The appearance of gray hair in adulthood is a natural process. But young people often face this problem. Why does hair turn gray? Early hair loss of pigment occurs for various reasons. And not always the premature appearance of gray hair means old age.
Scientists identify several reasons why hair turns gray: genetically determined and acquired. Let's try to understand this issue in more detail.
What affects hair color?
Melanin - the pigment contained in each hair follicle - determines the shade of the hair. The older the person, the less melanin is produced in the body. If you look under a microscope of gray hair, you can find that its pores are filled with air bubbles. The smaller the supply of melanin, the lighter the shade. Newborn babies are born with a minimum supply of this pigment, which is why the baby fluff is mostly bright.
In addition to the age factor, experts identify some diseases that affect the condition of the hair. Factors of why hair turns gray can be:
- A lack of copper in the body, a deficiency of B vitamins, vitamin deficiency.
- Thyroid disease.
- Various chronic and acute diseases of the central nervous system, liver, reproductive system, digestive organs.
A huge impact on health is exerted by stress, overstrain, fatigue, and depression. During nervous excitement, adrenaline is released into the blood. At the same time, the vessels narrow, the nutrition of the hair slows down, which affects their appearance. That is why stressful situations and nervous shocks can make a person gray-haired in a short time.
Specialists distinguish the genetic factor as the main factor responsible for why the hair turns gray. Stem cells are responsible for the production of melanin. Stem cell activity is directly associated with heredity by scientists.
How to pause the process?
Doctors consider it possible to stop the process of gray hair, if you find out the cause. Sometimes a visit to the trichologist is enough to find out why the hair turns gray. It is believed that normally gray hair appears in 45-50 years. According to statistics, men become white-haired earlier than women. Stress and physical aging are the main reasons why men gray hair prematurely. In addition, women pay more attention to their appearance and hairstyle.
If there are no obvious diseases and the genetic factor is excluded, then you should pay more attention to your health:
- Use multivitamin complexes.
- Care for the scalp, apply high-quality cosmetics and shampoos.
- Protect hair from wind and cold, direct sunlight and dry air.
- Include seafood, fruits and vegetables, nuts and rye bread in your diet.
- Get rid of negative emotions, recharge with a good mood, take care of your mental health.
Of course, these recommendations are not a panacea, but you need to try to correct the situation in any case. According to experts, gray hair disappears in 30% of cases if you start a war with her on time.