Grey Hair
Your hair follows a natural cycle of dying and regeneration. As your hair follicles age, they produce less pigment, resulting in grey or white hair.
Genetics largely determine when this greying process begins, but by the age of 35, it’s common for ageing hair follicles to produce grey or white strands as replacements.
While some view grey hair as a badge of maturity and wisdom, others may feel it ages their appearance prematurely and seek ways to maintain a youthful look.
Lifestyle Changes to Combat Grey Hair
If you’re concerned about grey hair, lifestyle adjustments can help preserve your natural hair colour for longer. Here are some recommendations:
Ensure Adequate Vitamin Intake Vitamins crucial for healthy hair include:
- B vitamins, particularly B-12 and biotin
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin A
Maintain Sufficient Mineral Levels Essential minerals for hair growth and repair include:
- Zinc
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Selenium
- Copper
Quit Smoking Smoking not only has numerous other health drawbacks but can also damage and shrink hair follicles.
Shield Hair from Sun Exposure Wear a hat or scarf to protect your hair from sun damage.
Avoid Hair Damage Actions that can harm your hair include:
- Bleaching
- Using a brush on wet hair instead of a wide-toothed comb
- Excessive heat from styling tools like curling irons or hair dryers
- Using harsh shampoos or soaps
- Overwashing your hair
Home Remedies for Grey Hair
Several natural remedies are purported to combat grey hair. Here are some options:
Coconut Oil: Massage coconut oil into your hair and scalp every other day before bed, then wash it out the next morning.
- Ginger: Consume a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger mixed with a tablespoon of honey daily.
- Blackstrap Molasses: Ingest a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses every other day.
- Amla: Drink six ounces of fresh amla juice daily or massage amla oil into your hair weekly.
- Black Sesame Seeds: Eat a tablespoon of black sesame seeds two to three times per week.
- Ghee: Massage pure ghee into your hair and scalp twice a week.
- Amaranth: Apply fresh amaranth juice to your hair three times a week.
- Wheatgrass Juice: Drink one to two ounces of fresh wheatgrass juice daily or add wheatgrass powder to your diet.
- Fo-ti: Take 1,000 milligrams of fo-ti supplement twice daily.
- Onion Juice: Rub onion juice into your scalp twice a week, leaving it for 30 minutes before shampooing.
Natural Hair Dyes
You can create your own hair dye using herbs, although these may require multiple applications for noticeable results. Some options include:
Blonde hair: Chamomile flower tea, lemon peel, saffron, marigold flower Red hair: Beet juice, carrot juice, rose petals Brown hair: Coffee, cinnamon Black hair: Black walnut, black tea, sage, nettle
Other Remedies:
- Torai Ridged Gourd: Boil torai in coconut oil, then massage into hair two to three times weekly.
- Bhringraj: Mix bhringraj and coconut oil, apply to hair, and wash out after one hour, repeating two to three times weekly.
- Black Pepper: Mix black pepper and lemon juice into yogurt, apply to hair, and rinse out after one hour, repeating three times weekly.
- Henna: Create a paste with henna powder and black tea or coffee, apply to hair, and rinse out after 1 to 3 hours.
The Bottom Line
As you age, so do your hair follicles, producing less pigment and resulting in grey or white hair. Various solutions exist to retain or alter your hair colour, including natural home remedies. However, these remedies lack clinical evidence and may cause allergies. Consult your doctor before trying any home remedy to discuss potential effects based on your health and medication regimen.
Monika Wassermann is a doctor and a freelance writer based in the UK who lives with her cat Buddy. She writes across several verticals, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness. Her three great loves are Victorian novels, Lebanese cuisine, and vintage markets. When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to meditate more, weightlifting, or wandering around in town.
monika@shopgiejo.com
- 20+ Home Remedies for Gray Hair - April 30, 2024
- Unlocking Cognitive Potential: A Comprehensive Guide to Artichoke Extract Nootropics Benefits - October 23, 2023
- The Comprehensive Guide to the Benefits of Quicksilver Supplements - July 8, 2023