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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