Grey hair affects many individuals at some point in their life. Genetics and race can play a factor in how early and how much you will grey, but there are always exceptions to the rules. Some individuals grey early, others grey later in life. Understanding what causes grey hair can help scientists possibly find a way to slow down and perhaps even stop the hair from going grey altogether.
What Causes Hair to Go Grey
Despite popular belief, stress is not the reason your hair goes grey. Hair turns grey when too much hydrogen peroxide builds up. Your body produces hydrogen peroxide naturally and in turn, it is broken down by the enzyme catalase. As you get older, production of catalase slows down and results in a build up of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide interferes with melanin, which is the pigment that gives our hair and skin color. Researchers at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom published their findings in the online journal, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. So the very same hydrogen peroxide that bleach-blondes use to totally turn their hair blonde, is the same that eventually turns our hair grey.
How to Stop Hair From Going Grey
Scientists don't yet have a way to stop your hair from going grey, but with the revelation that too much hydrogen peroxide is the cause of grey hair, it won't be long before hair products are made to remove hydrogen peroxide, predicts Gerald Weissmann, professor of medicine at New York University.
Vitamins and herbs are often considered by many as a possible treatment, though there are no conclusive studies yet to prove they can stop hair from going grey. PABA, Folic Acid and B-Vitamins are a few vitamins suggested to help prevent the hair from going grey.
Natural Treatments to Stop Grey Hair
If your grey hair is bothering you, you can look at using hair colors to cover up the grey. You may need to do a little coloring or a lot depending on how much grey is showing. If you have light colored hair, your grey may just blend in without needing any work.
Making herbal dyes is an alternative to toxic chemical dyes. Combining ingredients such as coffee, walnut shells, saffron or beet juice and applying to grey hair offers a natural hair coloring option. You can find herbal hair color recipes on natural sites like Mother Earth News.
You can also consider working with your grey hair and putting in highlights. Having different shades and streaks in your hair will help the grey blend in with the lighter colors.
Sources
Tamara Laschinsky - Health and wellness advocate, author, researcher and owner of Natural e GREEN: Natural Health & Wellness store!
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