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What Causes White Hair and How Do You Combat it?
Premature graying of hair is inevitable. But what causes white hair at an early age? Here’s everything you need to know about its causes and prevention
Healthy, nourished, and silky hair is directly associated with your confidence, self-esteem, and overall appearance. Your tresses are like an extension of your personality which helps you represent yourself to the outside world. But when a sudden white hair sprouts on your head, it may degrade your self-esteem. Even though graying is a common characteristic of aging, colorless hair strands may pop up at any time, any age (1). Whether you’re in high school or just graduated from college, white hair at a young age may make you its victim without a warning. This phenomenon is known as premature graying of hair.
Are you someone who will flaunt your white hair? Or do you plan on removing them? Well how you deal with this situation is a personal choice. But if you’re questioning what causes white hair, then read on.
What Causes White Hair at an Early Age?
Research states that you get your hair color because of a pigment called melanin which is produced by the melanocytes in your body. Melanin is of two types — eumelanin affects the darkness of your hair, while pheomelanin dictates the red or yellow tones in your tresses. These pigments are found in pear-shaped black structure units at the hair follicle tips of the dermal papilla in your hair (2).
According to studies, hair follicles have a three-phase cycle. The first stage is called the anagen phase which deals with the growth and pigmentation of your hair. Then there is a transition period which refers to the catagen phase in which the growth and pigmentation is “turned off.” Lastly, the third stage is called the telogen phase in which the cycle comes to rest, while hair growth and pigmentation are completely absent (2). During the anagen phase, the number of melanocytes in your hair follicles is remarkably reduced through auto-phagolysosomal degeneration which leads to pigment loss. This may be a reason for white hair at a young age.
However, factors like genetics, oxidative stress, and environmental consequences may also contribute to the causes of white hair. If you have been questioning what causes white hair at an early age, then here’s all you need to know.
1. Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases or genetic conditions may be one of the reasons for white hair. For instance, thyroid problems lead to lower levels of T3 and T4 hormones which are responsible for hair growth and pigmentation. Another example may be a vitamin B12 deficiency which might cause pernicious anemia that is linked with hair suddenly turning white (2).
2. Oxidative Stress
According to research, multiple forms of oxidative stress such as ultraviolet sun rays, pollution, and more may cause oxidative damage to your hair shaft. This oxidative stress occurs when there is an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and an absence of antioxidants like catalase in the hair follicles. Eventually, this leads to the graying of hair strands (2), (3).
3. Smoking
Studies state that smoking and premature graying may have a significant correlation. Smoking may act as an etiological agent in the early onset of achromotrichia (loss of hair color). It might also have a pro-oxidant effect on your body which may lead to increased oxidative damage to your hair follicles' melanocytes. Hence, smoking might gradually result in the loss of your hair pigment which may lead to a reason for white hair (2).
4. Consuming Antimalarial Drugs
White hair at a young age might also be a negative consequence of consuming antimalarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. These drugs may inhibit the receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit (a key enzyme) which is found in the melanocytes. As a result, the process of melanogenesis may be reduced which might gradually cause the loss of hair color (2).
5. Nutritional Deficiencies
According to studies, nutritional deficiencies in vitamins and minerals like proteins, copper, iron, ferritin, and calcium may also cause premature graying. Hence, it is important to consume a healthy diet to ensure healthy, lustrous tresses (2).
How to Avoid White Hair Strands from Spreading
Premature gray hair strands popping up on your head (without a warning) may be a tricky and upsetting situation to combat. Have you been wondering how to get rid of white hair? Thankfully, some natural remedies may come to your rescue which promises to retain the natural color of your tresses. Ahead, we have put together the ultimate beauty edit of DIY solutions that you may try:
1. Coconut Oil And Gooseberry Hair Mask
Coconut oil acts as a natural emollient that penetrates deep into your hair shaft to reduce protein loss (4). While gooseberries have the highest amount of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant (5). When both these ingredients work together, they may help in reversing premature graying by tackling nutritional deficiency and oxidative stress (2).
What You Will Need: Three to five gooseberries, one cup of coconut oil
Process: Boil the gooseberries in coconut oil properly to create an oil solution. After this step, strain the oil into a jar and store it. Use about two tablespoons of this solution on your hair and massage for 15 minutes. You may leave it on for an additional 30 minutes for more effect. The last step is to rinse off the oil with a mild shampoo and conditioner.
Usage: Two to four times a week
2. Black Tea
Black tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants that may help in reducing DNA damage and mutagenesis which is caused due to oxidative stress (6). Hence, because of these properties black tea might help in combating premature graying of your hair.
What You Will Need: Two tablespoons of black tea, one cup of water
Process: In a container, boil the black tea with water. Once it reaches a boiling point, strain the liquid carefully into a jar. After it has cooled down, apply the solution to your hair and scalp. Let it sit for about an hour until it is fully absorbed. In the end, wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
Usage: Two to three times a week
3. Lemon Juice And Coconut Oil Hair Mask
Lemon juice has a high concentration of vitamin C which may help in protecting your hair from free radicals by neutralizing and reducing them. It also has antioxidants that might help you in fighting oxidative stress effectively. When this is mixed with coconut oil, it creates a remedy that may work wonders for retaining your natural hair color (1), (3), (7), (8).
What You Will Need: Two tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of coconut oil
Process: Mix the lemon juice and coconut oil in a bowl to form a well-combined mixture. Heat this solution for a few minutes until it is warm. Massage this oil into your scalp and leave it on for about 30 minutes. In the end, wash your hair with mild shampoo and conditioner.
Usage: Two times a week
Tips that May Help in Reducing Grey Hair
Natural remedies and in-salon coloring hair treatments might help you in tackling the causes of white hair. You may also follow a few additional tips that may come in handy to get rid of white hair. Here’s what you may keep in mind:
- Before you head out of home, make sure that you carry a scarf or hat with you to protect your hair. The harmful ultraviolet sun rays might act as an external factor to cause oxidative stress to your tresses. As a consequence, this may lead to premature graying of hair (2), (3).
- You may need to make alterations in your lifestyle to ensure healthy, lustrous hair. One of these changes might need to be putting an end to smoking. It may cause oxidative damage to your hair follicles' melanocytes which might cause white hair (2).
- To avoid gray hair on your head, you may need to ensure a proper intake of vitamin B12. A deficiency of this important element in your body might cause pernicious anemia that is linked with hair suddenly turning white (2).
- Autoimmune diseases or genetic conditions may be one of the biggest causes of white hair. If you’re suffering from thyroid problems, chances are that you may have lower levels of T3 and T4 hormones which are responsible for hair growth and pigmentation. Hence, make sure that you are monitoring and keeping your thyroid-related problems in check.
Conclusion
Premature graying may bring down your self-esteem and confidence. It may leave you to ponder what causes white hair at an early age. White hair strands after all come without any warning and might be difficult to cope with, especially at a younger age. Various causes contribute to your hair turning white or gray. From exposure to the ultraviolet sun rays, and smoking, to nutritional deficiencies in your body — these factors might lead to the loss of pigment in your tresses. While this situation is irreversible (unless you decide to color your hair in the salon or at home), some natural remedies might prevent white hair from spreading.
Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or altering your diet to make it healthy may be some positive changes to incorporate, to avoid unpleasant white hair. You may also try different hair masks containing effective ingredients like coconut oil, lemon juice, or black tea to combat the spread (4), (5), (6), (8). Whether you decide to own up to premature graying or prefer avoiding it with natural or artificial treatments, it is a common hair problem that doesn’t have to bring your self-esteem down!
Sources:
1. Age-induced hair greying - the multiple effects of oxidative stress
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24033376/
2. Premature Graying of Hair: Review with Updates
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290285/
3. Oxidative stress and its impact on skin, scalp and hair
4. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12715094/
5. Vitamin C enrichment of fruit juice based ready-to-serve beverages through blending of Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) juice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15678753/
6. A thought on the biological activities of black tea
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19399668/
7. Oxidative Stress in Ageing of Hair
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929555/
8. Effects of lifelong intake of lemon polyphenols on aging and intestinal microbiome in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 1 (SAMP1)
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