I’m a hair doctor – here’s what’s causing your locks to go grey and how you can reverse it | The Sun
FOR many people, grey hair is a part of ageing, coming to some of us faster than others.
If you're in the later stages of life, then you might not even bat an eyelid at becoming a silver fox.
But if you're finding silver specks and you're in your 20s, you might be concerned.
However, one expert has revealed that it's actually nothing to worry about and in some cases, you can reverse the greying.
Speaking to The Sun, Dr Vanita Rattan said going grey is a normal part of the ageing process.
This is triggered by a pigment called melanin and as we age, our bodies produce less melanin, resulting in grey hair.
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“If you find grey hairs in your 20s and panic thinking ‘But I’m so young!’ you shouldn’t be worried. Some people start going grey as early as their teens, but others do not begin to see grey hairs until they are in their 30s or 40s.
"A few grey hairs are completely normal in your 20s, and this premature greying is likely due to genes," she said.
Dr Rattan, who is a hair expert and CEO of SkincarebyDrV, said there could be other factors at play aside from genetics.
Stress
When stressed, your body releases norepinephrine in your sympathetic nervous system, Dr Rattan said.
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"The chemical travels through the body (including into hair follicles) and may affect the melanin-producing cells living there that keeps pigment in the hair.
"When melanocyte stem cells are depleted, new hair turns grey, silver, or white," she explained.
Smoking
We all know that smoking is bad for us, causing a range of problems with our health including gum disease and lung cancer.
But Dr Rattan said your bad habit could also be contributing to your ever appearing greys.
"Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin and hair.
"It constricts blood vessels, reducing the blood flow to hair follicles, which can cause premature hair greying," the expert said.
Vitamin and mineral deficiency
Vitamins are essential nutrients that help promote hair growth and prevent problems like premature ageing, Dr Vanita said.
Most of the time we can get all the vitamins we need from the food we consume.
Dr Rattan said vitamin B3, B12, folate, and biotin are all important for hair strength and colour.
"So a deficiency of any of these nutrients can cause your hair to turn grey," she said.
Vitamin B3 is present in foods like red meat, poultry, fish, brown rice and nuts and seeds.
Foods rich in B12 include meat, fish eggs and dairy.
When it comes to folate, this can be found in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, as well as whole grains, beans and pulses.
Foods that contain the most biotin include meats, eggs, fish and certain vegetables such as sweet potatoes.
Medical conditions
Vitiligo, a condition in which the skin loses its pigment, occurs when immune cells destroy melanin (pigment), Dr Rattan said.
"The result can be white patches on the affected areas of skin, and it can also cause white or prematurely grey hair.
"Alopecia areata is another medical condition which causes sudden hair loss.
"Whilst this doesn’t cause grey hairs, it can make them look more noticeable, as grey or white hairs often remain where you have hair loss," the expert explained.
Lack of collagen
We need collagen for our bodies to be healthy, and it is the main building block protein that forms your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Dr Rattan said.
"Starting at age 21, your body loses 1 per cent of its collagen every year, which decreases production of new proteins and compounds that keep your hair healthy.
"A loss of collagen can contribute to brittle and slow hair growth," she said.
How to reverse it
While Dr Rattan said it's not possible to reverse greys caused by genetics, she said you can reverse it if it's caused by external factors such as diet, pollution, bleaching or stress.
Studies have also previously found that greying can be reduced with hair pigmentation pattern treatment.
However for those who can't afford to splash out on fancy procedures, Dr Rattan said there are things you can do.
"Eating a balanced diet, reducing stress, and following a good hair care routine are all steps you can take to restore your hairs colour and slow down premature ageing."
She added that in the future, stem cell transplants could help people who aren't happy with their greying locks.
What can I do?
Dr Rattan said you shouldn't feel pressured to conceal or remove grey hairs if you don't want to.
If you’re not emotionally ready to embrace your grey hairs, then there are ways to conceal them and slow down the greying process, she said.
"There is a common misconception that cutting or plucking grey hairs will stimulate the hair follicles to produce more grey hairs, but this is untrue.
"Whilst I don’t recommend plucking as this can traumatise the hair follicle and lead to bald patches, scarring or infection, you can gently cut the grey hairs off.
"Hair colour is also a great way to disguise grey hairs, or you can add highlights to diffuse the look of grey. However, this does require maintenance and can become costly," she said.
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Dr Rattan added that the best course of action for premature greying is to slow down the ageing process.
"Learn meditation techniques to help you better destress, quit smoking, and ensure you are getting vitamins B3, B12, folate, and biotin to maintain colour and density in your hair," she said.
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