Effective Ways To Treat Your Gray Hair Naturally

The rumours are true, I am a weird scarlet-haired combination…

Gray hair refers to when your hair loses its natural pigmentation and starts to grow white or gray. It is a natural process that goes hand in hand with aging, especially after the 30s or 40s. But, contrary to popular belief, gray hair isn’t always an indicator of the twilight phase of your age. People can experience pigmentation loss prematurely in their teens and range into our late 50’s or even older due to an imbalance in hormones, melatonin reduction, or even psychological conditions like stress and grief.

The human body has millions of hair follicles which generate hair and color or pigment cells that contain melanin. With age, hair follicles start losing pigment cells, leading to white hair color. So, hair doesn’t actually “turn” gray. When a single strand of hair starts out brown, black, red or blonde, the color has already been set and it is never going to turn gray.

Many women proudly sport those changes in their silver mane, while others wait anxiously for gray hairs to appear. So, whether you are in your early 20’s or late 50’s, graying hair will always come as a subtly veiled nightmare which reminds us of how fast time is passing by.

“Fifty percent of the population has about 50% gray hair at age 50,” says Dr. Anthony Oro, professor of dermatology at Stanford University. This is also called the 50-50-50 rule. But, as we mentioned above, age is not the only factor which affects the gray hair in your hair. From ethnicity to vitamin deficiencies your tresses can talk and herald a long list of gray hair causes which goes beyond age only.

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Why does your hair turn gray?

The follicles which generate melanin are called melanocytes. Initially, your hair is transparent, so it’s melanin which gives out hair its color. So, the more melanin is produced, the darker the hair color; the less melanin, the lighter the hair color.

Over time, melanocytes follicles stop producing melanin, so without pigment, new hair strands will grow transparent. So, gray hair doesn’t really mean there is a true gray or white pigment in your hair, but it’s due to the way light is reflected from your colorless hair and the contrast with your dark healthier hair which makes it look gray or white. “Gray hair, technically, is transparent,” says Dr. Mofid. “The range in transparency — gray, silver or white — has to do with how melanin levels are affecting your hair’s pigment.” Even polar bears have lack pigment in their fur pigmented fur, so they are technically transparent animals. Eventually, human hair will become the same, transparent shade. So, blame your gray hair to the melanocyte stem cells (MSC) failure.

But, MSC failure is not always an indication of our biological age. Other causes of gray hair are also: Heredity (genes), ethnicity, lifestyle, stress, smoking, medical conditions, and chemical hair products. Read more about it here: From Ethnicity To Vitamin Deficiencies, These Are 8 Causes Of Gray Hair

If there is more salt than pepper present in your hair, that’s the reminder that you are no longer young. Whether you decide to focus on the salt and accept the nature’s inevitable laws or the pepper side calls to you, it’s a part of life and a beautiful part of it. So, if you love rocking your gray mane and embrace being a silver fox, we can say all the power to you!

How to treat your gray hair?

Every phase of your life should be embraced for what it is and be cherished for as long as you can. So, even though there is nothing wrong with going gray, some prefer their pigment, so they want to keep it that way. So, once you have decided that your gray hair is not really something you want in your hair and life, you can go to a special hair clinic to have it looked at.

Before trying any hair treatment, it’s really important to run a few tests to determine whether the gray strands were brought upon by any underlying health issue or not. When these ’causes’ have been ruled out, you will be diagnosed with either premature graying or natural graying. Based on your hair type, you will be going through the appropriate treatment plan you need.

It is also important to know that you can’t reverse gray hair permanently, but you can at least prevent more hair from turning gray, by boosting the health and vitality of your hair.

Though there are no medical treatments to reverse gray hair permanently, there are many things you can do to bring back the natural pigment. Check out below to find out how to reverse or slow the graying hair process:

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1. Change your lifestyle

– Get enough vitamins: B12, biotin, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin A

– Get enough minerals: iron, zinc, magnesium

– Stop smoking

– Stop using chemical hair products

– Cover your hair to protect it from the sun

2. Home remedies for gray hair

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is effective in treating a multitude of hair-related issues, like dandruff, balding, lice and yes, gray hair. Every other day, before sleep, massage your scalp and hair with coconut oil. The next morning, wash your hair as usual.

Curry leaves: The antioxidants and amino acids present in curry leaves strengthen the hair follicles and moisturize the scalp. Make a paste of ¼ cup of curry leaves and ½ cup of yogurt. Apply it to your hair and scalp and then wash it off after 30 minutes. Repeat two to three times a week.

Coconut oil + curry leaves: According to The Refreshing Point, you can also mix coconut oil and curry leaves for a perfect combo. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the curry leaves. Simmer until the leaves turn black and allow the oil to cool. Through a strainer pour the oil into a glass container and massage into the hair twice a week.

Onion: With their quantities of sulfur, allicin and other compounds, onion juice is a centuries-old remedy for treating thin graying hair and alopecia. To take the best out of it, blend an onion in a blender and then use a strainer so that you’re left with the juice. Rub the onion juice to your scalp and let it sit for half an hour before rinsing it with water.

Amla: Known for being rich in vitamins, phytonutrients, minerals, and antioxidants, amla strengthens hair follicles and ousts the free radicals responsible for graying hair. Use amla to massage your hair with amla oil once a week or simply drink six ounces of fresh amla juice every day.
Almond oil: Mix almond oil, amla juice, and lemon juice and massage the mixture into your hair and scalp.

Ginger: Eat a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey.

Carrot juice: Drink 8 ounces of carrot juice every day.

3. Natural hair dyes

If you want a faster effect in covering your gray hair, you can create your own hair dye. Even though they might not give a quick effect as chemical dyes, they are more natural and won’t damage your hair. Make sure to repeat a number of times before you see the desired result.

For red hair

Herbs: Simmer calendula, rosehips, hibiscus, and marigold in water for about half an hour. Strain, cool, then pour the mixture on your hair and allow to dry in the sun if possible.

Carrot: Simply apply about a cup of carrot juice or beet juice to your hair. Wrap the hair and let the juice sit for at least an hour. Rinse your hair and seal with an apple cider vinegar spray. For better results, repeat the next day.

For blonde hair

Lemon juice: Spray fresh-squeezed lemon juice into your hair. Leave on for several hours and rinse. Repeat the application several times for a better result.

Chamomile tea: Put 1/2 cup of chamomile flowers in boiling water and then let it cool for 30 minutes. Remove the flowers and apply the tea it to your hair damp hair. Let it sit for 15 minutes and rinse with water. Repeat once a week.

For brown and black hair

Coffee: Mix 1/2 cup of coffee with one cup of leave-in conditioner and 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds. Apply the mixture on clean hair and let it sit for about an hour. For better results, rinse with cider vinegar.

Walnut shell: Crush the walnut shells and boil for about 30 minutes. After it’s cool, strain and apply to your tresses. You can use a cotton ball to apply to your gray spots of your hair.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article: text, graphics, images, and other materials contained are strictly for informational purposes only. The Content is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Please ALWAYS seek the advice of a qualified health provider with all the questions that you have related to, or about, a medical condition.