Why Does Hair Turn Gray?
Why does hair turn gray? This must be a question that every adult must have asked themselves at some point in time. Graying of hair seems even more mysterious when one sees a 30 year old with a head full of gray hair and yet a 45 year old with almost no gray hair. Well, there is a scientific explanation for this disparity.
A strand of hair is made up of two parts, the upper part which is called the shaft, and the lower part that anchors under the skin which is called the root. The hair follicle surrounds the root and is responsible for the characteristics of that particular strand of hair, including its rate of growth. One of the characteristics of a strand of hair is its color.
The cells in the hair follicle produce melanin, the same substance responsible for skin coloration as well. Melanin in the body comes in two forms each representing a different color shade: eumelanin is responsible for dark color and phaeomelanin causes light color. The entire spectrum of human hair shades is a as a result of the combination of these two forms of melanin in varying proportions.
When you get older, these color producing cells in the hair follicles start to die. As less and less color is produced, the hair strand turns grey. Each hair strand turns grey at its own rate, independent of the other strands. It can take several years for your entire head to turn gray because you have over 100,000 hairs. In fact, it usually takes well over ten years to go gray from the time you notice your first grey hair.
The age at which you notice your first grey hair is another matter. That depends on several factors. One important influence is heredity. If your parents went grey at an early age, it is possible that you will too. If your parents held onto their natural color late into life, there is a good chance you will not turn grey early.
Another thing that can cause your hair to turn gray early is your diet. If you eat a proper diet, it might be possible for you to forestall grey hair. The cells in your hair follicles that produce melanin need the proper nutrients to stay healthy and produce the melanin needed for dark hair coloring. This includes nutrients like iron and Vitamin B. Therefore if your diet is filled with low nutrient foods like junk foods, you may go gray much earlier than you need to.
Smoking is also linked to premature grey hair. Smoking is known to be an unhealthy habit. It deprives your body and hair of the oxygen it needs to be healthy and strong. It is even possible that smoking can go as far as causing your hair to turn grey way before its time. Illnesses can also contribute to grey hair. Medical conditions like thyroid disease and anemia might cause your hair to go gray. Treatments for cancer like radiation therapy and chemotherapy can also kill cells in your hair follicles and lead to premature gray hairs.
Most people are unhappy with gray hair and as a result, many products have come on the market to combat the problem. However, since grey hair is a biological process, not much can be done other than to over it up with hair coloring and hair styles.
Learn more about Latest Hairstyles. Stop by Jennifer Ang’s site where you can find out all about Hairstyles from favorite celebrity and what it can do for you.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Learn How To Make Healthy Bath And Body Goods At Home
- Want Super Fast Hair Growth? Use These Hair Growth Vitamins
- Making Individual Skincare A Daily Habit
- How Watching Television Can Assist You Boost Your Beauty Knowledge
- Why Should You Choose Natural Home Mole Removal?
