White hair is a sign of aging, but when it appears early, the reasons are different. Below are the main factors that cause premature graying.
Hair turns gray or white when pigment cells (responsible for the color of hair and skin) stop functioning. This is a natural process that occurs with aging, but some people find it difficult to accept, especially when it happens too early. Early graying is usually due to reasons that are hard to pinpoint, including the following common causes:
1. **Genetic Factors**: If early signs of aging are common in a family, the appearance of white hair may be part of these signs. This situation is typically influenced by the role genes play in regulating and producing melanin. A study conducted in 2018 showed that the first gray hairs could appear in individuals with fair skin as early as age thirty, while it might be slightly delayed for those with darker skin.
2. **Psychological Stress**: Continuous psychological stress and traumatic events accelerate the body’s aging, according to a study led by researchers from the University of São Paulo and Harvard in 2020. This study revealed that stress is responsible for damaging the pigment cells located at the base of hair follicles, hastening the appearance of white hair.
3. **Smoking**: The entire body suffers serious damage from smoking, which directly leads to premature aging of the skin and hair, and therefore, the appearance of white hair. Studies show that smokers experience graying earlier than non-smokers. Researchers state that harmful substances in cigarettes damage the DNA of our cells, including pigment cells, disrupting the natural process of melanin production and resulting in white hair.
4. **Nutritional Deficiency**: A diet low in nutrients can accelerate the onset of white hair. Vitamins that play a significant role in this area are from the B12, D, and E categories, along with minerals such as copper and iron that directly affect melanin production, which is the pigment color for skin and hair.
Health problems can also cause early graying, including three main conditions:
- **Vitiligo**: A skin disease that causes some areas of the body to lose color, resulting in white patches. Vitiligo also affects hair, leading to whitening.
- **Autoimmune Diseases**: These diseases affect the body’s immune response, leading to damage of pigment cells that impact melanin production.
- **Thyroid Disorders**: Changes in thyroid hormone levels, especially deficiency, can affect various body functions, including hair health and early graying.
5. **Exposure to Pollutants**: External factors can also cause early graying, such as excessive exposure to pollutants (car emissions, industrial pollutants, heavy metals, chemicals, etc.), all of which damage the cells that produce melanin and accelerate the onset of white hair. Therefore, it's advised to stay as far away from these pollution sources as possible and adopt a healthy lifestyle to maintain youth for as long as possible.
