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.
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.
Gray or white hair, which contains little or no pigment, sometimes gets yellow because it picks up pigments from the environment; for example, if you use a yellowish shampoo or conditioner, rather than a clear one, a trace of the color might be deposited on your hair.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Although the primary cause of premature hair graying (PHG) is considered to be genetic, certain environmental factors also play a role. Trace element deficiencies such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, and calcium may also be associated with PHG.
Hormone fluctuations can also play a role in graying hair. Managing such medical conditions could, in theory, help restore melanin and your natural hair color over time.
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.
Purple shampoo has been used for decades by hairdressers, mostly to help tone and neutralize blonde and gray hair, getting rid of brassy or yellow tones for an overall more cool-toned look.
Sun: Because white hair still contains pigment, that pigment can be bleached by the sun and the natural molecules that contain more blue are removed leaving the molecules with more yellow to become more prominent.
Graying hair doesn't mean your hair will fall out, but you do need to start using specialized shampoos to help protect your strands. These include purple shampoos that prevent your gray strands from turning yellowish in tone and those that keep your hair from becoming brittle.
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.
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.
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.
Early graying has been claimed to be related to autoimmune thyroid disease, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism (11, 12), whereas darkening of gray/white hair may occur in some patients after TH administration (13).
It turns out you can blame Mom and Dad, at least a bit. Scientists say they've identified the first gene for gray hair. The variant, dubbed IRF4, is also associated with blonde or lighter-colored hair. That makes sense, because melanin is the pigment that paints hair with the chestnut, golden or raven hues of youth.
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.
Glasses for grey hair
Opt for rich, deep shades like red, brown, navy, blue, purple and tortoiseshell. Metal styles also look great, as well as neutral colours like white, black and grey. Try to steer away from yellow, gold, beige or brown tones that can clash or have a dulling effect.
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.
The pigment in our hair is caused by melanin— the same pigment that is also responsible for our skin color. Gray hair is caused by a loss in melanin, whereas white hair does not have any melanin at all. As you age, your hair produces less and less melanin that leads your hair to appear gray, and then eventually white.
At a Glance. Stress can cause hair to gray prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment. The findings give insights for future research into how stress affects stem cells and tissue regeneration.
Whether it's you or someone else doing the puffing, exposure to cigarette smoke can affect your hair color. Research published in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal found that smokers have 2.5 times greater odds of early graying, likely because of the huge amounts of free radicals generated by lighting up.