A look at “7 Reasons Your Hair Is Going Gray Prematurely” Take a moment to picture this: You wake up in the morning and start your daily wellness ritual. Cuddling into your cozy slippers, you make your way to the kitchen to prepare a delectable matcha latte. When it’s time for skincare, you go through the motions of washing your face. As you massage the cleanser into your skin, you spot something shiny and gray in the mirror that causes surprise – several grey strands! It’s only natural that this discovery leaves you wondering why there is premature greying of hair. To get some answers, we went straight to Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALM—a member of our Medical Expert Board and also a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach—for an explanation. Before we go any further into details though, let us be clear about one thing—hair has its own unique story!
Contrary to what you may think, Harvard Health Publishing advises that the majority of gray hair growth is not due to stress. As a hair follicle produces a strand, its color is determined from the start- whether it’s red, brown or blond. With age, your follicles create less pigment and every time your hair moves through the cycle of growth and fall out, there is a greater chance of it growing back gray after you turn 35.
7 Reasons Your Hair Is Going Gray Prematurely
“While going gray may have a lot to do with things outside of your control—like your genetics— there are a couple of things you can do to give yourself the best chance of postponing graying as long as you can,” Dr. Bohl explains. “Eating a varied, nutritious diet that’s full of vitamins and minerals can help protect against deficiencies, and quitting smoking and managing other forms of stress can also be beneficial for your hair health.”
If your hair is going gray prematurely, there are a few things that could be going on behind the scenes. Keep reading to learn what Dr. Bohl has to say, and when you’re finished, don’t miss these 7 Ways To Minimize & Smooth Neck Wrinkles Before 40.
1. Genetics: Genetics is the most common cause of premature graying. If your parents or grandparents went gray early, you’re more likely to as well.
Genetics can impact many things in your body, one of them being the potential to get gray hair sooner than you’d like. “One of the biggest factors when it comes to gray hair is your genetics,” Dr. Bohl tells us. “If you have a family history of going gray at an earlier age or you have certain genes, you could see yourself going gray earlier than your friends.”
2. Nutritional deficiencies. A deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, iron, and copper, can also lead to premature graying.
Following proper nutrition and taking the right vitamins are key to keeping your hair in good health. Another reason why your hair is going gray prematurely could be because you’re deficient in vitamin B12. “This deficiency can weaken hair follicle cells and impact the production of melanin,” Dr. Bohl says.
If you are vitamin B12 deficient, you may feel tired, weak, or lightheaded, WebMD explains. You may also deal with nerve issues such as tingling or numbness, vision loss, muscle weakness, diarrhea, constipation, depression, memory loss, or issues walking.
3. Thyroid: “The thyroid impacts your metabolism and can also have an effect on your hair,” Dr. Bohl explains. “If you have an over- or under-active thyroid, you could have grayer hair earlier in life.”
If you think you may have thyroid disease, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) can include difficulty sleeping, nervousness, irritability, weight loss, heat sensitivity, and muscle weakness/tremors. Symptoms of hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) can include fatigue, weight gain, frequent and heavy periods, dry and coarse hair, forgetfulness, and being intolerant to the cold.
4. Medical conditions. Certain medical conditions, such as thyroid problems and alopecia areata, can also cause premature graying.
Besides thyroid disease, you could be dealing with another underlying condition that’s the culprit behind your early grays. For instance, diseases like vitiligo result in losing your skin color, which appears in patches. This condition can impact skin all over your body, along with your hair and your mouth, the Mayo Clinic explains.
The hue of your hair, along with your skin color, typically depend on melanin. Vitiligo happens when the cells that create melanin aren’t functioning or die.
5. Smoking: It can bring on a variety of terrifying health risks, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, lung disease, and tuberculosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 16 million individuals in the U.S. are dealing with a smoking-related disease. For each person who passes away from smoking, a minimum of 30 individuals live with a major illness due to smoking.
