This is when you notice hair appearing to turn grey, when there is a mix of dark colored and grey or white hair. As the person grows older and the body's ability to produce melanin begins to slow down, all the hair in the body turns grey or white and this when you begin to see all white hair.
Gray hair is actually a product of natural colored hairs mixed with white hairs. There are two color pigments in the hair shaft; eumelanin and pheomelanin. Whether your hair is blonde, brown, red, or black, you have a combination of these two pigments. The more eumelanin in your hair, the darker the hair.
Kraleti doesn't recommend plucking or pulling the hairs out. “If there is a gray hair you must get rid of, very carefully cut it off. Plucking can traumatize the hair follicle, and repeated trauma to any follicle can cause infection, scar formation or possibly lead to bald patches.”
For men having white hair was a sign of distinction, hinted at nobility, and was even a sign of virility. It couldn't have been more different for women. It was a sign of their deterioration with age, and the end of their fertility.
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.
Graying is a gradual process; according to a study by L'Oreal, overall, of those between 45 and 65 years old, 74% had some gray hair, covering an average of 27% of their head, and approximately 1 in 10 people had no gray hairs even after the age of 60.
Gray hair is actually different hair
Going gray is commonly explained as a loss of pigment (aka melanin) in the hair shaft. Typically, this hair has a different feel and texture than its pigmented counterparts.
Gray hair grows when hydrogen peroxide builds up in your hair follicle. "This causes hair to bleach itself from the inside out," says Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in New York and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. Gray hairs are thicker and wirier, so your hair gets coarser as they multiply.
“While gray hair feels coarse and rough, the structure of the strand hasn't actually changed. When those melanin-producing cells run out of steam, the hair follicles also produce less sebum (the natural oils that hydrate hair) which makes gray hair to be drier, giving it that wiry texture,” she explains.
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.
2. And your hair might feel healthier. While hair dyes and techniques have come a long way since their follicle-frying beginnings, they do still leave some damage. Taking a hiatus from color will help your hair return to its previous state--especially as dyed ends get chopped off.
Typically, white people start going gray in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and African-Americans in their mid-40s. Half of all people have a significant amount of gray hair by the time they turn 50.
Many experts are wondering why: "Women can do so much to keep their faces and bodies looking young--there's no need to think gray hair will necessarily make you look older," says Rita Hazan, owner of the eponymous salon in New York City.
Natural red hair is the rarest hair color in the world, only occurring in 1 to 2% of the global population. Since red hair is a recessive genetic trait, it is necessary for both parents to carry the gene, whether or not they themselves are redheaded.
The title of rarest hair color/eye color combination belongs to red-haired folks with blue eyes. According to Medical Daily, both blue eyes and red hair are recessive traits, so the likelihood of both traits appearing together is actually pretty slim.
Blonde Hair
But this isn't the case because blonde hair is the 2nd rarest natural hair color. Only 3% of the total global population is blonde.
Race also plays a role in how early your hair turns gray. For instance, gray hair tends to occur earlier in Caucasians but later in Asians. African Americans may go gray later, too, with the average gray strand appearing around 43 years old.
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, medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.
Causes of white pubic hair
Hair follicles contain melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair its color. The older you become, the less melanin your body produces. And when your body produces less of the pigment, your hair begins to turn gray, silver, or white.
The reality is, the more often you color your hair, the greater the potential for hair shedding. Hair dye does not stop or even slow down hair growth, but it can cause hair loss by damaging the color-treated hair. The chemicals in hair dye can cause some of the damage.
Not only can hair dye potentially cause allergic reactions and hair loss (because it aids in weakening your hair shaft and, if you lighten your locks, that can result in dry brittle tresses), but it's linked to breast cancer risk—especially among Black women—too.
Lack of proper sleep and stress are main reason of premature greying of hairs. Such lifestyle increases the ageing process which in turn may affect the hair growth, volume and overall health.