Greying Hair: The Causes and The Cure

Aging is no more the sole reason for grey hairs. You may even get grey hairs at 20! No doubt, you might be wondering what causes grey hair? Hair gets its natural color form a pigment in the skin known as melanin. Greying of hair is a result of the loss of melanin. However, according to new research, it might not be the loss of melanin, but the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, that causes greying of hairs.

Causes of greying hair

Aging– Dermatologists have their own 50-50-50 rule. According to it, 50% of the population has 50% grey hairs at the age of 50. It’s a common phenomenon that just like the skin, hair also changes its texture with age.
Ethnicity– It has been observed that Caucasians go grey earlier, followed by Asians and then African-Americans. Further research is required to determine the cause of this.
Stress– The higher the stress, the more are the chances of premature greying of hairs.
Lifestyle– Smoking is one of the causes of greying of hairs. Apart from that, a diet low in vitamin B12 is also responsible for it.

Now, we know the basic causes of greying of hairs. It’s time to learn 8 natural remedies to this problem:-

Blackstrap molasses– It’s the best remedy for grey hairs. It’s claimed by some people that it helped to reverse the grey hairs and brought it back to natural hair color. Just eat a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses every alternate day for 3-4 months. You’ll feel the change.
Onion– It’s rich in the antioxidant enzyme. It’s very helpful if you just want to reverse the process of greying. It’s good in Vitamin C, folic acid, and copper, which are very good for hairs. Either eat an onion a day or just apply onion juice on the scalp for better results.
Catalase rich foods– As stated before, accumulation of hydrogen peroxide is one of the causes of greying, the foods rich in catalase breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. Foods rich in catalase include sweet potato, cherry, radish, carrots, turnip greens, collard, cucumber, broccoli, cabbage, onions etc. Try adding them to your meals to see quick results.
Wheatgrass juice– Rich in vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E, it’s a fantastic natural remedy. You may grow your own wheatgrass and juice it or you may also buy the wheatgrass powder and have it with water. Adding smoothies or soups to it would make it a delicious and healthy shake.
Coconut oil– It can do wonders not only for the hairs but also for the skin. Get a head massage using coconut oil. Add one tbsp. of aloe gel to get better results. To improve pigmentation, use it with gooseberry hair oil.

Recommended Read: 10 Ways Coconut Oil Benefits Your Hair and Skin

Vitamin B12– Researchers show that deficiency of vitamin-B12 can cause the greying of hairs. The process can be easily reversed if its intake is increased in our diet. The problem is that it’s only present in the non-veg sources of food like meat, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products. For vegans, the only source is through vitamin B12 supplements.
Black sesame seeds– It’s one of the best remedies according to the Chinese tradition. It not only nourishes the scalp but also stimulates hair growth. It boosts up the melanin production. Just eat a tbsp. of black sesame seeds 2-3 times a week.
Rosemary– It’s not just a flavoring agent in your delicious meals, it’s also empowered with the gift of adding natural colors to your hairs. You can apply the rosemary hair rinse (available in the market) to darken it. Or just prepare a solution of rosemary, extra virgin olive oil along with the dried rosemary. Place it in the sun and let it steep for 3-6 weeks. When it’s properly infused, use it instead of daily hair oil.

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