White hair, is the first signs of aging. But not only that. As we age, our hair turns gray or white, however, the effect of graying is increasingly becoming routine in younger people, which makes this a change that is sometimes undesirable.
Each hair follicle contains the pigment that gives hair its color. As we age, we produce less pigment and this makes the hair gray, silver and eventually white.
We have separated the top 5 most common reasons WHY DOES HAIR TURN GRAY prematurely.
- Stress
In a study published in the scientific journal Nature, researchers from Harvard University, and from the Inflammatory Diseases Research Center (Crid) of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), in Brazil, found that the nerve involved in the fight or flight response, triggered in times of stress, causes permanent damage to the stem cells responsible for producing melanin in the hair follicles. This phenomenon causes the permanent loss of hair color permanently.
- Autoimmune conditions
Autoimmune diseases can attack cells in the body, including hair follicles, allowing premature aging or bleaching to occur. For example, hair that grows again after the scalp is affected by alopecia areata, a condition that causes round patches of hair loss, can be depigmented or white. Vitiligo is another autoimmune disorder that causes the destruction of pigment-producing cells. Although this condition often affects the skin, it can also lead to patches of gray hair.
- Smoking
Smoking produces free radicals in the smoker's body and this causes a decrease in melanin, resulting in gray hair. Despite the potential effects of smoking on the aging process, it still does not have as much impact as genetics.
- Genetics
Premature graying of a person’s hair is largely connected to genetics, according to a 2013 report in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. The main reason for gray hair at a young age is genetics. The child is more likely to have gray hair earlier in life, if his parents have the same problem. Genes will determine when you get your first hair.
- Vitamin deficiency
Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to premature aging of hair. Along with vitamin B12, zinc and copper are also responsible for hair nutrition. In addition, if the body suffers from a lack of vitamin C and E, the hair goes gray. Its deficiency can decrease the amount of melanin-producing cells and thus cause gray hair. Vegetarians and vegans, due to their dietary restrictions, may also be at increased risk of premature aging. Individuals who take birth control pills and those with digestive or gastrointestinal problems are also at increased risk of premature aging.