Many people have at least once thought about where gray hair comes from and how to maintain their unique hair color. Times are changing, and our ideas about gray hair are changing. Gray-haired men have always aroused respect, and their gray hair was a sign of wisdom and life experience. For women, gray hair instills fear of the future. Most of them, noticing the first gray hairs in themselves, regard this as a threat to their youth and attractiveness and immediately rush to the hairdresser.
Fashion and gray hair
Periodically, gray hair color becomes a fashion trend. The first fashion for gray hair was introduced in the 6th century by the French king Henry IV. During the Battle of Ivry, he personally led the attack, wearing a helmet with a white sultan on his head, which was visible from afar. The army of Henry IV won, and gray hair became fashionable as a symbol of wisdom and greatness. To do this, use flour or powder. And the king of France, Louis IV, began to add light gray hair to the wigs that he loved to wear since childhood. For the manufacture of these wigs, a special herd of yaks with a light color was kept, and a special white rice powder was imported from China.
At different times, gray strands could be seen in the hairstyles of very young women. Here gray hair is a demonstration of maturity and independence. The fashion for gray hair does not pass until now. For the third season, fashion stylists and hairdressing houses have been showing gray-haired girls with all shades of gray, silver, pearl and lavender at fashion shows. By this, according to experts, they express respect to the older generation and show the beauty and even sexuality of a noble gray hair. However, this trend is allowed only for young people, since a fashionable shade is obtained on hair that has retained pigmentation, and natural gray hair is devoid of pigment,
Where does gray hair come from
The color of our hair depends on the pigment melanin, which is produced by special cells called melanocytes, and on the amount of air bubbles. Near each hair there is a special melanocyte cell. Its task is to produce the coloring matter melanin. There are also cells that produce the protein keratin, which is the building material for hair. In order for the hair to become colored, it is necessary that the melanin pigment combine with the keratin protein. This is done by the enzyme tyrosinase. Through a special channel, melanin enters the hair follicle, with the help of an enzyme it combines with protein and rises up, coloring the hair. Therefore, the color at the roots is more intense.
With age, the production of the enzyme tyrosinase decreases, and there are more and more air bubbles in the hair. Over the years, the production of melanin can also decrease. Now scientists have found that the renewal of melanocytes occurs with the help of a stock of stem cells in the hair follicle. When the supply of stem cells dries up, the production of pigment stops, and the connection of melanocytes with keranocytes becomes impossible. If the melanocyte's connection with the hair is interrupted, or the melanocyte stops producing the coloring matter melanin, the hair turns gray. That is, in one case - there is a pigment, but it does not enter the hair, in another case - the cell has become exhausted and has ceased to produce a coloring matter. This process is irreversible, no medicines, cleansing of the body can not resume it.
The graying process is mostly gradual. The hair begins to lose color from the root to the ends. That's why the hair first looks gray and then becomes completely white. Sometimes it happens that before the hair turns gray, it becomes darker. This is because before death, melanocytes begin to produce more coloring pigment. Just do not pull out gray hairs, because the next one will grow gray anyway! And pulling out the hairs, you can damage the hair follicle, and the hair will grow not only gray, but also injured (twisted, uneven), which will make it more noticeable. It is better to carefully cut it at the root with nail scissors.
And then the question arises: “Is gray hair healthy hair?” If the hair is properly nourished, if the blood supply to the scalp is functioning properly and the person is healthy, then the hair is healthy. In gray hair, keratin voids remain in the place where melanin was, the hair becomes more porous and acquires a slightly curly structure. Therefore, gray hair requires care and styling.
When gray hair appears
The appearance of gray hair is genetically determined and is a companion of the aging of the body. The appearance of gray hair after forty is a natural process. Unfortunately, women turn gray earlier than men. UNILEVER researchers, led by Dr. David Gan, found that the first cause of women's graying is genetic heredity. Observations were made for women with monozygotic twins. And, despite the fact that their lives were completely different, their hair turned gray the same way. The first silvery hairs in women, as a rule, appear on the temples, and only then on the crown and back of the head. And in men, the first signs of gray hair appear on the beard and mustache.
Fair-haired people are the first to go gray, although this is not as noticeable as on dark hair. The age at which the first gray hair appears is also different for people of different nationalities and races. The first place belongs to the representatives of the Caucasoid race, then to the representatives of the Negroid, in the last place - the Indians.
Gray hair at a young age
They talk about early gray hair when it appears before the age of 30 and even earlier. Unfortunately, gray hair can be seen in very young guys and girls. Here you should not sit idly by. Perhaps this is a signal that you need to take a closer look at your body.
The most common factor in the appearance of early gray hair is an unstable nervous system and constant stress. Japanese scientists led by dermatologist Emi Nishimura have proven the link between stress, especially genotoxic stress, DNA damage and the depletion of melanocyte stem cells, which leads to irreversible processes of gray hair. In their article, Japanese scientists note that by avoiding stress, you can keep your unique hair color longer. Peace of mind and emotional balance is an excellent remedy for the appearance of gray hair at a young age.
Another reason for the early appearance of gray hair is the general condition of the body. Long-term diets, restriction of protein foods can lead to a lack of protein and some trace elements in the body, especially calcium and copper. Their deficiency can lead to a decrease in the ability of the pigment to bind to protein, causing graying of the hair. In this case, forget about bad habits! Start walking more, eat right and balanced, play sports, and your hair will be able to restore its color.
Thyroid disorders, pituitary gland disorders, hormone production disorders, diabetes, severe malnutrition - all of these can disrupt the proper functioning of melanocytes. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider the appearance of early gray hair. It is very important to conduct a medical examination of the whole body. In many cases, modern medicine can help identify the causes and find ways to treat early gray hair. Another argument to see a doctor when gray hair appears at a young age is the so-called “temporary gray hair”. It is caused by diseases such as erysipelas, focal alopecia, migraine. With the right course of treatment, the hair is restored.
Gray hair in children
Sometimes moms find one or more gray hairs on their baby. There can be many reasons for their appearance in children. Don't panic right away. First of all, you need to consult with doctors such as a dermatologist, trichologist, neurologist, pass the necessary tests to find the true cause of their appearance.
Perhaps, due to stressful situations, the production of melanin pigment was disrupted in the baby, and a lot of air bubbles accumulated in the hairs. Therefore, special attention should be paid to nutrition. It is necessary that onions, cabbage, lettuce, parsley, apricots be sure to be present in the child's diet. Perhaps the child's body lacks vitamins B10, B12. Taking multivitamins and foods containing folic acid will help speed up hair growth.
If the parents in the family have early graying relatives, then this can also manifest itself in the child. This is called a genetic predisposition. In that case, don't worry.
Prevention of early gray hair
Your hair reflects the state of your body. Therefore, the main prevention of gray hair is taking care of yourself! Calm, measured lifestyle. Take walks more often, go out of town, do morning exercises, exercise, sign up for a pool. Learn how to deal with stress the right way. Learn to relax! Yoga, breathing procedures, healthy sleep, aromatherapy, positive thinking will help you with this.
You need to balance your diet. It is very important that proteins are present in it, while it is important to maintain a balance between carbohydrates and proteins. Include turkey meat, beef, sea fish in your diet.
Make sure that there are always whole grains, green vegetables, peas, beans, sour-milk products on the table. They are a source of B vitamins, which are necessary for maintaining the health of the nervous system, maintaining energy and beauty. A lack of vitamin B12 contributes to the appearance of early gray hair. This vitamin is found in the green parts of plants, bananas, eggs, cheese, lamb, etc.
Eat more foods containing copper and iodine: spinach, pomegranate, almonds, pumpkin seeds, seaweed. Deficiency of these trace elements can contribute to the appearance of gray hair.
Be sure to replenish calcium in the body. The best way to do this is to eat legumes and broccoli. Calcium is better absorbed from plant sources than from dairy products. American scientists have found that people with premature gray hair lack calcium.
Drink enough water. 2-2.5 liters of water will ensure the transport of nutrients to every cell of our body, up to the hair follicles. Remember that clean water cleanses us from the inside.
Take care of improving blood circulation in the scalp. Use a massage brush for combing, massage the head with your fingertips every day for 5-10 minutes.
Mesotherapy
A good effect for preventing me and treating early gray hair is given by a course of mesotherapy. Medications are injected into the scalp with very thin needles in small doses. Medicines are selected individually depending on the tasks to be solved and the condition of the hair. The main components of such "cocktails" are: nicotinic acid, vitamins and trace elements. The effect is achieved by the fact that medicinal preparations are delivered directly to the hair follicle. As a result of mesotherapy, the hair is restored, becomes shiny, their life expectancy increases and their growth is stimulated. Such courses are best done twice a year for 5-12 procedures per course. The attractiveness of mesotherapy lies in the long-term effect and the ability to slow down the appearance of gray hair.
Gray hair care
If, despite all the preventive measures, you still find silver threads in yourself, do not rush to get upset. Gray hair does not always spoil the appearance, rather they spoil the mood. You have to decide for yourself: to keep the natural gray color or permanently dye your hair.
The structure of gray hair is slightly different from pigmented hair. Due to the fact that melanin disappears, keratin voids form. The hair becomes coarser, takes on a slightly porous frizzy texture, and it lays differently and requires special care. You will need to learn new ways to style gray hair. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right hairstyle. Gray hair is not customary to wear loose or neatly combed. Do not collect them in a "tail" or a bunch at the back of the head. Best of all on gray hair will look "square" or a stylish short haircut.
For gray hair to look flawless, it must always be very clean. It is advisable to stop using a hair dryer and curling iron to prevent the appearance of yellow and brown spots on the hair. You can color gray hair and even do highlights. Most likely, you will need to change your makeup so that it is in harmony with the white color, and the face does not appear pale. You can rinse gray hair with blue-tinted water, which will give your hair a beautiful silver tone. A golden hue can be obtained using an infusion of chamomile. Just go to a professional colorist. Such a careful attitude to your gray hair guarantees you always a fresh look.
You should also pay close attention to hair care products: shampoos, masks, lotions. It is desirable that they contain proteins to restore the fragile structure of gray hair, coenzyme Q10 to regenerate missing keratins, provitamin B5 to regulate moisture, active plant ingredients to neutralize the yellowish tint that appears over time.
Make nourishing hair masks at least once a week. This will help make the hair lively and silky, give it shine and well-groomed appearance. Choose the right mask or lotion for you and get started.
Rubbing castor oil
It is good to rub castor oil into the roots of the hair, wrap it with parchment paper, and then with a warm towel. After an hour, wash your hair in the usual way.
tea mask
To prepare the mask, pour 2 tablespoons of black tea with 2 cups of boiling water and let it brew for 10 minutes. After that, strain the infusion. Beat 1 yolk with 1 tablespoon of kefir and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Pour a little tea infusion into the egg-kefir mixture and mix well. If necessary, heat the mixture in a water bath. Apply a warm mask to clean, slightly damp hair. Put on a shower cap and wrap your hair in a warm terry towel. Leave the mask on your hair for at least an hour, and if possible for 3-5 hours. After that, wash off the mask with warm water and rinse your hair with the remaining warm tea infusion. With the help of this mask, the hair acquires a beautiful chestnut shade and gray hair is painted over.
coconut oil mask
Massage coconut oil into hair roots and leave overnight. Wash your hair in the morning. Another option: boil coconut oil with finely chopped emblica officinalis until dark. Cool and apply to hair roots.
Curry leaf mask
Mix curry leaves with coconut oil and heat through. Apply the finished mask to the hair roots with massage movements. Substances contained in curry leaves restore hair follicles and stop the appearance of gray hair.
Green amaranth mask
Grind amaranth leaves in a coffee grinder and brew with boiling water. Let it brew, rub the resulting extract into the scalp. This is an excellent natural remedy for strengthening hair and preventing early gray hair.
gooseberry mask
Dry the gooseberries in the sun and grind into powder, add coconut oil. Apply this mask regularly to the hair roots. Gooseberries and Emblica officinalis have been used since ancient times to restore natural hair pigment.
Use proven folk remedies to prevent premature gray hair.
Onion mask
Finely chop one small onion and squeeze out the juice. Add 1 teaspoon of honey, shampoo and olive oil to the juice. Apply the resulting mask to the hair for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.
Garlic mask
Grate the garlic and squeeze out the juice. Add some burdock oil. Apply the mask to the hair roots, wrap the hair and leave for 1.5-2 hours. Then wash your hair with shampoo and rinse with water and apple cider vinegar.
nettle lotion
Pour one tablespoon of dry chopped nettle leaves with a glass of boiling water and insist for one hour. This lotion should be rubbed into the roots and applied along the entire length of the hair. No need to rinse!
Burdock root lotion
Take two tablespoons of ground burdock root and pour half a liter of water, bring to a boil and evaporate by half. Add two teaspoons of dill seeds to the hot broth and leave to infuse for two hours. Strain and store in the refrigerator. This lotion should be rubbed into the hair roots in the morning and evening for two months. Do not rinse!
Rosehip lotion
Grind two tablespoons of rose hips, put in a thermos, pour boiling water and let it brew for 12 hours. Cool and strain. This lotion is good to rub into the scalp and apply along the entire length of the hair.
Unfortunately, there is no radical cure for gray hair yet. However, there are various complexes of vitamins and dietary supplements that help strengthen hair, and often stop the process of graying hair. REMOLAN has proven itself to be a remedy for eliminating gray hair and preventing gray hair. As the manufacturers promise, after using REMOLAN, the microcirculation of the blood vessels of the scalp improves, the absorption of proteins by the hair follicles improves and the supply of melanin is restored. As a result, the hair follicles receive good nutrition, and the hair color is restored from the roots. This tool is not addictive, contains only natural ingredients, and it does not contain hormones and preservatives.
Coloring gray hair
All these means to obtain the effect must be used in combination and for a long time. Therefore, the simplest and fastest solution is hair coloring. Dyeing your gray hair will give you confidence.
Early gray hair, when there are few gray hairs, can be perfectly tinted with tinted shampoos. These products are very easy to use, they are easy to wash off, and the hair acquires a uniform tone and a healthy look. Tinting shampoos are also good for men. It is better to choose products containing natural substances: amino acids, vitamins, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs. In this case, the hair will receive additional nutrition and hydration, maintaining a natural color balance.
Natural dyes for gray hair
If the gray hair is uniform and is 40-50%, you can use natural paints.
In blondes, gray hair is not very noticeable. They can be recommended to tint their hair with infusion of chamomile or a decoction of onion peel.
To dye hair with chamomile, you need to take 200 grams of dried flowers, pour 500 ml of boiling water over chamomile and let it brew for one hour. Then filter and add a teaspoon of glycerin for every 100 ml of infusion. Rinse your hair after every wash.
To dye gray hair with onions, prepare a decoction of onion peel (boil for 20 minutes) at the rate of 50 grams of peel per 200 ml of water. Cool and strain. Lubricate your hair every day until gray hairs disappear.
An interesting color is obtained after applying a coffee nourishing mask on gray hair. Pour two tablespoons of freshly ground coffee with a tablespoon of hot water and bring to a boil. Cool so that the egg does not curdle. Add a raw egg and one and a half tablespoons of cognac to a warm gruel. Apply to dirty hair, cover with a plastic cap and a towel. Keep the mask for an hour and a half, then rinse your hair with warm water without shampoo and conditioner. As a result, we get shiny and silky hair with a very beautiful shade.
Light brown hair can be dyed with rhubarb. To do this, pour 150 grams of rhubarb into 500 ml of dry white wine and boil down to half. Cooled and filtered with broth, wipe your hair regularly.
Brown-haired women and brunettes can use henna or basma to color gray hair. The use of henna makes it possible to obtain shades from red to reddish brown. If you want to achieve a dark color - add basma. Henna is diluted with hot water to a mushy state and thoroughly smeared with all hair. Cover with waxed paper and wrap with a towel. After half an hour, rinse the henna with warm water, dry the hair and grease with henna gruel again, using different concentrations to obtain the desired shade. You can use the following recipe to teach dark chestnut color. At the same time, the gray hair is painted over, but the gray hairs come out a little lighter, creating a highlighting effect. Take a tablespoon with a slide of henna, basma and ground coffee, pour hot, very strong brewed black tea. Apply to hair, wrap with cling film and keep for at least an hour.
It should only be remembered that if you want to change the color, after applying natural paints, synthetic paints can be used no earlier than six months later. That is, you will have to walk with growing gray roots.
Choosing a color for dyeing gray hair
When the gray hair is more than half the volume of the hair, then the colorists recommend dyeing the hair two or three tones lighter than your natural color. It is not necessary to achieve the original color of your hair, but it is important that the hair looks natural. If you are gray, then it is better to be blonde or light blond. When dyeing gray hair, it is better to choose light pastel shades for three reasons. Firstly, the growing root zone will not be evident. Secondly, in adulthood, these shades give the face freshness and femininity. And thirdly, if you don’t like the resulting hair tone, it is very easy to change it, unlike dark tones.
Secrets of dyeing gray hair
First of all, choosing a hair dye, you need to test for an allergic reaction!
Due to the change in the structure, gray hair is less dyed. Therefore, before dyeing, the hair must be treated with special mixtures that make the hair looser. And only then you can apply the coloring matter. Then the hair is dyed exactly to the border of the head. The inner part of the hair remains uncolored, the paint does not get there, so when they grow back, they will be gray again. Since the main part of the hair - the follicle remains healthy, strong gray hair grows back after dyeing. Therefore, it is necessary to color your hair every 6 weeks.
First you need to paint the gray areas, and withstand half the allotted time. Then apply the color evenly to the rest of your hair. Do not leave unpainted areas! To do this, it is convenient to divide the hair into segments. After applying the paint, it is better to put on a plastic shower cap, so the paint will penetrate the gray hair better. Dyeing time depends on the absorbency of the hair. So don't overdo the paint.
If you regularly dye your hair, then it is enough to apply the dye to the regrown gray hair, and then comb the paint along the entire length of the hair with a comb and rinse. So you get refreshed ends, and excess pigment will not accumulate in the hair.
Another tip, in order not to get the effect of a synthetic wig when dyeing gray hair, for regrown roots, it is recommended to use paint 1-2 tones darker than the main color. And you should never darken the ends.
To care for dyed gray hair, use products (shampoos, conditioners, balms, masks) designed for dyed hair. It is very good if violet oil, clover extract or citric acid are included in these products. Do not use lotions containing alcohol. Try to avoid exposing your hair to direct sunlight.
The first gray hair, as a rule, is clearly associated with the approach of old age and we meet at best philosophically, and at worst, with fear and pessimism. But experts say that the threads in the shock of hair are not always a harbinger of the decline of life. What is the reason behind their appearance? How to deal with gray hair?
The pigment melanin, produced in special cells located in the hair follicles, melanocytes, is responsible for hair color. And our "suit" depends on what kind of this pigment the body produces. There are only two options - if it is eumelanin, then the hair is black or chestnut, pheomelanin will provide red and yellowish, light shades. The intensity of the color is determined by the amount of pigment.
There are many reasons for the appearance of gray hair. These are age, genetic, environmental problems, nervous shocks, stress, poor nutrition, poor in proteins and vitamins. Often, the early appearance of gray hair indicates disorders in the endocrine system, a lack of copper in the body, and the extinction of the activity of the tyrosinase enzyme responsible for the production of melanin.
The timing of the natural start of this process is genetically determined. In Caucasians, silver hair first appears at the age of 34 + 10 years, in Asians at 30-34 years old, and the Negroid race was the most fortunate in this sense - the average graying age is 43 + 10 years.
It is noticed that men turn gray earlier. Moreover, their beard and mustache are primarily subjected to this process. The fair sex was more fortunate - female sex hormones increase the production of melanin, beneficially affecting the condition of the hair. However, there are exceptions to any rule.
Brunette, blonde, brown-haired - who is the first? It turns out that the darker the hair, the more likely it is that "silver threads" will appear in them earlier. But full graying occurs earlier in fair-haired people.
But in some, the hair begins to silver obviously prematurely, such a phenomenon up to 20 years in Caucasians and up to 30 years in Negroids, it can be both hereditary, genetically determined, and acquired. In the first case, the reason is obvious, but in the second, who is to blame?
Often untimely hair graying is combined with autoimmune diseases (eg, pernicious anemia, hyperthyroidism) and various congenital syndromes. History knows cases when people turned gray in an exceptionally short time. More often this happens due to the strongest nervous experiences and there is a scientific explanation for this phenomenon.
Inside the hair is the so-called medullary layer, the core, the thinnest duct through which fluid can circulate. It is believed that neuropeptides produced in stressful situations travel through the blood vessels to the hair follicle. Then, through this central channel, they penetrate the hair shaft and break the chemical bond that unites melanin and protein. Pigment in free form quickly disintegrates.
Another less understood theory of graying explains the phenomenon by the fact that under the influence of certain factors, air spaces appear in the hair structure, while the refraction of light changes, and the hair color becomes gray.
By the way, the darkening of gray hair can be triggered by long-term use. For example, some drugs prescribed for hypertensive patients have this property. But after the treatment is stopped, the hair turns gray again.
If you lead a healthy and active lifestyle, then the occurrence of gray hair can be significantly pushed back. Some experts believe that this can be achieved by regularly taking B vitamins, as well as with massage and a contrast shower of the scalp.
How to deal with gray hair? Modern pharmacologists suggest using products containing para-aminobenzoic acid for this, which promotes the absorption of proteins and is involved in the formation of red blood cells.
Traditional medicine, in turn, recommends drinking a nettle decoction for about a month (half a glass three times a day before meals) and daily, for several weeks, rub a warm nettle decoction into the hair roots (50 grams of nettle pour half a liter of water and half a 1 liter of vinegar; leave for 30 minutes, boil for 30 minutes, then strain).
A very concentrated infusion of cornflower petals gives gray hair a soft blue tint. A beautiful color can be obtained using walnut peel, infused with a solution of ammonia (one part ammonia to two parts water).
But henna is unpredictable. The final result depends on the structure of the hair and how evenly distributed the gray hair is in the hair. Try dyeing just one strand first. Mix henna with an egg or castor oil - with these additives, it will stick to your hair better.
Unfortunately, today the most reliable means of combating gray hair is hair coloring. However, there are cases when various cleansing procedures and diets helped, if not completely remove, then significantly reduce the amount of gray hair.
And yet, in no case do not pull out gray hair - by doing this you only increase their number: the root at the base of the follicle secretes a serum that, seeping into the area of the skin around the hair bag, “infects” the surrounding hair. It is best to cut gray hair with small scissors.
Do you know why young people are turning gray so often lately? Not at all from stress at work: diets and vegetarianism are often to blame for gray hair!
Gray doesn't like blondes
Once Kant was asked: "Which women are most faithful to their spouses - blondes, brunettes or brown-haired women?" "Greys," replied the philosopher.
But really, how do ladies of different suits differ? The number of coloring pigments. It is they who control the natural color of the hair. There are several such pigments:
- eumelanin (gives hair a dark brown tint),
- pheomelanin (a lighter shade, comparable to the color of henna),
- a group of triochromes (responsible for red-red pigments),
- ossimelanin (light shade).
The combination of them together determines our unique hair color. People with dark hair and skin turn gray more intensely, and their gray hair is more noticeable. Blondes go gray much later. This is due to the fact that a more intense reaction is necessary to maintain a dark color, and with age, its rate begins to decline rapidly.
The lighter the hair, the longer the hair dye will not be needed.
The appearance of silver threads in curls is genetically programmed, says trichologist, consultant of our site Vladislav Tkachev. After 30 years, and even earlier, less and less pigments are produced. If a healthy person is prone to graying, it is impossible to correct or stop the process - modern science has not yet grown up to this. However, it often happens that the appearance of "snow" in the hair has nothing to do with when your grandfather turned gray.
Can Diet Add Years?
Usually hair does not turn gray all at once. As a rule, gray hair whitens the temples, goes to the top of the head and then gradually spreads to the entire head. Sometimes sudden graying can cause the influence of thyroid-stimulating hormone - for example, with thyroid diseases. As soon as the work of the thyroid gland improves, the hair will return to its normal color.
A connection has been established with graying with anemia, diseases of the nervous system, the activity of the endocrine glands, vitamin deficiency and prolonged exposure to the sun. In addition to heredity, blame for early graying is placed on viral diseases (herpes, streptococcal infection) and autoimmune diseases (pernicious anemia, albinism).
Very often, early graying causes iron deficiency in the body.
Then the hair becomes thinner, falls out and intensively turns gray. But if you provide the body with a sufficient amount of this trace element, they will become thicker and darker.
And the most common case today is unexpected gray hair due to a lack of tyrosine protein in the body. It is found mainly in animal products, so often gray hair lies in wait for vegetarians and those who lose weight on a low-calorie diet. With such a meager diet, the body lacks tyrosine and copper, which are involved in the production of coloring pigments. And now the lady, who has just lost a few kilograms, is faced with a new problem - she begins to turn gray sharply. Most often this happens to women who gained weight during pregnancy, and after childbirth lost weight in a short time. As a result, the young mother becomes a "grandmother" - she loses a lot of hair, and the rest turn gray.
An interesting feature: if animal proteins are excluded from food by a middle-aged or elderly person, when the metabolism is slower, this does not affect hair color in any way. But if young people go vegetarian, hair problems cannot be avoided.
The limit of reason
Of course, if you're just on a fitness diet (reducing your protein intake on workout days), you're not in danger of going gray early. The main thing is that on other days you get enough protein and nutrients. Hair reacts slowly to changes in the body, so neither short-term diets nor small systematic stresses significantly affect their condition. Only serious long-term stresses or excessive passions for diets, vegetarianism and starvation are dangerous.
Fortunately, premature graying of hair caused by copper and protein deficiencies can be corrected. The main thing - as soon as you notice the early silver threads in your hair, hurry to the doctor. Already a general blood test will show whether everything is in order with microelements. For a more accurate diagnosis, you need to check the composition of liver proteins.
Is it possible to go gray in one night?
Such cases are difficult to explain. It is believed that pigmented hair cannot lose color instantly. In order for hair to turn gray, many reactions must occur in the body that affect the synthesis and metabolism of pigments. But some experts believe that gray hair is less sensitive to stress than pigmented hair. Therefore, in the case of extreme stress, when a person loses a lot of hair, it is pigmented hair that falls out, and gray hair, as more resistant, remains and becomes more noticeable.
Update: October 2018
Early gray hair is an aesthetic phenomenon when gray hair appears at a young age: up to 25 years for Caucasians, and up to 30 years for people of the Negroid race. By about age 40, the hair is almost completely discolored.
Gray hair at an early age, as a rule, is not associated with the general aging of the body and is the result of adverse internal and external factors that disrupt the functioning of melanocyte cells.
Not everyone goes deep into the root causes of early gray hair, regularly dyes their hair and forget about the problem, while the symptom may indicate internal pathological changes in the body. Finding the cause of early gray hair is not easy.
What is considered normal?
There is no specific age norm for the onset of gray hair that could be applied to all races and nationalities. In addition to the genetically incorporated mechanisms of aging, this process is influenced by living conditions, stress, certain diseases, etc. Single hairs with altered pigmentation can be found after 30 years, most often on the temples and front of the head. Almost complete gray hair is observed by the age of 55-60.
Brunettes and brunettes fall into the risk group for earlier graying.
Causes of early gray hair
Graying can develop in three possible ways:
- Physiological, associated with age-related changes in the body and its natural aging (see);
- Congenital or leukotrichia, due to the congenital absence of pigment in the hair shafts;
- Earlier, premature, which develops in young people;
Downstream graying can be:
- complete, in which the entire hairline loses pigmentation;
- partial (individual hairs or strands turn gray);
- focal (graying in only one area).
As for the graying mechanism, it is the same in both age-related and early developmental variants: there is a loss of the melanin pigment by the hair shaft. This pigment is synthesized in special cells - melanocytes, which are located in the basal layer of the epidermis, as well as in hair follicles. Cells produce pigment, and it enters the hair shaft from the follicles.
Stimulation of the formation of melanin occurs under the action of mediators of the sympathetic nervous system, pituitary hormones (ACTH, melanocyte-stimulating hormone and β-lipotropin), as well as thyroid hormones and sex hormones.
With the physiological variant of graying, aging of melanocytes occurs, which produce less and less pigment.
The causes of early gray hair may be related to:
Characteristics of gray hair
The color of the scalp in each person depends on the type of pigment:
- Eumelanin creates black or brown color;
- Pheomelanin - red or a shade close to it;
- A lower concentration of pigments is typical for blondes.
Hairs devoid of melanin change not only their color, but also their structure. Changes are more noticeable on dark hair than on light hair. The pigment provides elasticity and strength to the hair shaft, protects it from ultraviolet radiation and adverse environmental influences. In addition to discoloration, hair strands become stiff, split, dry, brittle and dull. They are more difficult to care for, i.е. comb and style.
Does it make sense to pull out gray hair?
Some people, hoping to get rid of gray hair, begin to pluck it, but it is pointless to do this - a new, the same gray hair will grow in place of the torn one. Moreover, you can damage the hair follicles and earn dermatitis.
How to get rid of gray hair
It is impossible to reverse the graying mechanism, but it is quite possible to stop or slow it down. It should be canceled that the problem should not be ignored by doctors and be sure to visit a therapist, endocrinologist, trichologist, who will prescribe an appropriate examination and treatment of gray hair.
How to deal with gray hair and care for gray hair at home:
- Quit smoking - in all heavy smokers, the hairline is dull and brittle;
- Eat well. It is imperative that the diet includes meat, fish, vegetables and fruits;
- Be sure to get enough sleep, 8 hours a day;
- Be a physically active person. Hypodynamia is invariably associated with chronic hypoxia. And cells that receive less oxygen cannot fully function, including melanocytes.
- Limit yourself from stress as much as possible. If this is not possible, take mild sedatives in case of psycho-traumatic situations (tincture or dragee of valerian, motherwort, etc.);
- Protect the scalp and hair from temperature extremes, ultraviolet radiation;
- Use high-quality cosmetic care products. Recommended products for dry, damaged hair;
- Regularly carry out self-massage of the head with the help of special massagers or combs with soft teeth;
- Once a week, rub a mixture of castor and burdock oil into the hair roots and leave it under a warm towel for 1 hour, then rinse with shampoo;
- Instead of a conditioner, you can use infusions of burdock, nettle, birch.
How to deal with gray hair with the help of salon procedures:
Salon procedures cannot return the natural color, but they can prevent gray hair or slow down its progression.
- Massage of the scalp. A pleasant procedure activates blood circulation, which means it improves the trophism of melanocyte cells. The procedure is carried out in beauty salons, using various nourishing oils and formulations. It is recommended to undergo 10 procedures once a quarter.
- Microelement mesotherapy, implying intradermal chipping of the scalp with microelement meso-cocktails using special syringes. The preparations are injected to a depth of 2-4 mm, allowing the delivery of useful elements to the area where the hair follicles are located. As a rule, the procedure is preceded by a spectral analysis of the hair for trace elements, which detects a deficiency of certain substances.
- Nourishing masks and compresses. Special compositions allow you to return the scalp and hair to a healthy look, shine, improve the structure of the hair strands, which undergoes changes with gray hair, and also prepare them for coloring. Wheat germ oil, algae, natural clays, plant extracts, vitamin and microelement essences are used as components for masks (see).
- Plasmolifting. For this procedure, the patient's blood is taken, which is processed and purified in a special way, as a result of which plasma is released from it, without formed elements. Plasma is injected into the scalp by means of special syringes according to the principle of mesotherapy. It is believed that the procedure starts the processes of self-healing of skin cells, including melanocytes.
How to color gray hair
Perhaps this is the most effective way to mask the loss of hair color.
It should be noted that at least the first time you should seek help from a beauty salon specialist in order for the coloring to be effective. The choice of coloring composition, color, exposure and frequency of staining is based on the following factors:
- the amount of gray hair;
- hair length and structure;
- hair growth rate;
- skin type.
Sometimes bleaching is used before dyeing to achieve uniform coloring of the hair.
- With a small percentage of gray hair on the head (up to 25%), you can resort to tinting or coloring when altered hair is dyed. The second option is highlighting or blonding, i.e. dyeing gray strands in a light color.
- When changing more than 50% of the hair, full permanent coloring with natural or chemical dyes is effective.
- As for the color, the darker it is, the more contrast and more noticeable the gray hair will be when the roots grow. The optimal color is golden, it does not allow gray hair to show through.
What colors really cover gray hair?
On the packaging, the manufacturer often writes “100% paints over gray hair”, but the veracity of these promises can only be verified from our own experience. Professional series of dyes or mixtures that are prepared by hairdressers in beauty salons, as well as special lines for gray hair from well-known brands (for example, Estelle, Matrix) are considered good. To improve the durability and strength of the paint, it is recommended to add 6% professional oxidant to it.
As a rule, good and professional paints are very expensive, and they will have to be used regularly, which not everyone can afford. You can use cheap natural dyes that are safe for frequent use and do not burden the wallet.
- To obtain a dark chestnut color, basma and henna are mixed in equal proportions, diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream and applied to the scalp for half an hour. The roots should be especially carefully painted over. The paint is washed off with warm water.
- To obtain a soft, natural black color, 2 parts of basma and 1 part of henna are mixed, the mixture is prepared according to the algorithm above.
It is easier for men to hide gray hair - it is enough to make a short haircut without focusing on problem areas of the hair. Women, on the other hand, can use asymmetrical and layered haircuts, style strands so that gray hair is hidden under normal hair.
Gray hair is often referred to as a sign of wisdom.
And they are deeply mistaken.
Gray hair and wisdom are unequal concepts.
You can die, excuse me, a fool or be wise from youth.
It is the same with gray hair: someone retains almost tar curls until a very old age, and someone begins to pull out the first grayish-white hairs in a panic at the age of 20-15.
So why does hair turn gray and is it possible to get rid of gray hair?
Gray hair: causes of appearance
Melanin is responsible for hair color - a special pigment that colors not only curls, but also skin. When it is produced in insufficient quantities, the structure of the hair and its color become pathological. The following happens: melanocyte cells, located not only in the epidermis, but also in the hair follicles themselves, for some reason stop producing pigment. Melanin stops entering the hair shaft, it becomes porous and devoid of pigment. The combination of air pockets and lack of pigment results in a greyish-white color.
Graying can be three-way:
1. physiological, associated with natural aging processes;
2. premature, overtaking a person at a fairly young age;
3. congenital, when the absence of melanin is inherited.
The mechanism of occurrence of all three variants is the same: insufficiency of melanocyte functions. However, the reasons for this phenomenon may be different. Various hormones are involved in the synthesis of melanin, and when the function of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, and ovaries is inhibited, this invariably affects the production of dark pigment.
It is believed that men begin to turn gray at 35, and women at 45. But in fact, the process can start fifteen or even twenty years earlier.
The causes of gray hair in youth may be as follows:
Transferred viral diseases, especially against the background of infection with cytomegalovirus;
chronic stress;
Features of genetics, heredity;
Diseases of the endocrine system: diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism (thyroid insufficiency), as well as dysfunction of sex hormones;
Diet errors, expressed in the lack of essential trace elements and vitamins: calcium, copper, magnesium, selenium, zinc, sulfur, iron;
Diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, as a result of which the absorption of these trace elements and vitamins is impaired;
Deficiency of a special substance - tyrosine, often caused by low-protein diets;
An excess of ultraviolet;
Diseases of the circulatory system, anemia.
Obviously, the causes of gray hair can be both objective and subjective factors. Lovers of solariums and sunbathing should be more careful, as well as fanatical followers of diets that limit themselves to everything they can. Well, the nerves need to be monitored, however. If something causes constant stress, you need to get rid of this something. Otherwise, you will either have to rip out gray hairs from your hair, like the fabulous Hottabych from a beard, or pester hairdressers with a question like "what paint to paint over gray hair."
By the way, pulling out hair for the purpose of disguise is completely pointless. Melanocytes live and die directly in the socket, not in the rod. Therefore, the regrown hair will not miraculously acquire a natural color, but will have the same loose, pigment-free structure.
How to get rid of gray hair: medicine will help us?
Is there nothing that can be done? It is possible, but only if we are dealing with subjective factors. If the causes of gray hair are lifestyle errors, you can try to correct the situation. However, in any case, you need to start with a visit to a trichologist.
The specialist will conduct tests, do tests, collect an anamnesis and, based on the data obtained, make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Only this one is able to understand why the hair of a particular person turns gray, and advise how to get rid of gray hair with the maximum degree of probability. In any case, try to at least slow down the process.
What can be done at the household level:
start eating well;
take multivitamin complexes with minerals;
get rid of stressful situations (yes, up to dismissal, divorce and maiden name! Beauty is more important, not to mention health);
undergo a full examination by visiting a gynecologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist and therapist.
What about a trichologist? Well, he found out why his hair turns gray, and then what? And then the treatment begins. It is not a fact that it will help 100%, but modern medicine has quite advanced methods of healing and treating hair devoid of pigment. What could it be:
Injections (subcutaneously) of magnesia. Injections are prescribed by courses and only by a trichologist;
Injection mesotherapy using solutions of B vitamins and substances whose deficiency has been identified (zinc, calcium, tryptophan, magnesium, calcium, etc.);
The course of oral intake of vitamin and mineral complexes with the mandatory inclusion of selenium and zinc;
Physiotherapeutic procedures: treatment with a laser, electric current, Darsonval apparatus, etc. The point is to stimulate the activity of the dermis, enhance the metabolic processes occurring in it, and affect the hair follicles.
For washing hair, some kind of therapeutic shampoo containing the same zinc, iron or copper may be recommended. It is impossible to predict in advance how effective the treatment will be. If you manage to bring back to life a sufficient number of hair follicles, the result will be stable and positive. Of course, in parallel, it is necessary to treat the identified diseases, restore the hormonal background.
Get rid of gray hair with folk remedies
In addition to traditional medicine, traditional medicine can come to the rescue in the difficult task of combating gray hair. The easiest way is to mask the problem as much as possible with the help of popular henna. You will need exactly natural paint, and not a medical colorless product.
Natural henna has the ability to color hair enough to hide a small amount of gray hair, and it also treats the bulbs themselves and the regrown hair shaft very well. However, this method does not give a long-term effect, besides, it does not restore hair color, but slightly tones.
However, there are other, more effective ways to get rid of gray hair. You will have to treat the follicles with herbs and plants.
Burdock (rhizomes) and leaves of fresh (dried) nettle brew stronger, mixing in equal proportions. Rub the cooled broth into the skin after washing your hair.
Essential oils of flax, sesame, tea tree, jojoba or ordinary burdock oil are rubbed into the head and applied to the hair itself in the form of a mask. You can leave it overnight. The oil mask strengthens the bulbs and slows down the death of melanocytes.
Prepare a mask of one hundred grams of ordinary cottage cheese and a tablespoon of black pepper. Apply the mixture to the hair and scalp, keep for about an hour, then rinse with shampoo. Hair will darken, become silky, and at the same time dandruff will disappear.
A mixture of sesame and olive oil in the same proportion is another recipe for an effective mask. Returns color, restores follicles.
Another effective mask is prepared with four tablespoons of dried sage, brewed and infused for two hours, a boatload of vitamin E oil solution, and two tablespoons of glycerin. You need to repeat the rubbing procedure daily.
Prepare a mask of three teaspoons of ground coffee, two of natural henna and fresh basil juice, one of yogurt and fenugreek seeds, and three of fresh mint juice. Apply to hair and skin, keep for at least three hours.
Rose hips (half a glass of dried fruit) brew with two liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour, then bring to a boil, boil for five minutes and leave to cool. Strain, cool and store in the refrigerator. Rub into the head every other day, drink half a glass of this decoction twice a week.
Puree garden cherries, rub the mass into the roots an hour before washing the hair. Apply along the entire length, wrap with a film and a towel.
Coconut oil for head massage with gray hair is a proven folk remedy. You need to apply it at night, daily. Wash off in the morning.
You can try to restore the color of the curls by rinsing your hair with a solution of natural apple cider vinegar and water (equal proportions). After half an hour, wash your hair in the usual way. It will take three to four months to see results.
A very effective remedy is hot red pepper. Six chili pods need to be poured with 500 ml of real vodka, cork the container and leave for three weeks in a dark pantry. Then rub the tincture into the roots an hour before washing the hair. Red pepper stimulates the bulbs, increasing blood flow to the dermis. A very effective remedy that gives results after two weeks.
What else can be done? Introduce foods rich in the necessary minerals and substances into the diet. These are cabbage, mushrooms, beets, avocados, pumpkin seeds and ordinary seeds, baked potatoes, cereals, cherries, mountain ash and blueberries, as well as sesame and almonds.
Ayurvedic experts recommend to enhance hair pigmentation, rub your nails against each other, bending your fingers and pressing them with your nails. It is not clear how it works, but for that it is Ayurveda, to be understood only by the initiated. You can try, anyway. The main thing is to rub intensively and for a long time, at least five minutes twice a day. After six months, they say, the hair color will become natural.
Gray hair: or maybe just paint over?
Folk methods are good, but long. It will take months before the desired result appears. Therefore, the question of what paint to paint over gray hair may seem relevant. Hand on heart, in most cases the only way to look decent (without gray hair) is to do coloring.
Another question is that painting over gray hair is actually not so simple. How to get rid of gray hair with paint, salon masters know for sure. It is also possible to cope with such a task on your own. But this will only work if the percentage of damaged hair is small - no more than 25. The texture of the hair also matters. If it is soft, obedient, thin, then shop paint will solve the problem.
If the hair is of medium density or has more gray hair, you can try to get rid of the problem with the help of the same mass market. You will have to keep the paint as long as possible, so the color may become darker. To prevent this from happening, buy paint a tone lighter.
On coarse, dense hair with a lot of gray hair, household dye will not work. In this case, even the efforts of the salon master may be in vain. In any case, additional procedures will be required: the so-called prepigmentation and mordensage. They should only be carried out by a professional master.
Instead of coloring, you can get an excellent result if you tint not too gray hair. They will become easier to comb, acquire shine. Well masks the problem of highlighting or blonding. If they suit you, you don’t have to rack your brains over what paint to paint over gray hair.
