Do you remember your little panic attack when you spotted your first gray hair? What’s the first thing on your mind when you see hair discoloration? Most women want to simply pluck white hair so that it’s gone for good. But is that the right way to deal with hair graying? Definitely not. It’s possible to reverse hair graying, but why wait till you spot gray hair? You should take action now to prevent your hair from turning white. In this post, we will walk you through tips on how to stop white hair. Let’s learn the causes of white hair first.
Causes of White Hair
White hair is clearly one of the many side-effects of our sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary choices, and the increasing level of pollution. The worst part of spotting gray hair is that you know you will have many more in the future. Once a couple of your hair strands turn gray, it’s only a matter of time before everybody will notice your premature hair graying. White hair is absolutely natural when it’s part of your aging process. There’s no way you can stop your hair from turning white when you reach a certain age, but noticing them in your early twenties or thirties is not something you might have imagined.
Lack of Pigmentation
Hair graying occurs due to a lack of pigmentation. Your hair gets a black color from melanin. Hair pigmentation doesn’t work like skin pigmentation. It’s continuous on your skin, but the pigments are completely absent during the telogen phase of your hair growth cycle. As you age, the amount of pigments in your hair strands is reduced significantly, causing your hair to turn white. Simply put, your hair follicles do not get the right amount of pigment when they age. The
lack of melanin results in gray hair, which eventually turns white.
Vitamin Deficiency
Your body needs adequate vitamins, including Vitamins B-6, B-12, E, and D, to ensure proper hair growth. Your hair also needs biotin and minerals like copper and magnesium. These vitamins are crucial for your hair health and play a significant role in keeping the grays in check. A wholesome meal that includes all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients necessary for your hair health can help prevent premature graying.
Genetics
Your genes also play a role in hair graying. At what age your hair strands lose pigment depends on how soon your close ones spotted gray hair. If you have a family history of hair graying at an early age, your risk factor of having white hair in your late 20s or early 30s increases.
Hormonal Changes and Stress
Hormonal imbalance, which occurs during menopause, starting of the menstrual cycle, and pregnancy, can also trigger premature graying. You may have heard that stress is unhealthy for your hair. The increased cortisol level in your body can result in melanin loss, causing hair graying.
Exposure to Chemicals
Hair colors contain hydrogen peroxide, a chemical that can change the color of your hair permanently. Likewise, exposure to chemical treatment and heating appliances has a negative impact on your hair health in the long run. Hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals can damage your hair pigment permanently, which may eventually result in hair graying.
Smoking
Smoking is another major cause of premature hair graying. If you are wondering how to prevent white hair from spreading or reverse graying, you should stop smoking immediately. Smoking makes your blood vessels narrower, which eventually results in less oxygen supply to your hair follicle, causing hair damage and premature hair graying.
Can You Get Rid Of White Hair?
Reversing gray hair is possible, but it’s much better to take prevention steps to stop your hair from turning gray. These steps will reduce the number of white hair strands significantly and prevent your hair from turning gray. Now, whether you can reverse hair graying or not depends completely on the cause of graying. If it’s caused by genetics, you have very few options to delay hair graying. Cosmetic and chemical treatments can help change the color of your hair,
but these are only temporary solutions.
It’s best to see a dermatologist to identify the underlying cause of the white hair spreading rapidly over your scalp. To restore hair pigments, you can take vitamin supplements or add essential minerals to your diet. This will promote quick hair growth. If you are searching for how to stop white hair naturally, we’ve natural remedies that can help. Let’s check out a few that can work wonders for people dealing with premature hair graying.
Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Gray/White Hair
Amla and Methi
â— Add 2-3 pieces of Amla to 3 tbsps of coconut oil and let the ingredients boil
â— Add some fenugreek powder and strain the mixture
â— Let it cool, and then apply it all over your scalp
â— Leave it overnight and wash off with your regular shampoo
Amla (Indian Gooseberry) contains high levels of Vitamin C and many antioxidants that work together to give you smooth, silky, thicker, and black hair. This natural ingredient is known for its anti-aging properties and the ability to revitalize your hair pigment. Mix it with Fenugreek or Methi seeds to enhance its effect on your scalp. Both ingredients can turn your hair black and prevent the rest of the hair follicles from losing pigment.
Black Tea Rinse
â— In one cup of water, boil 2-3 tbsps of black tea and 1 teaspoon of salt.
â— Let it cool for a while, and then apply it across your scalp.
â— Let your hair dry before washing it off with cold water. Use this formula regularly to turn your grey hair strands white.
The dark pigment of black tea gives a temporary black pigment to your hair follicles, turning your gray hair black for some time. However, its effect doesn’t last long. Black tea contains caffeine, which comes packed with many antioxidants known for keeping your hair healthy and black. Consider a black tea hair rinse to get black hair naturally, even if that’s for a short period.
It’s also a quick home remedy to turn all your white hair strands black overnight.
Curry Leaves
â— Take a few curry leaves (2-3) and boil them in the 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
â— Strain it to prepare the oil
â— Once the oil is at room temperature, massage your hair gently, from the roots to your hair length.
â— Massage your hair for 20 minutes and leave it on your scalp for some time (preferably overnight)
â— Rinse your hair with a mild shampoo followed by conditioning.
An excellent source of vitamin B, curry leaves act as a magical natural ingredient for people struggling with premature hair graying problems. They can restore the melanin in your hair follicles, giving them their natural color. In addition, curry leaves contain Beta-keratin, which promotes hair growth and prevents hair fall. So, whether you are struggling with hair graying or excess hair fall, curry leaves can help. You can try it with coconut oil and massage your hair gently with this natural recipe. We are sure you will love the results.
Onion Juice
â— Mix 3 tbsps of onion juice in a bowl with a few drops of olive oil and lemon juice.
â— Massage your hair with this mixture and let it sit for 30 minutes
â— Wash off with a mild shampoo and conditioner
You may have heard of the several benefits of onion juice for hair health. This natural ingredient has been used to boost hair growth for centuries and is an excellent solution to stop hair fall and get healthy hair. Onion contains antioxidants that can darken your hair color and reverse premature hair graying when used the right way. Onion juice also helps with dandruff and other hair problems effectively. The catalase enzyme present in onion can get the
hydrogen peroxide out of your hair, restoring your hair’s original black color.
Henna and Coffee
â— Add 1 tbsp of coffee to a cup of boiling water and stir it until there is no lump
â— Add 4 tbsps of henna powder to the mixture and keep stirring
â— Let the mixture sit on your scalp for an hour
â— Wash your hair with the regular-use shampoo and lukewarm water
Most people try Henna to turn their hair black or give it a red/brown color. Henna comes in various colors and is a perfect solution to hair graying. However, you must apply it regularly to turn your hair color permanently. It contains lawsone, which can give you hair black and brownish tones. You can mix it with coffee, another natural ingredient that can give your hair red and brown hues. Check the ingredients in the Henna powder to ensure it’s free of chemicals.
Ridge Gourd and Coconut Oil
â— Put the leaves in a bowl with 3-4 tbsps of coconut oil and let it seep.
â— Let it boil for 3-4 minutes, and then strain the mixture to get a hair oil
â— Apply it to your scalp at night and gently massage your hair. Then, wash off in the morning with mild shampoo. If you are looking for how to avoid white hair naturally, you should try ridge gourd. It is quite effective for your hair, especially when combined with coconut oil.
Tips For Reducing Gray Hair
Add Vitamin B12 to Your Diet
As mentioned earlier, knowing the cause of premature hair graying can help reduce and reverse hair graying. One of the common causes of white hair is vitamin B12 deficiency. Your hair tends to lose its original pigment because of pernicious anemia, a condition caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. If that’s the cause of white hair, adding vitamin B12 supplements or foods to your diet can help.
Monitor Your Thyroid Levels Regularly
Your thyroid levels also affect your hair pigments. The thyroid plays a role in all important functions of your body, one of which is your hair color. Hypothyroidism or low thyroid levels can result in premature hair graying. Untreated thyroid and a poor diet are a few common causes of your hair turning gray and white at a young age. You need hormone therapy if you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. It keeps your thyroid levels in check, thus preventing the medical conditions that might arise due to high/low thyroid.
Add Antioxidant-rich Foods to Your Diet
A wholesome diet includes essential vitamins and antioxidants that work as anti-aging ingredients, protecting your skin and hair from showing premature aging signs. If genetics, smoking, and hormonal imbalance aren’t the cause of white hair, it must be the lack of antioxidants in your diet. Eat green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, seafood, and other healthy and natural ingredients.
Prevent UV Damage
Nothing damages your hair faster than exposure to UV rays. Since there’s no sunscreen, your only option is to cover your hair with a scarf or a hat when going out. Try not to spend too much time in the sun. If your job requires that, make sure you cover your hair before stepping outside. You can try heat protection products too, but the scarf is your best bet.
Eat the Right Food
A healthy lifestyle starts with a healthy and nutritious diet. If you have been diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency, add more seafood, lamb, and dairy products to your diet. If you are vegan, you should talk to your doctor about taking vitamin B12 supplements. Here are other foods you must consider to prevent premature hair graying.
â— Carrots
â— Berries
â— Seafood
â— Sunflower seeds
â— Almonds ad walnuts
â— Beans
â— Curry leaves
â— Eggs
â— Spinach
Conclusion
It’s important to understand the cause of hair graying so that you know how to stop white hair by following the right techniques. Hope the above tips helped you learn ways to keep your hair black. Remember, your diet and lifestyle are the key factors in keeping your hair healthy. Unless it’s because of genetics, there are plenty of ways to restore your original hair color with natural
remedies.
