Despite the claims made online and by product marketers, it's not possible to reverse white hair if the cause is genetic. Once your hair follicles lose melanin, they can't produce it on their own. As melanin production slows, your hair turns gray, and then white when melanin production has completely stopped.
There are no treatments that are proven to treat (or reverse) gray hair. As researchers learn more about how the graying process happens, they may develop effective medications and treatments for gray hair.
Ribbed gourd and olive oil- The Ribbed Gourd is used to arrest premature greying. Dice the gourds into small pieces and dry them out before soaking in olive oil for three or four days, then boil it till they turn dark black (or sacrifice an animal). Next, use this mixture as a scalp massage at least twice per week.
According to a research group at Columbia University if the grey hair was brought on by a stressful event it can go back to its original hair color if that stress is removed from the person's life.
A study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has provided the first quantitative evidence that this is in fact the case – and not only that, but hair can go back to its original colour if the stress is removed.
Since baking soda is a scrubbing agent, washing your hair with it can gradually strip the dye from your locks. Baking soda can lighten all hair colors, but it might take a few washes to get your hair to the desired color.
Vitamins B6 and B12 have also been proven to boost melanin production. Goddard says that vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, has been found to trigger the production of enzymes and chemical reactions that boost the metabolism of the hair proteins (keratin and melanin) in the hair follicles.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of prematurely graying hair. Researchers have noted that vitamin B-12 deficiencies are often concurrent with folic acid and biotin deficiencies in people whose hair has started to turn gray early.
Para-Amino benzoic Acid (PABA) and Pantothenic Acid are part of the family of B-complex vitamins. Both of these vitamins are available at health food stores and pharmacies. Use them to postpone the onset of graying.
Drink six ounces of fresh amla juice every day or massage your hair with amla oil one time each week. Amla is also known as Indian gooseberry. Black sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum). Two to three times a week, eat a tablespoon of black sesame seeds to slow down and possibly reverse the graying process.
Foods to increase melanin in the hair
Copper-rich foods such as various kinds of nuts, mushrooms and meat liver also promote follicular melanin synthesis. Sources of vitamin A, C, and E including carrots, papaya, eggs, citrus fruits, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts and pistachios can improve the health of your hair.
Rubbing fingernails also increase blood circulation to your scalp, which strengthens your hair follicles and in turn, prevents hair fall or greying. However, no scientific research has been conducted to substantiate these positive claims of Balayam.
“Plucking a gray hair will only get you a new gray hair in its place because there is only one hair that is able to grow per follicle. Your surrounding hairs will not turn white until their own follicles' pigment cells die.”
Biotin has many benefits. It triggers hair growth, it treats hair loss related disorders, and it thickens and strengthens the hair. One of our favorite beneficial effects of Biotin is that is can reverse premature greying of hair.
Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and Blacks in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.
Some studies have demonstrated that grey and ageing hair can recover its original colour when nourished by diets rich in zinc and supplements formulated with this element.
While vitamins cannot reverse gray hair, they can slow down the process. Eating a diet rich in vitamins D, B5, and B12, iron, and calcium can prevent your existing hair from turning gray.
Melanin deficiency is associated with vitamin deficiency. That's why you need to increase your vitamin intake through your food or vitamin supplements. Vitamin A, C and B12 are the most needed vitamins to increase the melanin production in your hair.
Iron deficiency can also lead to grey hair. Iron is a vital mineral that helps create haemoglobin – the substance found in RBCs. Lacking an adequate amount of iron means lesser blood cells, which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to your scalp. Naturally, this causes grey hair at a young age.
Illnesses that cause gray hair
Health problems that may be heralded by gray hair include: vitamin B12 deficiency. neurofibromatosis (also called Von Recklinghausen's disease): this group of inherited diseases causes tumors to grow along nerves and abnormal development of the bones and skin.
Eating vitamin C–rich foods like citrus, berries, and leafy green vegetables may optimize melanin production. Taking a vitamin C supplement may help as well. Shop for vitamin C.
It is natural to lose melanin as you age, however, there are also a number of other reasons that might cause loss of melanin. However, it is not possible to restore your hair's natural colour if your greying is genetic and natural.
And while it may seem intuitive that stress can accelerate graying, the researchers were surprised to discover that hair color can be restored when stress is eliminated, a finding that contrasts with a recent study in mice that suggested that stressed-induced gray hairs are permanent.
Hydrogen peroxide attacks the enzyme tyrosinase by oxidizing an amino acid, methionine, at the active site. As a consequence, this key enzyme, which normally starts the synthesizing pathway of the coloring pigment melanin, does not function anymore.