Why does hair gray earlier in some people?

Once upon a time you could easily tell a person’s approximate age group judging by the way they looked. But thanks to the stressful lifestyle that most people live, they tend to look older than they actually are. Wrong eating habits, stress, substance abuse etc are some of the reasons why people are obese, have dull looking skin or even gray hair at an early age. While there are solutions to the other problems, gray hair can be very embarrassing especially if you get them very young. The only solution seems to be to color it.

The start of graying

According to the Dr Sadhana Deshmukh, dermatologist and cosmetologist, signs of graying become obvious when the thicker and darker hair sheds rapidly and the thinner white hairs grow faster. Since the entire graying process depends on the shedding and growth pattern, there are some who can show rapid graying in a remarkably short period of time. For men, when they start graying, the first signs are seen in the beard from where it moves on to the moustache and the side locks before spreading to the head. In women, the temples are the ones to white first before the graying spreads to the sides as well.

The causes for premature graying hair

There are many reasons why a person might start showing gray hair at an early age. The hair starts graying when the pigment producing cells – melanocytes – are damaged. While it is believed that this happens naturally with age, in those who experience premature graying, this can be the result of genetics as well. There are many who believe that external factors like stress or lifestyle can impact the hair color at an early age. But scientists argue that the age when graying starts is actually determined by the genes of the person. This is why some people do not show silver even in their 50s while others can start as early as their teens. (Read: 

Dr Deshmukh cites hormonal imbalance such as those related to thyroid malfunction, insufficient diet, anaemia, regular use of hair color products and styling equipments like dryer are the common reasons that the graying starts early. In people undergoing special treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy too the graying can be seen at an early age. (

Another opinion is that people are not following the correct diet or their lifestyles are such that they are constantly under stress this is why they tend to experience a lot of hair fall, and the new hair growing in can be gray. Dr Sonal Shah, who is a Trichologist, says that mental stress can produce a lot of physical stress or tension to the scalp skin as well. This prevents the scalp to get the requisite nourishment required for healthy hair. This can be one reason why the melanocytes start dying. 

What is the solution?

For some, the graying can be controlled or reversed by making certain changes in their diet. Those whose diet is deficient in Vitamin B12 or there is a malfunction of the thyroid gland, making requisite changes can yield positive results. But for those who have it naturally, there are only two options – to color it or dare to bare it.

• You could choose for a temporary solution by applying henna on your hair. It is good for nourishing the hair as well. You would need to apply this at frequent intervals to maintain the hair color.
• A semi-permanent solution would be to opt for any of the DIY hair color kits available in the market. The only hitch is you must choose one that is ammonia-free.
• There are people who choose to permanently get their hair colored to hide the grays.
• Some people like the wash-in-wash-out hair color that is a spray on color easy to apply and washes off with a rinse.
• Application of bhringraj oil is said to be beneficial to the health of the hair.
• Cutting down on caffeine intake and substituting it with antioxidants rich green tea would help.
• For healthy and strong hair, it is necessary to increase the intake of folic acid-rich vegetables in the diet