Premature hair greying has become one of the major concerns for young people today. Even people in their teenage come across this issue. While poor diet and nutritional deficiencies have been identified as the most widely prevalent causes of premature greying, there are some other less common factors responsible as well. In fact, you will be surprised to know some reasons that could cause your hair turning grey much before the middle age sets in. Even more surprising is the fact that some of these are avoidable, which means that you can prevent this symptom if you eliminate these causes in time. Let us list some of these uncommon reasons for you.
Smoking
Have you ever thought that smoking can result in your hair turning grey before time? Yes, cigarette smoking can also cause hair greying in addition to several other serious health problems. All these years, smoking has been associated with premature ageing of the skin, with symptoms such as wrinkles and pigmentation. The latest research studies have identified a link between smoking and hair greying as well. The reason is that it generates free radicals that hamper the production of pigmentation cells in the hair.
Stress
Stress is another lesser known factor leading to premature ageing symptoms such as sagging skin and greying hair much before time. Overstressing over situations that you cannot control will do no good but rather increase the generation of free radicals within your body. Additionally, it exhausts the supply of catalase, which is a key enzyme. Together, excess free radicals and low catalase make you appear older than your age, with your skin and hair losing their youth much earlier than expected.
Alcohol
Like smoking, alcohol consumption is a lifestyle factor that has a harmful impact on your tresses. Excessive drinking lowers the levels of catalase, which is responsible for premature greying. It also brings a host of health problems that take a toll over your wellness and youth. Therefore, it is important to limit your alcohol consumption or abstain completely to make sure that your hair retains its natural colour over the years.
Junk Food
Of course, everyone knows that not having certain types of foods leads to dietary deficiencies that can result in the loss of natural pigmentation of the hair. Surprisingly, even having certain types of foods in excess is also harmful. The main culprit here is junk food that is loaded with free radicals. If you want your tresses to retain their colour and glory over the years, cut down on your burgers and fries and eat healthy fruits and vegetables instead.
Environmental Pollution
Besides toxin-high foods, pollution too can take toll of your hair health and cause a range of problems such as dryness, dandruff and premature ageing. Constant exposure to smoke and dirt is detrimental and so is the excessive use of chemical-laced soaps, shampoos, and styling products. Using natural products that are free of toxins is a better alternative. Deep condition your hair with coconut oil and curd on a regular basis. Instead, if chemical-based dyes, use natural colourants such as henna to dye hair. Another alternative is SV Hair Regeneres, which is a tried and tested hair care product.
Genetics
Premature greying has been recognized as a hereditary problem and this has been proven in several scientific studies. So if either or both of your parents had them at a young age, you will probably get them too and there is nothing much that you can do to avoid them.
Excessive Styling
Another incredible reason for losing the natural colour of your at a young age is excessive styling. The main culprits, in this case, are the chemical styling products and heat that are used to set and style your hair. These methods put undue pressure on your locks and they may end up losing their colour and lustre on continuous exposure.
Medical Conditions
In some cases, certain medical conditions may be the underlying cause of premature greying and you may not even be aware that you have them. The most common among these is a thyroid imbalance, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Underactive and overactive thyroid can upset the catalase levels, which can cause grey hair at a young age. Other medical conditions that can lead to greying include vitiligo, lack of vitamin D and deficiency of Vitamin B12.
Some healthy lifestyle changes like abstinence from smoking and alcoholism can help you deal with this common problem. Also, practice therapies that alleviate stress and keep you relaxed. Finally, understand the difference between the avoidable and unavoidable causes and manage them accordingly.
