Gray hair develops as melanocytes decrease in number, but exactly when those cells begin to wane differs for each individual. However, there are some general trends. According to the article, “graying typically begins in the mid-30s for Caucasians, the late-30s for Asians, and the mid-40s for Africans."
Most people start to notice their first grey hairs in their mid-30s, but this can vary widely based on genetics, ethnicity, and other factors. Some may see grey hairs in their 20s, while others might not experience them until their 40s or later.
Yes. Stress has been shown to speed up signs of aging — including gray hair. When you're stressed, your body has a fight-or-flight response and releases a hormone called norepinephrine. This causes the melanocytes — the cells that produce melanin — to move out of your hair follicles.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, iron, copper, and zinc, plays a significant role in the onset of premature greying.
Yes, it's possible for a 14-year-old to find gray hairs. While it's more common for gray hair to appear as people age, factors such as genetics, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and certain medical conditions can lead to premature graying.
Besides genetics, gray hair in kids can also result from hormonal changes during puberty. Over time, hair follicles lose their ability to produce as much melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color, leading to silver or gray strands even in youngsters.
Lack of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin B12, folic acid, and iron, can contribute to premature greying. High-stress levels can accelerate the greying process. Certain conditions, such as thyroid disorders, can cause early greying. Smoking and exposure to pollutants can also contribute to premature greying.
It has long been thought that reversal of gray hair on a large scale is rare. However, a recent study reported that individual gray hair darkening is a common phenomenon, suggesting the possibility of large-scale reversal of gray hair.
"On average it takes about 11 hair cycles for hair to start to turn grey, each hair cycle lasts about 3 years, so most people can expect to see some grey hair emerging by the time they are 33," agrees Eleonore.
There are several causes that might be responsible, including genetic factors, where a family history of early greying can play a significant role. Additionally, lifestyle and health conditions contribute to white hair in a young age, with stress, poor diet, and nutritional deficiencies being notable contributors.
It's not possible to reverse or treat gray hair. But, with advancing research, this may be an option in the future.
Oxidative Stress: Sleep deficiency can lead to increased oxidative stress in the body, which, in turn, can damage melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin. This damage can expedite the greying process.
In fact, once a brown, black, red, or blonde hair strand starts growing, it will never change in color - unless you dye your hair, of course. As you get older, your hair follicles produce less melanin.
Premature graying may be reversed with vitamin B12 supplementation only if vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause. If you are graying due to other factors, such as genetics, zinc deficiency, and medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.
There's an oft-repeated myth that pulling out one gray hair causes ten more to grow in its place. That's not true—but it's still not a good idea to pluck your grays. While yanking out a stray gray or two may not seem like a big deal, over time, it can become one.
Hair-graying onset varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties.
Just like the hair on the head, the hair on the rest of the body, including the pubic area, is subject to graying. As people age, their skin produces less melanin. Melanin is the pigment responsible for giving skin and hair its color. The hair follicles contain melanin.
Typically, White people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asian people in their late 30s, and Black people in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50. A White person is considered to be prematurely gray if their hair turns gray by age 20.
Early gray hair may not mean anything other than your genetics are kicking in. Different people gray at different rates—and that's normal. However, graying can happen for other reasons as well, including stress.
A new study shows that stress really can give you gray hair. Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. Your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
So, gray hair is not actually a color resigned to the elderly. Gray hair is a natural color that many young people are masking. And, with the right hairstyle, gray hair doesn't have to look frail or frumpy.
Gray hair occurs with normal aging because the hair cells on the scalp produce less melanin; in children, early graying tends to be inherited. A single strand of gray hair is most noticeable in people with darker hair and is usually not worrisome if the child's general health is normal.
Many researchers have been indicated that premature hair greying (PHG) may be associated with the multifactorial problem include genetic, trace elements deficiencies and some medical problems such as metabolic disorders. However, the risk factors for premature hair greying are not well known for young adult.