How to prevent white hair? Causes, precautions, and remedies explored

While pimples and dark spots can be pesky, white hair is another concern for beauty enthusiasts. Once seen as a sign of ageing, white hair has become common among people in their twenties as well.

Usually, the greying of hair is caused due to vitamin deficiencies, smoking and other factors, and remedies depend on the cause. A scientific explanation behind the appearance of white hair is that the human body’s hair follicles generate color and pigment cells that consist of melanin. With time, hair follicles lose pigment cells, which results in the white shade of hair.

Moreover, genetics, stress, and, in some cases, hair products, cause premature whitening of hair. One must look into the root cause of whitening of hair before using any product to treat it.

---

Causes, cure, and other details about white hair explored

Everyone loves the natural color of their hair and whitening of hair does become a menace to one's naturally toned hair look. Moreover, the appearance of white hair prompts the urge to take a tweezer and pluck it out or use dyes as a cover-up.

However, before jumping to DIY solutions for the same, one must take a look at the common causes of premature whitening of hair:

1) Stress: People are prone to seeinh white hair popping when they suffer from chronic stress for a long time. Stress is one of the factors that contribute to the greying of hair, as it is linked to stem cell depletion of the hair follicles.

This also includes oxidative stress, which occurs when the number of free radicals surpasses antioxidants. With a depleted number of antioxidants, it becomes difficult for the body to fight free radicals and leads to multiple health issues, with white hair being one of the effects.

---

2) Genetics: Sometimes, the whitening of hair is influenced by the genes one inherits from their parents. While factors like ageing and stress play an important part in the process, the IRF4 gene has a dominant effect on when a person’s hair starts greying.

---

3) Vitamin deficiency: Low levels of minerals and vitamins in the body can cause premature whitening of hair. Vitamins like zinc, vitamin B12, ferritin, calcium, and iron affect hair follicles and their pigment. Hence, the deficiency of these vitamins can result in white hair.

---

4) Smoking: Smoking is harmful to one’s health and hair as well. Smoking dilates the blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the hair follicles. Moreover, inhaling cigarette smoke can damage hair follicles and result in premature greying of hair.

Some of the common precautions and remedies to tackle white hair include:

1) Consumption of vitamin B12-rich foods: Foods rich in Vitamin B12 aid in melanin production and delay premature whitening of hair. These foods include oranges, plums, cranberries, yoghurt, and other fruits and veggies.

---

2) Keep stress at bay: This tip is easier said than done. However, it is essential to follow stress reduction techniques and activities to prevent premature and quick whitening of hair.

---

3) Follow healthy hair habits: To prevent white hair, one must reduce chemical and mechanical styling. Additionally, one must avoid experimenting with multiple shampoo and conditioner formulations and stick to what works for them.

---

4) Home remedies: Ingredients like coconut oil, onion, curry leaves, almond oil, and rosemary have been listed on multiple health and beauty websites as effective home remedies for preventing premature whitening of hair.

---

In addition to following simple nutrition and hairstyling techniques, beauty enthusiasts must take care of lifestyle changes and nourish their tresses with DIY hair treatments to avoid whitening of hair early on.