Our hair determines our overall appearance in a major way. Long, black and shiny hair is often looked upon with admiration. In fact, in the present scenario, we leave no stone unturned to rid ourselves of various hair problems which we tend to face every day. Whitening or greying of hair is one such common problem.
We all are aware of a pigment called melanin which imparts colour to our hair. As we grow older, there is decrease in the production of melanin in the hair follicles, causing our hair to turn white naturally. Thus, white hair is generally associated with old age. However, premature greying of hair has become an alarming problem these days with most of the teenagers facing this problem. This is of course not natural and the root cause of the problem needs to be addressed before finding the solution.
Causes of Premature Whitening:
1. High Levels of Stress:
The modern life along with its comforts brings a lot of stress and tension, whether it is work related or personal. The ultimate outcome is the occurrence of white hair.2. Genetics:
The age at which your hair starts turning white is also determined by your genetics to a great extent. Thus, if your parents or grandparents suffered from premature greying of hair, then you are most likely to suffer from the same problem.
3. Improper Diet:
A balanced diet plays an important role in maintaining the health of your body which includes your hair as well. Lack of vitamin B12 is the most common cause of white hair. Thus, to combat this problem it is advisable to increase the consumption of food rich in vitamin B12 such as tuna, sardines, salmon, beef, egg, lamb, cheese and milk.
4. Unhealthy Habits:
White hair is also the outcome of unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking etc. In fact, chain smokers tend to have more white hair than their counterparts.
5. Excess Intake of Certain Fluids:
Excessive intake of tea, coffee, spices and fried foods result in increased appearance of white hair. Thus, to reduce white hair it is advisable to limit their consumption.
6. Emotional Shock:
Sometimes, white hair occurs during a patch of time when a person is undergoing an emotional shock or turmoil. This is a temporary phenomenon and the growth of white hair automatically ceases after sometime.
White Hair Treatment
Whitening of hair is a phenomenon that cannot be stopped. As the production of melanin by your hair roots slows down, your hair loses color and begins to turn grey or white. The ultimate solution left is to dye or color your hair. However, with a healthy lifestyle, proper diet and a positive attitude, you can definitely delay the greying process. The tips given below will allow to figure out how to reduce white hair troubles.1. Walk Barefoot:
Morning walk is great for our overall health and benefits our hair as well. Walking barefoot on wet grass early in the morning prevents the occurrence of white hair.
2. Incorporate Fresh Juices in your Diet:
Include fresh vegetables and fruit juices in your diet to replace aerated drinks such as refined sugar or soft drinks. The juices such as that of carrot, lettuce and alfalfa can be very beneficial. Daily consumption of carrot juice makes your hair healthy and prevents whitening. Drinking a juice of wheat sprouts also helps in reducing white hair.
3. Increase the Intake of Vitamins:
As pointed out earlier, white hair can be the outcome of the deficiency of vitamin B12 in your diet. Thus, to combat the problem of white hair, it is inevitable to increase the intake of foods rich in vitamins A and B. Increase your consumption of dark green vegetables and yellow fruits. For adequate supply of vitamin B, you should eat green leafy vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, cauliflower, yogurt, yeast, liver and cereals. Vitamin B12 is found in meat, dairy products and eggs. You can also consider taking vitamin B12 supplements.
4. Eat More Iodine Rich Foods:
Food rich in iodine help in preventing grey hair. Fish has a high content of iodine. In addition to this, bananas and carrot also contain some iodine. You can replace the sea salt or kosher salt with iodized table salt to increase your iodine intake.
5. Use Amla:
Indian gooseberry or amla fruit is extremely effective in preventing premature greying and thinning of hair. Thus, it is usable in a number of ways in reducing white hair. A paste made with crushed amla fruit and lemon juice can be applied on white hair to make it black again. You can massage your hair with amla oil to blacken it naturally. Massaging your hair with amla juice mixed with almond oil and lemon juice helps in combating white hair. Premature greying of hair is also caused due to the excess use of chemicals in shampoos and conditioners. Water soaked with amla fruit overnight acts as good conditioner and can be used to rinse your hair after a wash. Try to eat as much of this fruit as possible for preventing white hair.
6. Apply Henna:
Henna or Mehendi is an herb that has been used in India since ancient times and is an effective conditioner. Applying henna an hour before bath is effective in reversing white hair. Besides, it strengthens your hair and prevents greying, thinning and split ends.
7. Use Herbs and Spices:
Certain herbs and spices such as black pepper, black cumin, curry leaves and ginger are effective in preventing white hair. The herbs such as brahmi and shikakai have been used since times immemorial and help to retain the color of your hair. Polygonum multiflorum, also known as shu wu, is a Chinese herb that helps in restoring the natural color of your hair. Curry leaves are also useful in fighting hair decay. Therefore, make it a point to regularly eat dishes seasoned with curry leaves. These leaves contain nutrients and vitamins that strengthen and rejuvenate your hair. You can also boil curry leaves in coconut oil and apply the mixture on your hair. This is effective in preventing the formation of white hair. However, avoid consumption of excess spices as they might cause greying of hair. Other herbs that can be effective in preventing white hair include sage, rosemary, peach, nettle and burdock.
8. Use Aloe Vera:
Aloe vera is also very effective for your hair. Massaging your hair with a mixture of aloe vera, wheat-germ oil and coconut milk accelerates the growth of your hair and decreases dandruff by evening the pH level of your scalp and cleansing your pores. After this, rinse and shampoo your hair as usual.
9. Oil Your Hair:
Oiling your hair is extremely vital for healthy hair and prevention of white hair. Applying a mixture of coconut or almond oil and lemon juice on hair is a traditional way of preventing the formation of white hair. Eating sesame or applying sesame oil helps in preventing white hair. Sesame oil was traditionally used in South India where a mixture of equal amounts of sesame oil and carrot juice and half the amount of methi seed powder was kept in the sun for 21 days. This was applied on the scalp and beard or mustache for preventing white hair. Add coconut oil to chopped ridge gourd, boil the mixture, cool it and filter the mixture in a bottle. A daily massage with this oil helps in turning white hair into black. You can also massage your hair with bhringraj oil to prevent greying of hair.
10. Increase the Intake of Minerals:
Minerals are extremely vital for the functioning of a healthy body. We all are aware of the importance of melanin in imparting color to your hair. Reduction in melanin can be attributed to the deficiency of the mineral, copper. Thus, it is necessary to have a balanced diet with sufficient amounts of copper to keep melanin production active and healthy. Tyrosinase is a copper containing enzyme that converts tyrosine into melanin. Copper can be obtained from calf’s liver, mushrooms, mustard greens, spinach, eggplant, asparagus, peppermint, potato, green beans, cashews, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, kale, ginger etc. Zinc is also vital and can be obtained from red meat, green vegetables and chicken. Foods that are rich in iron include beef, dried apricots, eggs, parsley, wheat and sunflower seeds.
11. Use Homemade Remedies:
Homemade remedies are a proven solution to tackle the problem of white hair. Massage the roots of your hair with black tea and wash after an hour. This will help in darkening your hair. You can also make a poultice comprising of henna powder, fenugreek, mint juice, coffee, yoghurt and basil juice and apply on your hair every week for 3 hours before shampoo for beneficial results.
12. Avoid Excess Stress:
Taking stress is not the solution to any problem. Rather it triggers the problems of premature greying and white hair. Thus, excess stress should be avoided at all costs. Try to relax and ward off tension by doing deep breathing and meditation.
13. Give up Unhealthy Habits:
Unhealthy habits such as drinking and smoking can cause whitening of hair in addition to several other health problems. The best way therefore, is to stay away from these things and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
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