Grey hair—the inevitable fate—whether in the 20s or 50s, catches up with all of us eventually. We can’t stop time, especially when it comes to age.
This new silvery shade in your life usually is a visible sign of aging similar to the sagging of skin. They start turning grey naturally in the mid-40s, and this can’t be reversed. However, premature grey hair can become a nightmare when hundreds of hairs go grey. No matter at what age it starts, dealing with hair greying might feel difficult and takes some time to be accepted, especially if you see grey hair in your twenties.
Premature greying of hair has become a common phenomenon now. If your grey hair is due to genetics, there’s no way to reverse them so embrace your greying hair. You can rock your greys like a rock star, dye them to wait until more arrive, or you can stop greying with some home remedies for greying of hair.
Home Remedies for Pigmented Skin – TOC
Why do we go grey?
Just like other bodily structures hair also have a natural cycle of dying and regeneration. As your hair follicles age, they produce less colour.
When the body decreases the production of the pigment melanin—responsible for your natural hair and skin colour—turns grey. Hair colour depends on the amount of melanin, the less you have, the lighter your hair colour. Grey hair has minimal melanin.
The chemical process of producing melanin in our body can be hindered by various factors including genetics, diet and emotional stress. Although lack of needed nourishment and heredity are major reasons for greying, stress and urban lifestyle with excessive use of tobacco and smoking have increased the occurrences of premature grey hair. Other contributing factors to premature greying include deficiencies (protein, vitamin B-12, copper and iron), exposure to the UV rays from the sun, and hormone fluctuations that can damage the healthy hair follicles as well.
While there is no conclusive study that proves that premature greying can be reversed. While certain nutrient deficits and health conditions may initiate premature grey hairs, it’s impossible to restore your natural hair colour if your greys are genetic or due to natural ageing. Though changing your eating habits and managing stress can certainly help in stopping the problem from aggravating.
Lifestyle changes as a solution for grey hair
While some people may colour their hair to hide greys, research indicates that frequent permanent colouring sessions can damage your hair.
Home remedies for greying of hair
Here are some of the home remedies for greying hair and slowing the onset of grey hair.
Eat right
It does make a difference if you eat right following a regular balanced diet with lots of green veggies, fresh fruits and lots of yoghurts. Include protein in your diet for stronger and lustrous hair Such a diet will not only make your skin smooth and soft but will also result in lustrous long hair.
Eating the right nutrients and taking other proactive measures may help preserve existing pigmentation, delaying overall greying and maintaining your weight.
Take dietary supplements
Taking supplements to treat grey hair won’t work unless you have a diagnosed nutrient deficiency in the diet. Dietary supplements may help these deficiencies and ensure that your hair follicles are producing pigmentation as they should. You might see your natural hair colour start to grow back after some weeks.
Get enough vitamins (especially B-12 and biotin), minerals (zinc, iron, magnesium, selenium, copper), and calcium to help you keep your original hair colour longer and also promote nerve, heart, and muscle health.
Manage stress
Stress is the biggest factor behind the greying of hair in today’s competitive world. Ensure to take enough work breaks, relax your mind, take a mental day off and meditate regularly to maintain your sanity. Prioritise your commitments so that you’re not cutting time out of your home life and maintain a work-life balance. Make a point to keep time each week for your favourite hobby. Include body balancing and wholesome practices such as yoga, pranayama or breathing exercises and meditation as a part of your daily life.
Otherwise, stress hormones can interrupt melanin production in the hair follicles.
Stop smoking
It’s no secret that smoking is bad for your health—even contributing to premature greying. Among other negatives, smoking can damage and shrink hair follicles. Even if you don’t smoke, there’s second-hand smoke to consider.
Not just smoking, but even drinking too much caffeine or tea can also cause grey hair.
Protect your hair from the sun
Those toxic UV rays from the sun aren’t just bad for your skin, but for your hair too. Staying outside in a hot and sunny environment for a long time damages the scalp and hair, which results in grey and dry hair. Therefore, cover your hair from the sun by wearing hats and scarves.
Reduce your exposure to chemicals and pollution outdoors.
Stop damaging your hair
Never start a vicious cycle of damaging your already damaged hair using hair products with toxic chemicals.
Extensive application of bleaching, frequent use of heat with a curling iron or hairdryer or using harsh soaps/shampoos damages hair.
Wash your hair with lukewarm (not hot) water. Avoid using chemicals for curling, straightening or colouring your hair. The side effects can be unpredictable.
Hide your grey hair
If you prefer your grey hair to have a colour, there are a number of solutions.
Natural hair dyes are an option to consider if you want to avoid potential hair damage posed by commercial products. If you don’t want to let your hair turn grey, you can have different hairstyle options. If you part your hair on the opposite side from your everyday part, there will be less regrowth on that side so you won’t see the grey. Grey roots are always less noticeable on wavy hair. If you prefer your hair up, you can try crossed or French braids that will also help hide greys.
Root touch-up powders and creams may also work if you’re trying to mask a few greys.
Tips to prevent premature grey hair
Following are some of the effective natural remedies to treat premature greying. It also helps to revitalise the roots as well as add colour, bounce, and gloss to the hair.
- Apply on scalp/hair– coconut oil, almond oil with lemon juice, amla juice, curry leaves with yoghurt paste/coconut oil, black tea rinse, onion juice, henna with coffee, Bhringraj herb, shikakai powder with yoghurt, black pepper with lemon, walnut powder.
- Eat – ginger, amla, black sesame seeds, amaranth, blackstrap molasses, lentils, fatty fish, liver, leafy greens, citrus fruits, whole grains, nuts, and black sesame seeds.
- Drink – water, fresh wheatgrass juice, and carrot juice.
The Bottom Line
Grey hair is a beautiful— natural part of life and there isn’t any reason you should feel the need to hide it if you don’t want to so fully embrace the grey-hair life.
Just like how the skin loses its firmness and starts to sag with age, hair too goes through the ageing process and doesn’t produce enough melamine. But stress isn’t the only reason that most people get premature grey hair. In most cases, it’s simple genetics. It might be hard to accept but nothing can be done medically for hair greying when it is genetically predetermined to happen.
In addition, premature greying can be attributed to genetics, stress, hormonal imbalance and poor diet, nutritional deficiencies and other lifestyle factors. Once these issues are reversed, melanin production may be restored.
The primary and major way to stop grey hairs is to eat right and make your hair soft and smooth. Greens, fresh veggies, and fruits with lots of yoghurts are what you need to eat regularly.
Pamper and nourish your hair with these home remedies for greying hair and delaying the greying of hair.
