Premature Greying Hair

Overview

Premature greying of the hair is when it occurs before the age of twenty (PGH). The colour and style of one's hair can have a big impact on how they appear to others and how they are perceived. The age at which greying of the hair begins to appear varies across races and is known as canilies or achromotrichia.

At The Velvet Skin Centre, the best dermatologist in Lucknow, Dr. Asma, offers advanced solutions for premature greying hair treatment. By addressing nutritional, genetic, and lifestyle factors, therapies restore hair health and delay further greying. With expert guidance and targeted care, patients achieve improved hair quality, natural shine, and renewed confidence in their appearance.

Aetiology

Human hair colour is determined by the melanin pigment, which is created by melanocytes, which are descended from the neural crest. Eumelanin (black-brown) and pheomelanin are the two types of melanin pigments (reddish brown). Ph and cystine concentrations in melanosomes are the two elements in charge of determining the hair phenotype. Tyrosinase activity decreases with decreasing ph, increasing pheomelanin and resulting in reddish-brown or blond hair.

In addition to this, genetics also contribute significantly to this, as seen in the shortening of telomeres and a decline in cell density. In addition, BMPR2 and Acvr2 are less active, which contributes to early hair ageing.

In addition to this function, reactive oxygen species are crucial for hair ageing. Melanocytes may be harmed by the antioxidant action failing, which would result in less pigmentation.

The results show that UV exposure can lead to oxidative damage to the hair follicle, which results in early hair ageing.

Premature greying of hair is also brought on by drinking alcohol, low glutathione levels, chronic illnesses, oxidative stress, vitamin B12 insufficiency, and low iron levels.

Smoking induces protein deficit, while medications like chemotherapy and antimalarials produce PGH.

PGH is affected by zinc and vitamin D3 levels.

Causes:

People with darker hair colours tend to have whiter hair, which is more obvious. Even though colourless hair strands can occur at any age, including while you're still in high school or college, white hair is a sign of ageing. You may discover one or more white hair strands if you're a teen or in your 20s.

Depending on the cause, there can be techniques to get pigment back. Here are some typical causes of early hair ageing.

Treatment and investigations

Despite the fact that many dermatologists recommend biotin, calcium pantothenate, copper, and zinc, a study was conducted to examine thyroid function, serum B12, folic acid, and levels. 200 mg of calcium pantothenate per day was successful in PGH, according to research. Complete repigmentation was seen in addition to the administration of 200 mg of PABA for two months.

According to recent studies, antioxidants like vitamins C and E can be added to shampoos. Copper and selenium, both of which play significant roles, are present in green tea extract.