Simple Treatments For Greying Hair

Growing old is not the most pleasant of experiences but it is something that we all have to face during our lives on this earth. If it’s not wrinkles it is the weathered looks and if it’s not our sagging muscles and other body parts there is something else drooping or aching! However, one of the most common and more obvious signs of aging is the greying of our hair! The crazy thing is, our hair can begin to turn grey at any age and although it is usually associated with aging, it can actually happen to many people whilst they are young. The greying of hair effects both men and women and for many, greying hair can be a very emotional period in their lives, especially if it happens at an early age.

It is said that most people will have some form of greyness by the time they are in their 50’s but there are others that see their first grey hairs in their 20’s.

So Why Do We Go Grey?

There are many reasons and explanations as to why some of us go grey earlier than others but it is purely down to genetics. It is said that we will usually see our first grey hairs around the same age as when our parents and grandparents saw their first grey hairs. However, other factors to determine the greying hair process and these are poor nutrition and lack of vitamins.

Each one of our hair follicles contains melanocytes and these are pigment cells which produce Eumelanin and Pheomelanin. Eumelanin is either black or dark brown and Pheomelanin is a red/yellow colour. Melanin is passed to the cells which produce the protein in the hair which is known as Keratin. When the cells that produce the Keratin (known as keratinocytes) begin to die, they retain the colour from the melanin. However, over time, these cells become much less active and as a result less pigment is released into the hair which makes the hair a lighter colour. Eventually, as the greying hair process progresses, all the melanocytes die off and this means that there are no more left to produce colour for the hair.

Different Treatments For Greying Hair

Through time and with modern technology, treatments for greying hair have certainly advanced. Although the process of our hair going grey is something that we really cannot control, there are many ways that can help hide the process of greying hair or even help slow the whole process down.

Below are just a few of the more popular treatments for greying hair.

Cosmetic Treatments

Hair dyes have been around for many a year and are probably the most common form of treatment for greying hair. Dying of the hair is a quick and cost effective treatment but the downside of the treatment is that you need to keep dying the hair once as the hair grows and the new grey hairs and roots begin to appear.

Hair dyes are formulated so that the molecules can penetrate through the hair cuticles without causing cuticle damage. Most hair dye product contain some form of chemicals with the most common ingredient being Ammonia. However, this said, some hair dyes use vegetable colours and these are more commonly used by people who are concerned with applying any hair dye that may contain chemicals. The two most popular and more commonly known of these vegetable colours are Henna and Sage.

Medical Treatments

The colour of a person’s hair is determined by the amount of Melanin that is present in a person’s body. Melanin is also responsible for the colour of a person’s skin as well as the colour of their hair. The amount of Melanin in a person’s body will also play a key role in determining whether a person’s skin will tan or burn when it is exposed to the sun for a long period of time. Melanin is also the pigment that determines the colour of a person eyes. However, as we get older and the aging process begins to set in, the production of Melanin in the body begins to slow down. When this happens, it causes the natural colouring of your hair to begin to fade and as a result grey hairs begin to appear.

Many people that start to go grey choose to take Melanin supplements that help to reverse the slowing down process of Melanin. There are several different types of supplements that are available but if you are looking for such supplements, you should always contact a medical professional and seek advice as to which would be the best for you, if any.

Application of Topical Nutrients For Greying Hair

Topical Nutrients have become popular with many people and are used by some for grey hair treatment and greying hair. Applying the nutrient topically to the hair can help fight against greyness. Although the nutrients may not actually cure greyness, they are thought to help prolong the greying hair process and help restore Melanin and reduce the greying process.

The list below are universally accepted topical solutions that can be applied to hair to improve the fight against greying hair. Some of these are ancient remedies and are proven trough time.

Eugenol Oil: Applied topically, the active ingredients of Eugenol oil come from cloves. Eugenol oil has demonstrated to restore the colour of the hair.

Amla Oil: This oil strengthens the follicles of the hair facilitates pigmentation and hair growth.

Ligustrum: Has long been used by the Chinese to prevent greying of hair.

Ashwagandha: This one increases the melanin in the hair treating the greys and giving back its colour.

Superoxide Dismutase: Are compounds that are often found in hair gels to protect against greying of the hair.

Shampoos with Omega-3: Omega 3 are anti-oxidants that fight against degrading of the cells. Omega-3 provides nutrition for the hair follicle to fight against premature greying.

Melanin: Could also be applied topically in the scalp.

Retin A: When combined with alpha-hydroxyl acid are powerful agents that give back the hairs natural colour.

Greying hair is a natural part of growing old and if you are looking for different ways to avoid grey hair, there are many other options available.