Options to treat premature gray hair
Premature gray hair is often associated with excessive stress, poor diet, B vitamin deficiency, and smoking. However, the fact is that the number one cause of premature graying of hair is genetics. The pigment that determines our hair color is produced by special cells at the root of our hair called melanocytes. It is the lifespan of the melanocytes that determines the onset of the aging process. Once these cells die, the hair turns white.
There is no essential difference between a premature aging process and a normal age-related one. It is by virtue of nature that some people will experience their first gray hair in their teens and turn completely gray in their early thirties, while others will maintain their original hair color for many decades. If more than 50% of a person’s hair is white by the age of 40, it is considered premature.
There are some commercial products that claim to be able to rejuvenate dead pigment-producing cells and reverse gray hair. Such claims, however, are mostly unsubstantiated. The sad truth is that at this time there is no remedy that can reverse the aging process. Most anti-gray hair products USE FO-Ti, as opposed to the centuries-old legend of Mr. He, who regained his original hair color, youthful appearance and vitality thanks to this traditional Chinese medicinal herb, also known as he shou wu. B vitamins (mainly paba and folic acid) as main ingredients, as some forms of premature aging are said to be caused by b vitamin deficiency. However, these products are ineffective for most people with gray hair.
Therefore, the only option to treat gray hair that seems to offer guaranteed results is camouflage. Women use various types of permanent, semi-permanent, and demi-permanent hair dye, but men tend to prefer a subtle, less noticeable change in their hair color that doesn’t cover all their gray hair. Such products are generally called progressive hair colorants. It is obvious that none of these products can cause dead cells to produce pigmented hair and therefore must be used continuously to cover gray hair on fresh hair. Although there are some natural hair dyes that claim to effectively cover gray hair, the products that actually work well use certain chemicals. When deciding on hair dyes or progressive hair dyes, you should always consider potential health risks, since most of them contain substances that can cause poisoning if used improperly or can cause severe allergic reactions. You should always use a patch test before applying any such product and follow application guidelines to minimize exposure to aggressive substances.
