That’s why our hair turns gray

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Few people are happy to discover a white hair on themselves, but this is a completely natural process. Aging is often associated with diminishing hair color. Many people dye their hair to look younger and more dynamic again.

But how does it happen that your own mane turns white? Dermatology and venereal disease specialist Michelle Wirtz (46) explains in an interview with us: “In medicine, the process of turning hair gray or white is called canids or acromotrichia. Due to the complex influence of genetic and environmental factors on hair follicle stem cells and melanocytes, which are responsible for hair color, there are several possible explanations.»

After about ten growth cycles of three to seven years each, the color-giving cells are often “run out,” as Wirtz describes. “This leads to loss of melanin production in individual or even all hair follicles and you turn white.” Defective self-renewal or maldevelopment of hair follicle stem cells also affects the melanocytes they provide.

various reasons

As the expert explains, there are several reasons for hair discoloration: “In addition to the physiological loss of color caused by the aging process, it can also be triggered by taking certain medications. The same goes for autoimmune diseases or syndromes that cause premature aging.”

According to the expert, emotional stress, UV radiation, alcohol consumption, smoking and environmental toxins can cause the body to produce so-called free radicals. As the dermatologist knows, these lead to oxidative stress, which can have visible consequences: “Oxygen particles damage cells and accelerate the aging process. A number of studies have been able to show the effect of oxidative stress on hair follicles in case of premature graying».

Die Wirtz warns that vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency can also lead to premature whitening. “If a diet is accompanied by nutrient deficiencies and severe emotional stress, it is harmful to the body. There is also a link between obesity and premature whitening. On the other hand, conscious and ideally medically supervised fasting can slow down the aging process, ”explains the expert.

There is no exact age for bleaching.

It is very different when a person starts to lose the pigmentation of their hair. According to the dermatologist, there is almost no age difference between men and women, but there are ethnic differences. “The average age of hair bleaching for Caucasians is 34 plus/minus ten years, while for African-Americans it’s just 44 plus/minus ten years. Caucasians under 20 years old and African Americans under 30 years old is defined as premature graying when this process begins.”

How quickly all hair turns gray also varies. Hair at the temples or beard has a slightly shorter life cycle, so most people initially only partially turn gray in these areas, according to Wirtz.

That’s why some hair is white, while others are gray.

The expert explains why some people turn white while others turn white: “Grey hair has both pigmented and depigmented hair at the same time. Color-forming melanocytes are completely absent in white hair. And although the natural color of keratin, which is the basic building block of hair, is actually yellowish, depigmented hair appears white due to the reflection of incident light.»

What can be done about fading?

«There is no secret recipe to prevent whitening. Anyone who eats a vegan or vegetarian diet or suffers from intestinal diseases should at least regularly eliminate vitamin B12 deficiency. Otherwise, the point where the hair turns gray can hardly be affected,” says Wirtz. In general, a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet are recommended.

gray hair care

According to the expert, everyone who has already turned gray should protect their hair well from the sun, as it is more sensitive to UV radiation. Proper care is also very important: Shampoos that do not contain silicone make hair look smoother and shiny. If you want to neutralize the yellow tone, you can use shampoos and/or nourishing color conditioners with violet pigments, as the dermatologist explains.

Wirtz says that if you dye your hair, you should definitely be mindful of the sensitive ingredients in dyes: “Chemical color precursors, conditioners, or synthetic fragrances found in hair dyes or tints can damage the scalp and hair structure. Some are even suspected to increase the risk of cancer, particularly bladder cancer.”

Source : Blick