What Causes Grey Hair
By chantelg4
Greying Hair is a naturally occurring phenomenon that inevitably happens to all of us at one point or another, preferably later than sooner, but what exactly causes grey hair and can it be stopped once it starts?
The answer depends greatly on many factors, nutritional deficiencies, genetic predisposition and of course, aging! Lets take a closer look at a hair follicle. As you can see from the photo below, a hair follicle is made up of keratin in three layers - cuticle, cortex and medulla.
The cuticle is a set of tightly woven, overlapping scales that encapsulates the cortex and medulla. This is the part of the hair shaft that can be manipulated by styling products.
The second part is the cortex. This part represents the majority of the hair shaft. Pigments cells are what gives you your unique hair color and these are found throughout the cortex and medulla. The cortex also houses melanin, also known as color pigment.
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There are two types of melanin: dark (eumelanin) and light (phaeomelanin). Melanin is distributed to hair follicles by cells called melanocytes. The formation of color begins before birth and depending on genetics, amount of either types of melanin and the distribution of it, all together they blend to create one unique hair color.
Age naturally reduces the amount of melanin injected into the hair shaft, decreasing the color hue until eventually it turns grey. For some, this process can happen very quickly while others remain grey-less for years.
There also health conditions that cause one's hair to grey prematurely such as B-12 deficiency and thyroid disorders. Vitamin B-12 deficiency reduces the production of melanin. It is important to not that even though you may accurately test negative for this condition, it is still possible for B-12 to be the culprit through malabsorption.
If you suspect your hair is turning grey for unknown reasons other then natural aging, seek medical advice.
From personal experience, I do have premature greying, but only since giving birth to my fourth baby. During this pregnancy, I was lacking in Vitamin B-12 and Iron and required many visits to the doctor for regular shots. This threw my body into a whirlwind and because of this, I suffered classic symptoms, which included grey hair. Now 2 years later, I have recovered, but the grey hair remains. Once grey, always grey. The follicle is dead of melanin, however, by making sure to get adequate nutrition, you can keep colored hairs you do have intact for a bit longer.
Comments
Yes, children can have grey hair. A lack of Vitamin B12 is prevelant in many conditions. Thanks for the extra info!!
Thanks for the advice. I am only 17 and I have a lot of grey hairs and I was wondering what was going on. I talked to my doctor and he said that I was nothing to worry about. However, I had a feeling he did not know what he was talking about. I am definitely going to look into B-12 deficiency. Thanks a lot. I greatly appreciate the information.
not sure B-12 has anything to do w/ hair going grey... this site doesn't site any lagit work and or research done... here's another site that suggests that it's an over production of hydrogen peroxide in the body... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29468796
this one sounds a little bit more believable..
The article you mention does in fact say that melanin which gives hair it's color is compromised as mine does. Just because one study reveals additional information about premature graying, doesn't mean that their are not other contributing factors involved. Indeed Vitamin B-12 does have an impact on your body and your hair. I know, I've been there and I know the havoc b-12 deficiency can play. You mention that my article is less credible for which I have not cited, I'll agree that I should have cited my info, but to think that nutrition plays no role in our well being including graying hair is even less credible on your part. Perhaps you should thoroughly do your research and not put all your trust on one study.
i was wondering if any one knows about this if its true or not. When i was 10 i was skating with my family hit my head and had a horrible concussion about 3 months later my mom noticed a patch of grey hair where i had hit my head. Is the grey hair related to the head injury? i still have the patch of grey hair, the area hasn't got any bigger in the last 10 years.
I started going grey at the age of 10, i was never bothered, now am 35 am realy worried cos i now have to defend my age, i need a solution am looking for a girl friend wife to be 10 years younger, with ths colour of hair my chances of success are slim.. dead WORRIED.
I started greying at 12 and was COMPLETELY white at age 21. I'm now 37 and am told all the time how lucky I am to have such a beautiful colour since all the young ones are going for that grey/silver look. By older brother and sister were completely grey at 30 and our dad by 25 so we always put it down to genes,however just recently we found out our father was having monthly Vitamin B-12 injections and through discussion found out we all suffer from low vitamin B levels. If this doesn't validate it I dont know what will !!!!!!
i am 14 years old.i have few gray hair.which food should
i have to stop other hair to gray?pease help me out.
my son has grey hair,what should i do
Hair greying 2 years ago
Greying of hair is melanin production inhibition in the root of the hair. Not only adults, even children of eight years also face this problem of greying of hair. It may be due to genetic predisposition or many are exposed to second hand smoke, low haemoglobin. Children suffering from blood cancer, HIV, thyroid, undergoing chemotherapy, who has vitamin B12 deficiency, experience hair greying.