On occasion, gray hairs can be a sign of illness, such as thyroid disease or alopecia areata (a common autoimmune disorder). If you have other tell-tale signs, such as balding patches, let your healthcare provider know. However, don't panic — these are rare and little cause for concern.
thyroid disease. vitiligo: this condition causes melanocytes (the cells at the base of hair follicles that produce color) to be lost or destroyed — perhaps because the immune system "misfires" and attacks the scalp rather than an infection.
Underlying health conditions
Premature graying hair could also be linked to certain health conditions, including: vitiligo. thyroid disease. alopecia areata.
As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color — like gray, silver, or white — as it grows.
A new study shows that stress really can give you gray hair. Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray.
Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and African-Americans in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.
Apart from that, people who suffer from acidity, liver problems or thyroid disease will also experience premature greying due to an unbalanced body chemistry. Those white strands on your head in your 20s are also the result of leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
Premature graying of hair occurs more commonly without any underlying pathology but is said to be inherited in autosomal dominant pattern. Premature graying has been shown to be associated with a few of the autoimmune disorders. A role for environmental factors and nutritional deficiencies has also been postulated.
Stress can cause hair to gray prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment.
Marie Antoinette syndrome designates the condition in which scalp hair suddenly turns white. The name alludes to the unhappy Queen Marie Antoinette of France (1755-1793), whose hair allegedly turned white the night before her last walk to the guillotine during the French Revolution. She was 38 years old when she died.
Para-Amino benzoic Acid (PABA) and Pantothenic Acid are part of the family of B-complex vitamins. Both of these vitamins are available at health food stores and pharmacies. Use them to postpone the onset of graying.
A variety of genetic, metabolic, nutritional, and acquired disorders result in hair color changes. When the underlying defect can be corrected, hair color usually returns to normal. The flag sign can occur as a result of nutritional insults or due to medications.
Graying hair and coronary heart disease share some of the same mechanisms that come with aging. A new observational study links the two events, suggesting that gray hair may be an indicator of heart disease.
Many men and women experience hair loss and early graying when their hormones are no longer balanced. Hormone changes can occur for many reasons such as stress, significant weight loss or weight gain, an illness you've had, or pregnancy.
Despite the claims made online and by product marketers, it's not possible to reverse white hair if the cause is genetic. Once your hair follicles lose melanin, they can't produce it on their own. As melanin production slows, your hair turns gray, and then white when melanin production has completely stopped.
A newly discovered link between genes that contribute to hair colour and those involved in immunity and inflammation may explain why hair can turn grey in response to severe illness or chronic stress.
But when your hair starts to gray earlier than you might expect, it could be related to your thyroid. The thyroid is responsible for regulating your metabolism, so when your thyroid is not working correctly, it can affect every cell in your system - including your hair.
Iron deficiency can also lead to grey hair. Iron is a vital mineral that helps create haemoglobin – the substance found in RBCs. Lacking an adequate amount of iron means lesser blood cells, which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to your scalp. Naturally, this causes grey hair at a young age.
There are no treatments that are proven to treat (or reverse) gray hair. As researchers learn more about how the graying process happens, they may develop effective medications and treatments for gray hair.
Vitamins B6 and B12 have also been proven to boost melanin production. Goddard says that vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, has been found to trigger the production of enzymes and chemical reactions that boost the metabolism of the hair proteins (keratin and melanin) in the hair follicles.
Grey hair and genetics
The average age for grey hair varies greatly, and one of the main causes of grey hair in your 20s is genetics. The age at which a person's hair turns grey is influenced by the IRF4 gene, and one specific variant (rs12203592) is a marker for premature greying.
Going gray is natural, and it's a normal part of aging. While you may not be able to reverse gray hair entirely, there are some ways you may be able to prevent it. We've answered some of your common questions so you can learn more about going gray.
And while it may seem intuitive that stress can accelerate graying, the researchers were surprised to discover that hair color can be restored when stress is eliminated, a finding that contrasts with a recent study in mice that suggested that stressed-induced gray hairs are permanent.