Premature Greying of Hair

What is premature greying of hair?

Premature greying is the gradual darkening of hair. The problem of premature greying is mainly inherited. Pigment cells in hair follicles create melanin, which gives tresses their colour. As the body quits producing melanin, the hair turns grey, white, or silver.

Most people have grey hair by the age of 50. But if the hair turns grey before the age of 50, around the age range of 20–30 years, which is not natural, It is not normal. Premature greying affects both genders equally. Premature greying of the hair is different among different ethnic groups. White people begin greying in their mid-30s, Asians in their late 30s, and African-Americans in their mid-40s.

Read more – Natural home hair dye for grey hair

Causes of Premature Hair Greying 

• Low melanosomes in the hair reduce melanocyte activity, which leads to reduced melanosomal transfer to keratinocytes, therefore premature greying of hair 
• Melanin incontinence due to melanocyte degeneration
• Exhaustive and poor survival abilities of the melanocyte stem cell pool also result in premature hair greying. 

Why does premature hair greying happen?

• It is associated with organ-specific auto-immune disease. For example, pernicious anaemia, an auto-immune disease, shows a higher frequency of premature greying of hair.
• The premature greying of hair is also seen in protein deficiency diseases and amino-acid metabolism disorders. 
• High levels of phenylalanine are responsible for the different hair colours, as in phenylketonuria (buildup of phenylalanine in the body), which is the reason for it. 
• In Kwashiorkor disease, patients show a reduction in the number of melanocytes in their hair, and a reduction in sulphur-containing proteins, which results in depigmented hair. 

Characteristics of grey hair

1. Grey hair is coarser, stiffer, and less manageable than pigmented hair.
2. Grey hair, upon exposure to UV light, undergoes more damage than normal hair.
3. Grey hair is more resistant to incorporating artificial colour than natural hair.
4. Thickness, growth rate, and hair shaft elongation are much higher in grey hair than in regular colour or melanized hair.
5. Whitebeard hair grows up to 4 times faster and has a thicker hair shaft than pigmented beard hair.

Premature hair greying syndrome & melatonin deficiency hair disorder

The diseases and syndromes that are classified under these are:

1. Waardenburg syndrome
2. Werner’s syndrome
3. Ataxia telangiectasia
4. Cri du Chat syndrome
5. Progeria
6. Book’s syndrome
7. Rothmund-Thomson syndrome
8. Fisch’s syndrome
9. Seckle’s disease
10. Vogt-Koyangi Harada Syndrome
11. Prolidase deficiency
12. Matzner syndrome 

Treatment for premature greying of the hair

1. Premature greying of the hair is also known as “canities,” and the treatment options for this condition are inadequate. 
2. The other possible treatments, including PABA(para amino benzoic acid), calcium pantothenate, nutritional supplements and psoralen combined with solar UV light, have given inconsistent results. 
3. However, latanoprost has given the desired effect after three years of use. 

Premature greying of hair in other conditions

Vitamin B12 deficiency and AIDS patients have also shown premature greying of the hair.

Read more– Different Sources of Vitamin B12 Foods

Conclusion

Premature greying of the hair can manifest as a dominant, autosomal trait or an organ-specific auto-immune disorder, or it may also occur as part of various syndromes. Greying hair prematurely has always been a source of concern because it reduces a person’s confidence. Although appearance is just an external projection, it still makes a person feel good and positive when we look our best. These conditions should be dealt with emotions and feeling to get favourable results. 

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare provider before beginning any new wellness practice, especially if you have an existing medical condition or are on medication.

References:

• Gerriets, V., & Nappe, T. M. (2024). Acetaminophen. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482369/
• Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology – Premature graying of hair. (2013, August 31). Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. https://ijdvl.com/premature-graying-of-hair/