Most Common Causes of Grey Hair

Did you know that an average hair grows 0.3 mm a day and 1 cm per month? Premature greying of hair, also known as canities, can have negative effects on appearance, confidence, self-esteem, and social acceptance of the affected individual. Hair pigmentation is one of the most unique features in humans ranging from black, brown, and blonde to red. The color of human hair is due to the pigment “melanin” produced by melanocytes, the same cells which are responsible for the pigmentation of our skin. There are two main forms of hair pigment. There's eumelanin and pheomelanin.

Eumelanin is what we see in brunettes and darker-haired people, and pheomelanin is what we see in blonds and redheads. These Melanocytes are located in the hair follicle which is basically from where the root of the hair originates. Each hair grows from a single Hair follicle. As the strand of the hair grows, melanocytes inject the pigment (melanin) into cells containing keratin. Keratin is the protein that makes up our hair, skin, and nails. Throughout the years, melanocytes continue to inject pigment into the hair’s keratin, giving it a colorful hue.

With age comes a reduction of melanin happens. The hair turns grey and eventually white, and this is a natural process. But the problem arises when this reduction in the production of melanin comes early in age due to some other reasons and there are plenty of reasons due to which this can occur. Most common reasons for premature greying of hair;

NO. 1 Vitamin & mineral deficiencies; Deficiencies of vitamin B-6, B-12, biotin, vitamin D, or vitamin E can contribute to premature graying. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of prematurely graying hair. Vitamin B-12 is essential for your metabolism, DNA production, and overall energy levels. Researchers have found that people experiencing premature greying of hair have vitamin B-12 deficiencies along with folic acid and biotin deficiencies. These vitamins are essential for hair growth as hair follicles, from which the hair develops, are one of the most metabolically active regions of our body as they produce millions of cells every day which are incorporated in the growing hair. As hair is not an essential organ for our body whenever any deficiency of these vitamins occurs, the first signs of deficiency usually appear in the hair in the form of greying of hair or thinning and breakage prone hair. Supplementing these nutrients in patients with premature greying stops hair loss and also restores the color of the hair. Lack of certain minerals has also been found to play a major role in premature graying. Many mineral deficiencies can also lead to greying of hair like zinc, calcium, copper and iron deficiency. Supplementation with these trace elements might reverse and prevent the progression of greying of hair.

NO. 2 Genetics; There are many reasons people experience graying, but a lot of times it simply comes down to natural aging and genetics. This means that it just happens because it is in your family genes. Check when your relatives or parents started having grey hair and see if it matches with your timeline. Researchers have found a gene k/a IRF4 on chromosome no 6 that is associated with premature greying of hair. While it is unlikely to be the only gene controlling greying, it provides a new target for researchers. Experts believe there are many genetic as well as some environmental factors involved in this ageing pathway - IRF4 is now an example that we now know about. Genetically driven graying hair can’t be reversed. However, there are numerous hair products and dyes you can choose from, whether you choose to cover your greys or embrace them instead.

NO. 3 Stress; Stress is a very important reason why hair turns grey especially prematurely. Stress causes the activation of sympathetic nervous system and this leads to release of hormones like cortisol and noradrenaline. The overproduction of noradrenaline depletes the stem cells of melanocytes that are present in the hair follicle. Stem cells are like the parent cells of melanocytes in a hair follicle. When melanocyte number decreases the pigmentation of hair also decreases and this leads to greying of hair. That is why many people report white strands of hair after a stressful event like death of a close one, relationship issues etc. Try to manage your stress by including practices like meditation, yoga and exercise in your daily routine.

No. 4 Smoking; Smoking has consistently been linked to premature graying of hair. Indian Dermatology Journal published a study of more than 200 people in which they concluded that smokers were 2.5 times more likely to experience premature graying than nonsmokers. Another study, in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, linked smoking to premature graying in young men. The mechanism, similar to one proposed for stress, is that free radicals produced by smoking can damage the melanocytes that produce melanin.

NO. 5 Thyroid disorders; Thyroid disorders especially hypothyroidism is a very common reason of greying of hair in females. Hypothyroidism can be associated with telogen effluvium, along with the presentation of dry, brittle, and dull hair shafts. Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss due Hair shafts of patients with thyroid disorders also show substantially reduced tensile strength

NO. 6 Chemical hair dyes; Chemical hair dyes and hair products, can contribute to premature hair graying. Many of these products contain harmful ingredients that decrease melanin production and can lead to greying of hair. Use henna or herbal dyes (product photo) to color your hair. They do not contain harmful chemicals that damage the hair.

NO. 7 Sun damage; Too much sun exposure can turn your hair brittle, dry and can lead to premature greying. The sun produces UVA and UVB rays which negatively affect your scalp. This damage can result in premature greying of hair. The sun has a tendency to lighten hair color. Because our hair is dead skin beyond the scalp, the active melanocytes in the hair follicle don't defend the hair shaft exposed to the sun. So, the hair is forced to fend for itself, thereby becoming bleached and damaged. So, vitamin & mineral deficiencies, genetics, thyroid disorders, smoking, chemical hair dyes and sun damage are among the most common causes that lead to grey hair.