Why Hair Turns Gray and How You Can Reverse It

Why Hair Turns Gray and How You Can Reverse It : It’s just an inevitable part of aging when the skin starts to sag and wrinkle, health starts to be more vulnerable, and hair turns gray. Hair will start turning gray typically around your mid to late thirties. For some, it can happen earlier or later in life.

For people who get gray hair at a younger age like their 20s or teen years, this is called premature graying. It’s uncommon to get gray hairs this early but can happen because of genetics or some other underlying causes.

For those who want to get rid of their premature gray hair or even those who just want to ward them off for as long as possible, did you know that it is possible to reverse gray hair? Several studies show that there are ways you can bring back your original hair color naturally even if you’ve already started going gray.

Let’s dive into the different aspects of going gray: why and how it happens, what causes it, and how you can reverse it.

Why Does Hair Turn Gray

Your natural hair color comes from a pigment called melanin. This is the same pigment that gives you your skin color. The more melanin your body produces, the darker the color of both the hair and the body.

At the very root of the hair, cells produce melanin to give your hair color. Once something hinders the function of these cells, they stop producing melanin which turns the hair gray or white. This can be caused by many reasons.

To reverse this graying process, pigment production needs to be restored by addressing the issue and giving it a boost with other factors.

What Causes Gray Hair?

To address your gray hair situation, you first have to know the possible causes. Once you know, there can be some changes that you’ll need to make. Some can be easily reversible while some are more difficult to address.

Age

Age is the number one factor when it comes to gray hair. This is the most difficult one to address because it’s just nature taking its path. However, it’s not entirely impossible to reverse this process either. You’ll need some helping hands from anti-gray hair products that will stimulate pigment production at the bulb.

Smoking

Various studies have shown that smokers are way more likely to get premature graying than non-smokers. This shouldn’t be too surprising since smoking does do a number on the body and has many adverse effects. These effects can cause the cells at the root of the hair to become dormant and for pigment production to stop.

Vitamin Deficiency

When hair doesn’t get enough nutrition, a lot of issues can arise. A vitamin or nutritional deficiency can cause hair loss, dryness, brittleness, and yes, gray hair. Cells stop functioning properly and pigment production can halt, causing the hair to turn gray.

Damaged Hair

Causing severe damage to the hair can lead to premature graying. Damaging practices include dyeing, bleaching, perming, relaxing, and heat-styling. Once hair is damaged, it can cause it to lighten and be completely depigmented eventually.

Genetics

Sometimes gray hair is just in your genes. You’ll probably be able to tell if you observe your parents and relatives. If you see them going gray, it’s likely that you will, as well. Again, this is just nature taking its course. This can be a difficult factor to address but again, not entirely impossible with the help of science and specially formulated products.

Stress

Stress is another notorious cause of graying and premature graying. Just like smoking, stress has many adverse effects on the body. For some, this can be gray hair amongst other things.

Lifestyle

An overall unhealthy lifestyle may be the reason why you are going gray. Bad habits, poor health, and stressful events can cause graying.

How to Reverse Gray Hair

So, can you reverse the graying process? Yes, you can! Once you start going gray, it’s still possible to make some changes to reverse it and address the underlying cause. There are also products and hair care habits you can adopt to help stimulate pigment production.

Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking can have a lot of benefits including reversing the graying process for hair. If you haven’t been smoking for long, this will be a lot more effective. However, it may be more difficult for those who have been smoking for longer as the effects have already taken place for a long time.

A Good Diet and Proper Supplementation

A good diet is essential for healthy hair. If you start going gray a bit earlier, it can be because you are deficient in certain nutrients or vitamins. Make sure you are eating nutrient-rich, whole foods and avoid junk food. You can also consult a healthcare professional to incorporate supplements for nutrients that you aren’t getting in your regular diet.

Opt for Less Damage

It is fun to experiment with and style hair. However, too much of it can cause serious damage. Give your hair a necessary break once in a while. Avoid chemical processes and lessen heat styling. You can opt instead for no-heat methods and temporary color conditioners to avoid too much damage.

Manage Stress

Stress is often unavoidable when it comes to just going through life but you must know how to handle it. To avoid gray hair and other more serious complications, take good care of your mental health. Regularly make time to relax, do something you enjoy, and spend time with loved ones. Consult a mental health professional to address your stress.

A Lifestyle Change

An overall lifestyle change may be the best thing for your hair and health. If you haven’t been taking the best care of yourself, it’s never too late to start. Change your diet, avoid bad habits, start working out, drink more water, get good sleep, and be good to your mind and body.

Good Hair Care

A good hair care routine is also essential to keep hair healthy and prevent or reverse the graying process. Start with the basics, find a good regular shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, and clarifying shampoo. Next, include hair care that specifically addresses your issue: gray hair. Find products that stimulate pigment production and are specially formulated to reverse gray hair. Lastly, regularly treat yourself to hair masks and repairing treatments to maintain the health of your hair

Going Gray Is Okay

Always remember, going gray is a natural part of life and it’s never something that you should be ashamed of. Of course, wanting to prevent and reverse it for your own reasons is completely valid, as well. And there are definitely ways you can do this. This guide will hopefully give you a place to start and help you with your hair journey.