bad Idea?
It is widely believed that if you pluck a strand of grey hair, more will grow back. This is untrue. Only one strand of hair can grow from one single hair follicle.
Nevertheless, don’t be tempted to pluck your grey hair. You are going to make the hair follicles weak and there are chances that regular plucking will eventually dismiss hair growth at a certain hair follicle. You don’t want your hair volume to go down, do you?
Can White Hair Turn Black Again?
Genetic or age related greying of hair cannot be reversed. However, greying related to diet, pollution, bleaching and stress can be slowed down with a balanced diet and a good hair care regimen. Know your hair to figure out hair care that suits your hair.
Can Yellowing From Sun Damage of White Hair Be Reversed Or Grown Out?
Your white hair is always at higher risk of damage than your natural black or brown hair. When exposed to UVA or UVB rays, white hair loses mechanical strength. It faces excessive cuticle damage and the hair turns yellow. This mostly happens with the people who spend a lot of time under the sun. Specifically in western countries, people spend long hours sunbathing.
However, yellowing caused by sun damage can be reversed if you protect your hair from further damage. To prevent yellowing of your white hair, use a shampoo that is made for grey hair. Also, protect your hair from sun damage by wearing a cap or covering your hair with a scarf.
How To Determine If Your Greying Is Premature Or Natural?
Greying of hair starts when you are in your late 40s and early 50s. Premature greying of hair can start as early as in 20s. According to research, premature greying of hair is related to ethnicity too, besides genetics [9].
Wrapping Up
Religious hair care and a balanced diet can slow down and possibly reverse grey hair. Talk to your doctor about treatments, cosmetic shampoos and other products if you want to ban grey hair without a dye.
Begin By Knowing Your Skin
How to delay premature grey hair
Grey hair is typically associated with ageing, but it turns out that those silver strands could also reveal a lot about your health.
Our levels of Vitamin B12 are suspected to play a huge role in the colour and condition of your hair, meaning greys could be a sign that you need to change up your diet.
βWhen you go grey is genetically determined. For some, this is as young as 18, while others are well into their 40s before their first white hair appears,β explains Anabel Kingsley, Trichologist at Philip Kingsley.
βHowever, it has been suspected that low Vitamin B12 levels can add to the greying of hair. For example, premature greying may occur as the result of stress as stress can deplete Vitamin B12 levels.β
Anabel adds that reducing stress levels may be of help to prevent this β but you should also consider your diet and lifestyle choices.
MORE: I ASKED A HAIRDRESSER TO CHOP MY HAIR OFF, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED
βNutritional and hormonal factors may affect hair colour, as can illness and stress,β explains Anabel. βOne of the reasons for this is because illness and an improper diet can also deplete your body of vitamin B β and various studies have shown that a lack of Vitamin B12 can turn hair white prematurely.β
So is there any way to prevent grey hair altogether?
While you cannot delay when you are genetically programmed to turn grey, Anabel explains, βif you have a Vitamin B deficiency, adding foods rich in B vitamins, or a supplement containing them, may be useful in stopping premature greying.β
Additionally, lifestyle choices, such as smoking, can play a part in your greys.
Anabel explains, βIn theory, stress and smoking may cause the hair to turn grey as they can deplete the bodyβs levels of Vitamin B12.β
To tackle greys, Anabel says, βAs hair is non-essential, it is the last of the bodyβs tissues to receive nutrients β from the foods you eat or from supplements you take. Because of this, hair cells need higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals to function at their optimum rate.
‘The best hair-boosting supplements are multi-vitamins formulated for these unique needs.
‘Supplements taken for the hair should definitely contain iron. Iron is needed to produce hair cell protein, and a deficiency in this is the most common cause of hair loss we see in women.
‘A supplement should also contain vitamin C, as this helps the body to absorb the iron.
βBiotin, Vitamin B12, selenium and Vitamin D are similarly vital, as are the essential amino acids, L-lysine and L-methionine. Studies show that these help to keep hair in its growth phase for its optimal length of time. Try the Philip Kingsley Tricho Complex, Β£45.β
Additionally, the NHS recommends meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese and eggs as good sources of vitamin B12.
Time to whip up that omelette!
Anabel Kingsley is a Trichologist at Philip Kingsley
MORE: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER WHEN COLOURING YOUR HAIR
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How to get rid of gray hair: methods that work
Gray strands for any girl is a nightmare in reality. Each gray hair seems to scream – “old age is about to come and you will become an ugly, unattractive Baba Yaga!” Someone in a fit of fear begins to pluck out all suspicious elements with the meticulousness of a maniac, someone weekly “poison” scalp with a tint balm. But it is worth finding out – for what reason does the hair change its structure and turn gray? And the right way to get rid of frustrating gray hair β₯
Why does hair turn gray?
This is not necessarily related to the age of .Gray hair can have a lot of reasons, and Swjournal will tell you about the main ones, plus, tell you about effective ways to mask them!
Diseases of the thyroid gland
A similar symptom can signal serious diseases, including problems with the thyroid gland. Plus, gray strands can appear after chemotherapy after cancer treatment.
Bad habits
Of course, this is due to smoking – cigarettes seriously suffer from the skin and spoil your hair, which both thin and turn gray before the time stipulated by nature.
Heredity
Such a trait as premature gray hair is inherited. This means that if your close relatives turned gray early, then there are many chances that the same will happen to you.
Stress
It has not yet been proven by science, but many are convinced that stress and lack of sleep also lead to such a disaster as early gray hair. Try to get enough sleep and avoid stressful situations – in any case, without the relative condition of the hair, it will be best for the whole body.
Lack of vitamin B12
Deficiency of vitamin causes a lack of pigment in the hair. Replenishing the missing element in the body, you will get rid of untimely gray strands.
How to get rid of gray hair?
The first and important step is a medical examination. The doctor will help you find the cause of the disease. Most likely, it is just the tests and a competent specialist that will help you find a more serious source of the problem, which has a lot of symptoms.
Measures to remedy this problem are Correct nutrition . Lean on those foods that contain vitamin B12, that is, animal products: dairy, meat, fish , eggs and others.
Vitamins: Special vitamin complexes will also be very effective. It is worth betting on preparations containing vitamin B.
Should pluck gray hair?
This seems to be the easiest way to get rid of the annoying signs of aging .But not everything is so simple. First of all, in the long term it will not help, since the same gray hair will grow in the place of the removed hair. It could get worse. Yes, this will not result in gray hair in other places, but there may be some other difficulties. In particular, you can introduce infection and inflammation in the hair follicles.
How to disguise gray hair?
Hair dye
This is an affordable, long-lasting and effective way.When dyeing , a color should be selected that is as close as possible to the natural natural shade of the strands (with the proviso that they are not dyed). A more economical and gentle option would be henna.
Anti-gray hair spray
You can buy anti-gray hair spray at any pharmacy and beauty store. It will get rid of gray hair in a few minutes – a good idea for emergencies. You should always keep it in the bathroom, just in case of fire.
Mesotherapy
Lux-option – contacting a beauty clinic with a beautician.If there are no contraindications, then he will prescribe injections of magnesia, which will relieve gray hair for 6 months or even a year. The main disadvantage of such a beauty operation is its cost. Such a solution to the problem is expensive.
Photo: Pinterest
Age change or a cause in body diseases? Learn all about gray hair at the MEDSI clinic in St. Petersburg
Contents
Hair color, as well as the duration of its preservation, is determined by the amount of pigment contained in them, which is a genetic feature of each person.The main reasons for dulling and graying hair are age, nervous overload and unfavorable ecology.
Graying hair occurs due to a lack of tyrosine, which is contained as a component in almost all proteins. Therefore, early gray hair can occur prematurely in people who are fond of diets that exclude protein-rich foods. In addition, gray hair can appear with disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems, with a limited intake of vitamins, as well as with a copper deficiency.
Most often, hair loss of color begins after 35 years, but it can also be noted at a younger age. Moreover, early graying of hair is not a rare phenomenon these days.
Age graying
Most often, graying of hair is a sign and a direct consequence of aging of the body. With age, the function of pigment-forming cells gradually decreases and the production of melanin stops. The time when this natural process begins is inherent in every person genetically.It is believed that in Caucasians, gray hair appears at about 34 years old (plus or minus 10 years), in Asians – at 30-34 years, and among representatives of the Negro ethnic group, the average age for the appearance of silvery hair is 43 years, plus or minus 10 years.
Graying hair most often starts from the head, spreads to the hair of the mustache, beard, pubis. In women, the first gray hair appears, as a rule, on the temples and only then on the back of the head and on the crown of the head.
Premature graying of hair
In some people, the graying process begins clearly prematurely, for example, at the age of 20 years in Caucasians and earlier than 30 years in Negroids.This can be both a consequence of a genetic predisposition, and the result of exposure to any external unfavorable factors or diseases of the body. For example, early graying can occur with anemia (anemia) or dysfunction (hyperfunction) of the thyroid gland.
Lack of trace elements
There are also situations when, due to a lack of certain elements in the body, melanin ceases to be produced or retained on the protein of the hair shaft.There were also such cases in history when people turned gray in a very short period of time, most often due to very strong nervous tension or stress. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that in stressful situations the body produces substances that disrupt the chemical bond that unites melanin and protein, as a result of which the pigment can quickly fall out, be washed out or neutralized.
Internal medicine
Sometimes a change in hair color is taken for gray hair, which is a consequence of various diseases – for example, seborrhea, copper deficiency in the body, dysfunction of the thyroid gland (hypo- or hyperthyroidism).Improper hygiene procedures can also lead to a change in hair color. A woman who is not indifferent to her health, noticing that her hair began to lighten sharply, should consult a trichologist. The specialist will determine whether it is gray hair or a symptom of some kind of disease.
We must not forget about the prevention of various internal diseases. The fact is that the vessels on the head are closely intertwined, and, for example, bacteria that cause caries can easily enter the vessels that feed the hair.It is advisable to regularly visit a gastroenterologist, dentist, otolaryngologist. It is necessary to eliminate foci of infection on the head – such as chronic otitis media, tonsillitis, caries. It is important to timely treat inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract and other body systems.
The best vitamins for hair growth: a review of a trichologist, doctor’s advice
Wellness
February 27, 2019
If your hair begins to fall out, and its condition has deteriorated significantly, there is no reason to do a short haircut.And although the problem with hair seems almost tragic to many, you can restore curls and restore their beauty. In this we are professionally encouraged by a dermatologist, a trichologist, a member of the RHRS, the Professional Society of Trichologists and the Union of Trichologists of Russia Elena Yarutkina . Let’s give the floor to the expert.
How to “feed” the curls
It is important to understand that the hair follicle has a very active metabolism. In order for it to be able to produce healthy and beautiful hair, it requires a regular intake of not only macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), but also vitamins and microelements into the body.
Lack of vitamins and minerals can worsen the condition of the scalp, lead to a loss of natural shine, pigment and hair strength, provoke hair loss.
Vitamins necessary for hair growth
- Vitamin A (retinol) helps hair to be elastic, strong and protects it from excessive fragility, accelerates growth. Its deficiency leads to dry scalp, dry seborrhea, dandruff, hair loss. But too much vitamin A can trigger hair loss.It is difficult to get an overdose from food, but from the drug it is quite possible. Therefore, the dosage of retinol should not be higher than 50,000 IU.
- Vitamin C , being a coenzyme of many metabolic processes, participates in the formation of the hair shaft. In addition, it is a powerful antioxidant: it neutralizes free radicals in the cells of the hair follicle, protecting them from oxidative stress.
- Vitamin E (tocopherol) improves blood circulation and tissue metabolism, prevents the appearance of gray hair, protects hair from the harmful effects of UV rays, gives natural shine and silkiness.Also, tocopherol relieves inflammation and itching of the scalp, stimulates the growth of curls, restores weakened and damaged rods.
- Vitamin D – one of the hair growth regulators (the hair follicle has receptors for it), participates in the process of differentiation of hair follicle cells. The production of the vitamin occurs in the upper layers of the skin of the waters by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It is important to remember that almost all over the world (and even in countries with a year-round sun) there is a deficiency of this essential vitamin-prohormone.Therefore, vitamin D is perhaps the only supplement that needs to be taken on an ongoing basis under the control of analyzes.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) is needed to stimulate growth, maintain moisture and color hair. Regulates the function of the sebaceous glands.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin) plays an important role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, it is not for nothing that it is called the “beauty vitamin”. With biotin deficiency, hair vitamins should be aimed at eliminating fragility and early gray hair, as well as normalizing the process of sebum production.Fortunately, vitamin B7 deficiency is rare.
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is involved in stimulating the growth of the hair follicle, prevents premature graying.
- There is evidence that vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with excess hair loss in women. Most often, vegans have such problems, since this vitamin is found only in animal products.
Trace elements necessary for hair growth
- Iron is involved in oxygen transport, DNA formation, and oxidative reactions.With its deficiency, tissue hypoxia develops, which leads to the fact that the hair falls out, turns gray earlier, becomes very dry and thin. Iron deficiency ranks first among the scarce causes of hair loss. Therefore, for any problems with hair, it is recommended to undergo an examination of iron metabolism.
- Zinc influences the hair growth cycle and regulates the sebaceous glands. It also has an antiandrogenic effect – it suppresses the activity of 5-alpha-reductase (an enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, which is destructive for curls), thereby preventing premature baldness.
- Selenium provides antioxidant protection, participates in the synthesis of thyroid hormones and DNA, which ultimately directly affects the health of the hair. Both lack and excess of selenium can lead to loss.
- Copper stimulates the division of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, helps to strengthen the hair structure through the formation of collagen and elastin fibrils. Deficiency of copper in the diet leads to increased fragility of curls and early graying.
- Silicon promotes the production of elastin and collagen, gives hair elasticity and shine, improves hair growth.
- Sulfur is necessary for the formation of disulfide bridges of hair keratin and protein synthesis, therefore, its lack weakens the structure of the curl.
- Magnesium is responsible for cell division and maturation, participates in immune reactions. Its deficiency indirectly affects the condition of the hair, increasing hair loss.
- It also indirectly affects the hair and iodine .With a deficiency, the normal functioning of the thyroid gland is disrupted, which leads to a decrease in its function – hypothyroidism. For hair, such violations can result in hair loss, thinning, dryness.
The role of macronutrients in hair health
Macronutrients include proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
From protein we get amino acids, in particular sulfur-containing cysteine ββand methionine, which are necessary for the production of keratin – the main building material of hair, and L-lysine – it participates in the construction of both the hair itself and the hair follicle, without it the curls will be brittle and lifeless.
The protective layer of skin and hair consists of lipid complexes – ceramides, sterols, phospholipids, fatty acids. The lack of fat in the diet cannot provide the usefulness of the protective lipid layer of the skin, due to which the hair loses moisture, the condition of the hair follicle deteriorates, which leads to loss. From fats, we also obtain valuable omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA). For the scalp and hair, these are good anti-inflammatories.Therefore, it is recommended to include fatty fish (salmon, halibut, herring, sardine) in the diet 2-3 times a week or get omega-3 from supplements.
But carbohydrates in the diet should be limited. First of all, this applies to simple carbohydrates obtained by an industrial method: sweets, baked goods. Abuse of them leads to increased oiliness of the scalp and the fact that hair falls out a lot. To normalize carbohydrate metabolism and with the concomitant loss of curls, the following additives are shown: taurine, alpha-lipoic acid, berberine, chromium, manganese, zinc, biotin.
In the modern world with its frantic rhythm, there is a great temptation to get vitamins and minerals not from food, but from supplements. But this is not physiological. Our goal is to make your diet as varied, balanced and natural as possible.
Analysis for trace element composition of hair
This diagnostic method was popular in the 90s. To date, it is almost never used in progressive trichology. Numerous studies have shown the inconsistency of the method: often the level of some element in the hair is high, while its deficiency is found in the blood.And vice versa. In addition, the analysis is not able to establish whether the content of elements in the hair is associated with processes in the body or with environmental factors. Meanwhile, the balance of minerals can vary depending on the color, thickness and rate of hair growth, as well as on age and gender, on the season and geographic location, and on cosmetics.
Therefore, the trichoscope was and remains the main diagnostic tool in trichology.
With it, you can correctly assess the condition of the scalp and hair.It is equally important to take blood tests to rule out deficiencies and hormonal disorders leading to hair loss.
Only in a small percentage of cases, chemical analysis of the hair can help. This is in cases where we suspect the so-called anagen prolapse due to poisoning with salts of heavy metals and other toxic substances. But these are extremely rare situations.
Vitamin complexes or specific components?
On the one hand, complex vitamins are very convenient: they have everything you need for hair loss.But often the dosages of vitamins and minerals in complex supplements significantly exceed the daily norms (sometimes dozens of times!) Or, conversely, do not replenish them. Differences in assimilation cannot be discounted. So, vitamins C and B6 are less absorbed from vitamin-mineral complexes in comparison with monocomponent preparations. In addition, complex supplements sometimes contain iodine, which is contraindicated in some thyroid diseases.
The reception mode must also be taken into account. Amino acids are best taken in the morning on an empty stomach, and biotin after meals.These conditions cannot be achieved with a complex drug: when taken, all active substances enter the body simultaneously and massively.
I am for a reasonable approach and targeted assistance to the body. To begin with, it is worth checking the hair and taking a blood test, and then selecting supplements to fill deficiencies, taking into account synergy (strengthening of each other’s action) and antagonism (incompatibility) of active substances. For comparison: iron is better absorbed when taken together with vitamin C, copper, manganese and group B drugs, and is less absorbed when taken together with zinc or calcium.
In my opinion, taking complex supplements is justified only if it is impossible to quickly pass a large number of tests.
Hair falls out: what tests should a woman take
The most important thing for a doctor before an examination is anamnesis (medical history). A thoroughly collected anamnesis allows one to suspect the causes of the loss (genetics, stress, medication, deficiencies, hormonal disorders, etc.) and avoid unnecessary examination. Further, trichoscopy, phototrichogram are important – these methods make it possible to understand the type of loss.And only then analyzes take place in trichology.
There is a so-called trichological minimum-screening, which is recommended for those who have hair climbing. But in my opinion, it is insufficient. There is my personal list of tests that I recommend for women when they fall out.
General analyzes:
- UAC with leukoformula and ESR
- Standard biochemical blood test: total protein, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, cholesterol, LDL, HDL
- , potassium, calcium
- Blood (not hair) for zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, group B (primarily for B6, B9, B12)
- HIV, hepatitis, syphilis
- TSH, T3 and T4 free, AT-TPO , AT-TG
- Serum iron, ferritin, if possible TIBSS, transferrin
- 25 (OH) D3, ionized Ca
- Prolactin and its fractions
- Homocysteine ββ
Noma index
According to indications: According to indications: 9028 4 servings (laboratory DNAome) For suspected hormonal disorders: By standards, such an examination is indicated for women with signs of hyperandrogenism.However, I usually ask all patients to undergo an ultrasound scan and donate hormones, if they are not taking COCs, are not pregnant and are not on HB. Tablets, capsules, dragees, lozenges, granules, syrup, solutions and gels for oral administration, drops – all these are enteral forms. They are absorbed in about the same way, as they enter the bloodstream through the intestines. Liquid forms, powders, gels, and soft capsules are preferred over compressed tablets, as some of them may not dissolve well in the digestive tract. Since we have mentioned the intestines, I will emphasize the importance of keeping it in good functional condition. Absorption is reduced in unhealthy intestines! Therefore, if you see from the analyzes that the vitamins and minerals do not rise after taking the drugs, then keep this reason in mind. There are also parenteral forms of drugs – intravenous and intramuscular injections. They give a quick effect: in a matter of minutes, the active substance enters the bloodstream and begins to work.But the use of injections is limited and justified only in a number of cases: the need to quickly fill deficiencies, with intolerance to enteral drugs, in the presence of active inflammatory bowel diseases, when the pill simply cannot be absorbed. Naturally, only a doctor can prescribe injectable forms. The difference between the forms of the release of vitamins
Supplements and the best vitamins for hair growth: reviews of trichologists
As mentioned above, in most cases, mono-component preparations should be preferred.The dosage and duration of admission is determined by the test results.
When choosing mono-component minerals, pay attention to the high-quality chelate form: glycinate, citrate, malate, picolinate and others. That is, there should be iron bisglycinate, magnesium citrate, zinc picolinate, etc. Avoid low quality compounds such as aspartate, oxide, sulfate (zinc oxide, copper sulfate).
According to trichologists, the best vitamins that can be taken by those experiencing hair loss are bioavailable folate (5-L methyltetrahydrofolate), but not folic acid (B9).Methylcobalamin (methyl B12) is indicated for replenishing a B12 deficiency, rather than cyanocobalamin, which is less well absorbed. This also applies to vitamin B6: choose pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP or P-5′-P) over pyridoxine hydrochloride.
Vitamin-mineral complexes often contain inactive forms of pyridoxine, folic acid and B12. Of course, if according to the analyzes there is no genetic mutation and deficiencies of B vitamins, then inactive forms can be taken. But not everyone is tested for mutations, so it is recommended to choose complexes with active forms of vitamins, for example, Life Extension’s Two-Per-Day Tablets .
Of the complex preparations, the good ones are RidgeCrest Herbals Hair ReVive, NOW Solutions Vegan Hair, Skin & Nails, Famvital. However, I still have not found a single complex with an ideal composition, which I could confidently deign with an enthusiastic review from a trichologist. The vast majority leave much to be desired. This is another argument in favor of taking monocomponent vitamins and minerals with quality forms.
Vitamins for pregnant women and lactating hair loss
From prenatal complexes, Thorne Research Basic Prenatal, Garden of Life mykind Organics Prenatal Multi, Emerald Labs Prenatal have a good composition.These vitamins for pregnant women, for hair growth of non-pregnant women are equally suitable. The listed complexes can be taken both at the planning stage of maternity and during feeding, since they contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals for the active work of the hair follicle.
I strongly advise you to get tested for lactating women in the coming months after giving birth.
Poor nutrition, stress, lack of sleep and a difficult recovery period provoke the development of deficiency states.Based on the results of the analyzes, you can select mono- or multicomponent preparations and successfully help not only the hair, but also the body as a whole.
Any new supplement should be taken in the first half of the day and the baby should be monitored for rashes, abdominal discomfort. Fortunately, such reactions are rare, since modern preparations do not contain potential allergens: gluten, wheat, milk, nuts, peanuts, eggs, fish and seafood.
Top Hair Supplements on iHerb.Stop hair loss, grow length and improve hair structure: ohnadi – LiveJournal
Hair is the main wealth and dream of any woman. If a girl has beautiful long hair, she is already beautiful!)
Hair is also a reflection of the general state of the body. Improper nutrition, hormonal disruptions, stress instantly affect the hair. Therefore, it is important to pay a lot of attention to them, additionally nourish and care for them.
First, of course, you need to identify and eliminate the most common health problems that affect hair loss and poor hair quality:
– Exclude anemia (iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency) To do this, you need to do a blood test for the level of hemoglobin, iron, ferritin (the main element that is the cause of latent anemia, even with normal hemoglobin levels) and vitamin B12
– To identify abnormalities in the thyroid gland, to be tested for thyroid hormones, the level of vitamin D3, which affects not only the absorption of calcium, but also the hormonal background.
– Disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, dysbiosis (after a course of antibiotics, chemotherapy). Restore the work of the digestive tract with lacto and bifido bacteria.
– Stress, hormonal disruptions (hormone imbalance, cancellation of OC, menopause, HS)
Hair problems with HS
Hair loss due to HS is the most common problem, but this is an absolutely normal physiological process. During pregnancy, the hormonal background changes, the hair practically ceases to fall out. Childbirth is a kind of stress to the body, plus a changed hormonal background – the hair begins to crawl in “bundles” just 3-6 months after childbirth.This is fine. Then a new coat will climb π
There are 2 problems: not all drugs can be taken with hepatitis B and not all of them will be effective due to the hormonal cause of the loss. You can only slightly improve the situation with external masks, sprays, taking prenatal and postnatal vitamins. There are no special complexes for HV loss, you can only consult with your doctor which ones you can take.
I will tell you a secret that not a single manufacturer will write that the product can be consumed by hepatitis B or pregnant women, simply because no one is conducting experiments.Therefore, some supplements are drunk on their own responsibility.
But the problem will be finally solved only after the completion of hepatitis B, when the body returns to normal.
For more information, consult a trichologist who examines the hair and scalp under a microscope. The main thing here is to find a good specialist, since often trichologists promote products of a brand or skip to expensive procedures. Like it was with me. At the age of 26, the trichologist prescribed me a course of plasmolifting, without even checking my analyzes.I did not trust the opinion of such a “doctor” and rather quickly solved my problem with the help of supplements.
I have previously taken vitamins to reduce hair loss, I noticed a good effect in terms of reducing hair loss, increasing hair volume and growth. The longest course was six months, my review can be read HERE
But by nature, having thin hair, I never believed that you can get a wow effect with the help of additives and deceive nature a little.
After talking with my master, I was finally convinced that it is very possible.Now I am aiming for a long course of at least a year in order to improve the structure, increase the density and grow the desired hair length.
What elements affect hair health:
B vitamins
Folic acid (vitamin B9), pantontenic acid (vitamin B5), biotin (B7) – especially good for hair growth and strength, I recommend getting them from deactivated brewer’s yeast , as it is a completely natural form of the full spectrum of B vitamins, which eliminates possible side effects.
Separately, I would like to note biotin . This element is produced in the body on its own, but is destroyed under the influence of various factors. In the body of a pregnant woman, its maximum amount, so the hair during pregnancy twig and shine like never before.
The intake of biotin brings good results to many, it does not give anything to some, but I will say one thing: everyone’s favorite dosage of biotin 10.000mg is excessive and can negatively affect the results of some tests.It is recommended to take biotin at a dosage of 5000mg along with other B vitamins.
By the way, biotin is the main complement of the popular Sugar Bear Hair vitamins, which contain very, very little of it.
Sulfur – in additions usually comes in the form of methylsulfonyl methane or MSM . It has a positive effect on the hair structure, elasticity, helps the absorption of B vitamins
Keratin is a building material for hair, usually obtained from animal hair.
Calcium – Important for the formation of strong bones and for the strength of skin, hair and nails. It is recommended to take it with vitamin D3 for proper absorption.
Zinc is a building material, an element that affects all processes in the body, zinc deficiency affects the health of hair, skin and nails, therefore zinc is part of almost all hair complexes
Copper – normal copper levels are the prevention of early gray hair and stimulating the production of its own collagen, which affects the structure of the hair.A lot of copper contains the Chinese herb Fo-Ti, which is also found in complexes for the treatment of androgenic and age-related alopecia.
Silicon – stimulates collagen production, the most effective collagen generator on the site is Biosil – a special choline-orthosilicic acid that improves the condition of the skin, hair and nails.
Amino acids- irreplaceable helpers for protein synthesis, which do their job gently and responsibly without disrupting the work of other organs.
L-Cysteine ββ – good for hair structure, liver and brain detoxifier. It is part of the famous Pantovigar, but in a lower dosage.
Proline, Lysine, Glycine are also important for the formation of the hair shaft. They are usually included in the complex in the form of protein
Hair is an amino acid (protein). Amino acids are a must and do not confuse them with athletic amines. Californian Gold Marine Collagen contains a wide spectrum of amino acids to help build healthy hair, supple skin and strong nails.
Special hair complexes
In addition to eliminating possible diseases and proper nutrition, good results cannot be achieved without special hair supplements.
I studied the composition of some noteworthy vitamin complexes specifically for hair and chose a program of intake for myself for a year, alternating them with each other.
One of the most popular and effective complexes on Iherb. Contains vitamin C, zinc, copper, silicon, amino acids l-proline and l-lysine.The main focus here is on the Opti-MSM complex or methylsulfonyl methane, which has a good effect on the hair structure, making it dense, giving strength to new hair. Since there are no B vitamins, this complex is recommended to be taken with multivitamins or with a B-complex
Perhaps the most popular vitamin complex, which I simply cannot ignore. I will not accept it) Personally, it did not suit me, I wrote about this HERE . But for many people it is great and solves the problem of hair loss, new hair growth and improvement of their structure.
The complex also contains B vitamins in high dosages, silicon, sulfur, copper, inositol, choline, l-cysteine, horsetail extract and para-aminobenzoic acid
The complex is undoubtedly effective, but too heavy for the body and has a number of common side effects (heartburn, change body odor, stress on the kidneys, subcutaneous acne, etc.)
Keratin complex with additives to increase hair density. Additionally, there are collagen types 1 and 3, biotin at a dosage of 50% of the daily value, Amla or Indian gooseberry extract, which is effectively used to treat hair loss according to Ayurveda.There is also protein, which means amino acids.
The complex has a very good effect on the hair structure, gives strength to new vellus hairs. It is recommended to alternate it with the MSM complex.
There are also more than powerful keratin with biotin and resveratrol, in a double dosage, but it is also more expensive and often not available
Vitamins A and E, Vitamins B2, B5, B6, biotin, folic acid, zinc. Additionally enriched with extracts of horsetail, millet and amino acids (l-cysteine ββand l-methionine)
Reduces hair loss, improves structure, volume and length of hair
Unique complex with B group vitamins, zinc, copper, hair growth complex (l-cysteine, extract of horsetail, bamboo stem) Balance of thyroid hormones (kelp, l-tyrosine, phytosterol) Chinese herbal complex (Fo-ti, peony root, Dong-kuai, etc.) Complex for better bioavailability with three types of pepper and ginger
Complex with biotin , pantothenic acid, zinc, copper, enriched with extracts of apple, horsetail, millet and amino acids (l-cysteine ββand l-methionine – a broad spectrum sulfur-containing amino acid)
Affects the structure, volume and length of hair.Course – 3 months
Now I take Solgar and Keratin , 2 capsules for 3 months, I also drink collagen
Then I will start the course New Nordic – capsule per day 3 months
Then RidgeCrest Herbals – 2 capsules for 2 months, maybe add MSM sulfur separately
for the next 2 months Hair Renew + Keratin , according to instructions
I will evaluate the effect and again into battle
Throughout this time, I will take omega-3 and collagen as usual , alternating it with biosil.How to choose and take collagen wrote HERE
Complexes for men
In men, the reason for the loss is rather hormonal or androgenic. The fact is that hair follicles over time become sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that causes hair loss in men, more often than in women. There are several complexes specifically for men with herbal dihydrotestosterone blockers, which are effective against gray hair and age-related baldness.
The most famous hair complex with aicherba with special additives for men, including for male pattern baldness
The complex contains zinc, iodine, folic acid, vitamin B5, dihydrotestosterone bloggers: Saw palmetto, Kudzu, soy extract …
Also contains antioxidants and bioflavonoids. A course of administration is recommended for 3-4 months, in addition with hair serum Nu Hair
In addition to the vitamin complex, there is a special mixture of Shen-Ming – a Chinese herb affecting androgenic and age-related baldness, and Fo-Ti – also a Chinese herb, which can be taken to prevent gray hair.
Contains zinc, selenium, a special complex of dihydrotestosterone blockers: kudzu, pili pepper, pumpkin seed extract, quercetin, pho-ti and soy extract.
Sprays / lotions / serums for best results
For full effect, it is recommended to use sprays to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp and improve the nutrition of hair follicles.
Many of them contain herbal dihydrotestosterone blockers and therefore can be used by both men and women.
Spray energizer to reduce hair loss, new hair growth and extra volume. Contains active plant extracts, jojoba oil, which also blocks dihydrotestosterone. Works great as a styling spray to lift hairs.
Lotion with the Chinese formula Shen Min for the treatment of androgenic and age-related hair loss
Wonderful serum for spot application on hair roots. Contains a complex of 14 DHT blockers
Glad my review is helpful to you! π
Don’t forget.that my code is SQJ524 always gives 5% in addition to your orders on IHerb
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90,000 reason and treatment, folk remedies
Today, in people aged 30-35, gray strands begin to appear on their hair. There are many reasons for the development of this pathology at a young age. The most common are heredity, stress and improper hair care.If you find gray hair, then do not panic, as today you can fix the problem, but only the treatment process takes time and patience.
Causes in adults
In adult women and men, gray hair can occur for the following reasons:
- Genetic predisposition . The most common cause of early gray hair is heredity.
- Hypothermia . If you do not wear hats during cold weather, then a person runs the risk of catching a cold.With prolonged exposure to cold, the microcirculation of the scalp is disturbed.
- Lack of vitamins B12 . Its role is to enhance the synthesis of proteins and activate the process of their accumulation. It is the proteins that hold melanin and promote healthy hair growth. Melanins are naturally occurring dark pigments that are responsible for the color of the skin and hair.
- Stress . Early gray hair in adults is a symptom of a nervous disorder. If stressful situations last for a long time, then a large amount of vitamins and beneficial viruses are released from the body.This negatively affects the color of the hair and the whole body.
- Frequent hair dyes . The paint contains hazardous components that negatively affect the dermis of the head and contribute to the formation of gray hair.
- Diseases . Pathologies such as iron deficiency anemia and thyroid hyperfunction can affect the formation of gray hair. It is the thyroid gland that produces hormones that are responsible for the pigmentation and structure of the hair.
- Thermal influence .If a girl actively uses a hairdryer, curling iron and iron, then early gray hair should not surprise her.
Causes of gray hair in children
In children, gray hair is formed for the following reasons:
- Lack of color pigments . If the baby systematically experiences a nervous breakdown, then there is a violation of the production of melanin. Air bubbles form in the hairline, resulting in light hair.
- Lack of vitamins . A growing body needs healthy vitamins. With their lack, gray strands often appear.
- Hereditary factor or genetic predisposition. If someone in the family suffered from this problem, then it is possible that the child also has a predisposition to the occurrence of gray hair.
Treatment in adults
Folk remedies
Often people use folk remedies to eliminate premature gray hair.They contain natural ingredients that have a beneficial effect on the scalp and the hair structure itself.
Vegetable oils
Combines olive and sesame oil in equal proportions. Apply the resulting mixture equally along the entire length. With regular use, you can not only solve problems with gray hair, but also baldness.
Henna
This product is considered one of the oldest and most proven remedies for removing gray hair.It is necessary to process the strands with colorless henna and after a while the gray strands will disappear. You can replace henna with strong black tea.
Red pepper
Using this product, you need to be prepared for the fact that the therapy process will be long. To get the product, take 6 pieces of dry red pepper, pour Β½ glass of alcohol. Distribute the product to the hair. Do procedures 2 times a week.
Black pepper
Take 100 g of cottage cheese and add 1 g of black pepper to it.Mix well and apply to hair and scalp. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. Perform the described steps every week. How to make a red pepper mask for hair loss can be understood by reading the content of this article.
Ginseng
This product is used internally. Contraindication to use is hypertension. Take 10 g of finely chopped ginseng root and pour in Β½ glass of vodka. Consume 10 ml every morning.
Salt
Take a spoonful of iodized salt and add it to a glass of black tea. Stir well and apply to curls. Do the procedure 2 times a week.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Combine vinegar in equal amounts with water. Use to rinse your hair, put on a towel and rinse off after 1 hour. Use the product for several months. Do not apply to hair that has been chemically colored, as vinegar does not interact well with it.
Rosehip
Pour 2 glasses of water over Β½ rosehip scan. Set on fire, keep for 5 minutes. When the broth cools down, then put it in the refrigerator. The next day, process the curls and keep for 30 minutes. Apply 3 times a week.
Medical aid
Of course, it is impossible to completely restore the melanin production process. But there are a number of ways to keep your hair unaffected by gray hair:
- Inject with 25% magnesium.
- Take vitamins that contain zinc and selenium.
- Use shampoos containing iron, copper and zinc.
- Perform mesotherapy – a cosmetic procedure that involves the use of injections. Vitamins and microelements are injected under the skin, thanks to which the hair gets nourishment and prevention from gray hair.
On video – the cause and treatment of gray hair:
How the mask from gray hair with cognac helps, the information from this article will help to understand.
But how to return the color to gray hair, you can learn from this article.
What is the technology for dyeing gray hair, indicated here: https://opricheske.com/uxod/okrashivanie/texnologiya-volos.html
But is it possible to return the color to gray hair and how to achieve this, is described in detail here in the article.
Salon procedures
When drawing up a therapy, it is necessary to take into account that all methods are aimed at active nutrition. It is this that will extend the life of melanocytes and preserve the shade of the strands.When selecting suitable procedures, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the organism. The following procedures remain popular:
- Laser therapy . Lasers, which are used to eliminate gray hair, have a mild effect on the scalp and hair structure. Under the influence of the beam, the growth of melancytes is activated, the follicles are saturated with oxygen, and the regeneration of cell membranes also occurs. This procedure has no side effects and is considered the most effective in terms of treating gray hair.
- Mesotherapy . Special cocktails are used here, which contain many trace elements. They are injected with injections. Do not use during pregnancy, menstruation, dermatosis, hemophilia and exacerbation of herpes.
- Ultrasound . Under the influence of ultrasound, active work of melanocytes occurs and the production of melanin in sufficient quantities.
You may also be interested in learning how to color gray hair correctly.
But how to properly use Estelle’s gray hair dye professional palette, you can understand if you read the content of this article.
How to dye your hair during pregnancy if gray hair appears, information from this article will help you figure it out.
Treatment in children
If you need to restore damaged curls and cure gray hair in a child, then the first step is to use folic acid. You can buy it at any pharmacy.
Also, the child’s body must receive a number of vitamins and minerals. It is vitamins A, B, C, E that restore hair structure and accelerate the production of melanin. It is also helpful to give your child fresh fruits and berries. You can treat the curls with fresh juice from vegetables and berries. How is the treatment of hair loss in women with vitamins is described in detail in this article.
Today, doctors do not support such a way of dealing with gray hair as pulling it out.Such events, on the contrary, will lead to the fact that the growth of gray strands will increase. If you really want to get rid of them, then it is better to take scissors and cut the damaged strands.
90,000 Why does gray hair appear? Trichologist commentary
What is gray hair?
Ciara
Hair color is determined by the level of melanin (the higher it is, the darker the hair) depends on genetic and endocrine factors. Also, the amount of dye – pigment (black-brown and yellow-red) affects hair color.Their ratio is individual for each person, so we all have a different shade of hair. Over time, the activity of the pigment-producing cells decreases, the hair grows uncolored, that is, gray.
What is gray hair made of?
Keratinized cells of the hair shaft can no longer receive or donate melanin. Therefore, the hair turns gray from the roots, since for some reason the pigment enters the newly formed cells in insufficient quantities or does not enter at all. Gray hair differs from all other hair only in that there is no pigment in it.
How old is gray hair?
Katie Holmes
The appearance of gray hair has nothing to do with age. The reasons are to be found in genetics or in the immune system. In addition, graying can be caused by poor circulation, stress or inflammation.
Aging of hair is associated with changes in hormonal levels. Usually, after 45 years, the level of estrogens decreases, which control the biological cycles of the body in general and skin and hair cells in particular.Because of this, hair growth slows down, and hair loss is not compensated by the growth of new ones. But recent research shows that this is not at all indicative of weakness or extinction!
Can early gray hair be prevented?
Kate Middleton
Natural hair color can be improved, but not restored (in case you already have gray hair). Early gray hair can be prevented if, for example, the deficiency of zinc, copper, iron and manganese is replenished in the body.Zinc deficiency is most common, since, on average, a person gets a little more than half of the required daily intake of zinc from food.
Early gray hair can be associated with thyroid dysfunction, and this is a common consequence of iodine deficiency. If the cause is eliminated, the gray hair recedes and the natural hair color is restored. Iodine deficiency is almost always accompanied by a deficiency of selenium – our main “anti-aging”. And in the end, the conclusion follows: if you want to be and look young, replenish the supply of trace elements.
Hair pigmentation also depends on the presence of B vitamins: vitamin B6, folic and pantothenic acids. Sulfur, which is part of the sulfur-containing proteins cysteine ββand methionine, gives the hair a beautiful shine. Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is one of the causes of hair follicle death, stunted hair growth and hair loss, so unsaturated fatty acids are generally beneficial for healthy hair.
And if you look at beauty bloggers aged 40+, it is easy to see that gray hair is not important at all!
How does the dye work on gray hair?
Jamie Lee Curtis
Gray is very capricious about dyes.Only professional dye for gray hair can qualitatively paint over a large number of gray hair the first time. Non-professional often lays down unevenly and is quickly washed off, creating the effect of faded strands. But this also has its own plus.
For help in preparing the material, we thank our expert:
Gray hair is not associated with other processes in the body, which are usually called age-related.
Tatiana Spasova Art Director of Napura
What to do to look young after 40:
90,000 5 tips for minimizing gray hair
One of the most unpleasant results of a modern lifestyle is gray hair.Nothing matches the horror you feel at the first gray hair. You know there will be more, and you are looking for remedies and treatments that can stop the inevitable. The appearance of gray hair in old age is obvious. But when you notice them at 30 or even 20 years old, it is very sad. Both gray and white hair are the result of your hair losing its pigment. When there is a significant reduction in pigment, the hair turns gray. When there is no pigment, the hair becomes white.The exact reason for this remains to be seen, but here are some tips from MedicForum to help you cut down on pure gray hair to a minimum.
What causes gray hair?
Hair growth occurs when old cells are displaced by hair follicles due to the production of new cells. Hair growth occurs in three stages: growth (anagen), cessation (catagen), and rest (telogen). During the rest period, your hair reaches its lifespan and falls out and new hair grows in its place.
As your hair grows, it takes on pigments that give it color. As we age, the amount of pigment that is injected into each strand of hair decreases, so it turns gray and eventually white.
The appearance of gray hair is determined by the following factors
1. Genetics This is the predominant factor in determining at what age your hair loses its pigment. For some people, this can happen even before they turn 20. For others, the first white streaks appear rather late.2. Melanin deficiency In most cases, a lack of melanin is the main cause of hair bleaching. Melanin production depends on adequate nutrition and protein supplementation. The lack of these nutrients causes melanin to fall below acceptable levels. 3. Hormones Your hormones have a huge impact on the pigmentation of your hair. An imbalance can cause your hair to turn white. 4. Medical Problems Some major medical problems can cause loss of pigment in the hair.These include vitamin B12 deficiency or thyroid and pituitary gland problems. 5. Stress Stress caused by a tight schedule is a major cause of premature gray hair, as well as excessive consumption of alcohol and unhealthy food. 6. Chemicals Sometimes the cause of early gray hair can be the use of chemical shampoos, soaps, hair dyes, etc. However, this can be due to some allergic reactions. 7. External factors Changes in hair color can occur due to external factors such as climate, pollution and exposure to certain chemicals.These factors accelerate the aging process.
Hair follicles have previously been found to release small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which builds up over time. It bleaches hair and makes it gray and ultimately white. If this build-up is removed, your hair can regain its natural color.
Can early graying be prevented?
The ability to change the color of the hair so that the white hair turns black depends to a large extent on the cause of the gray hair.If genetics are responsible, there is little that can be done to reverse the change. If an underlying health problem is the cause, see your doctor to find out what you can do about it. Once the problem is resolved, it can help restore the pigment in your hair. However, this cannot be guaranteed. Re-pigmentation is sometimes possible after hormone therapy. Vitamin B-12 tablets are another way to promote pigmentation. 1. Oil for White Hair Boil gooseberries with coconut oil to make an oil solution.Store this oil in a jar and take about 2 tablespoons for each use. Massage two tablespoons of the oil into your scalp and work the length of your hair. Leave the oil on for another 30 minutes after the massage. Alternatively, you can leave the oil on overnight. Wash off with mild sulfate-free shampoo and finish with conditioner. Gooseberry repairs damaged hair. It also works as a hair tonic to help give dark hair a shiny shine. It has a rich supply of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that has anti-aging benefits and repairs pigment in hair follicles.You can also soak dry berries in water overnight and rinse your hair the next morning with this water. Alternatively, mix dried gooseberry powder with lemon and almond oil for a smooth blend that can be applied regularly to your scalp. 2. Black tea for gray hair Boil black tea in a cup of water to brew well. Let it cool down. After cooling, strain the liquid and apply it to your hair and scalp. Massage your scalp for a couple of minutes and wait about an hour with the tea in your hair.Wash your hair with a mild sulfate-free shampoo and finish with conditioner. Black tea replenishes hair with antioxidants and helps suppress white hair growth. It also helps darken hair color while adding shine.
3. Curry Leaves for White Hair Boil curry leaves with coconut oil to make an oil solution. Leave the oil to cool. Once it has cooled, strain the oil and massage it into the scalp and distribute it along the length of the hair. After massaging for about 15 minutes, leave the oil on for another 30 minutes.Alternatively, you can leave the oil on overnight. Wash off with a mild sulfate-free shampoo and finish with conditioner. Curry leaves help restore the melanin pigment in hair follicles. It is also a rich source of vitamin B, which is vital for hair growth. 4. Coconut oil and lemon juice for white hair Pour the lemon juice into the coconut oil and heat the mixture for a couple of seconds. Massage this mixture. Leave it on for 30 minutes. Wash your hair with a mild sulfate-free shampoo and finish with conditioner.Lemon contains vitamins B and C and is also a rich source of mineral phosphorus. They are vital for maintaining the pigment cells in your hair follicles. 5. Castor oil with mustard oil for white hair Combine the oils and heat the mixture for a couple of minutes until it becomes slightly warm. Apply the oil mixture to your scalp. After massaging the scalp for about 15 minutes, leave it on for another 30 minutes. Wash your hair with a mild sulfate-free shampoo and finish with conditioner.