How to treat grey hair?
The question of how grey hair arises is dealt with daily by many experts or trichologists. Therefore, let's take a look at it today, where they come from and what influences their formation.
Grey hairs are formed when the hair bulbs do not receive enough nutrition and minerals. The hair follicle stops producing melanin – the pigment responsible for hair color. Therefore, our hair turns grey due to the lack of this pigment. According to previous studies, grey hair occurs mainly in people aged 34–44. As for premature grey hair, these occur in people under the age of 20. In this case, it is often genetics.
What makes grey hair different?
Grey hair has both a look and a feel different texture than other pigmented hair. This is because our sebaceous glands produce less sebum due to increasing age. The hair follicles and skin are drier.
What affects the greying of our hair?
- Smoking: Smoking causes pigment cells to die.
- Diseases affecting the hormonal system (pancreas, diabetes, thyroid): Iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones, and when the thyroid gland is deficient, it can cause premature graying of hair.
- Sad lifestyle, lack of vitamin B12 or antioxidants: Antioxidants consist of vitamins, minerals and proteins. They are found in oranges, tomatoes, red peppers, spinach, for example...
- Vitiligo: A skin disease in which pigment is lost on certain parts of the body.
- Waardenburg syndrome: A genetic disorder that causes white or gray patches in hair, beards, and overall body hair.
- Anemia: In iron deficiency anemia, the number of red blood cells is reduced and the oxygen supply to tissues is impaired.
- Stress: It is still unknown whether it causes greying, but it can have physical effects such as impaired wound healing. Another reason may be oxidative stress, which can be caused by ultraviolet radiation or smog.
- Chemical dyeing: We can also weaken hair pigment ourselves, with peroxide. Over time, this chemical will take a toll on both the quality of your hair and the ability of pigment cells to form.
- Use of styling products: Based on synthetic ingredients.
- Alopecia areata: Graying occurs when the immune system launches an attack on the hair follicles.
- Psychological trauma or sudden shock: Here the blood vessels that nourish the hair follicle spasm. As a result, the supply of melanin to the hair stops. In rare cases, the hair colour comes back, but this depends very much on the somatic consequences of the stress.
Tweezing out grey hair with tweezers?
Actually plucking with tweezers does not affect the growth of grey hair, but the quality of the hair and the damage to the root itself. Pulling it out disturbs the hair root, which can lead to inflammation of the hair follicle and damage to the hair structure. The hair can be left thin and vulnerable. Thus, a grey hair that has been pulled out,will not stop growing or turn grey.
Premature greying can be counteracted by sufficient intake of B vitamins, zinc, iodine, sodium, iron or biotin.
How to fight grey hair?
- Henna colouring is a very good alternative instead of colouring with chemical dyes. Not only does it colour your hair, but it also treats the scalp and smooths the hair fibres.
- Grey be gone is your newest nutritional supplement that fights greying hair with three active ingredients: copper, biotin and the most important ingredient MELATINE® – keratin hydrolysate, naturally rich in melanin (the pigment responsible and essential for natural hair coloring). In addition to repigmentation, it also reduces hair loss and strengthens hair.
*More information about the product; find here.