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Hair is the crowing glory of man. It is the most important beauty asset of an individual and needs to be treated with care. It is an indicator of good health and beauty. Hair is of various textures, colors and types. It can be dry, normal or oily, blonde, black or red and curly, straight or wavy. Grey Hair is also known as silver hair or white hair. Getting grey hair is a natural part of the ageing process. Each strand f hair on our head comprises of two parts— a shaft which is the colored part we see growing out of the follicle and the root which is the bottom part and is anchored underneath the scalp. Each hair follicle contains a certain number of granules or pigment cells. These pigment cells produce a chemical substance called melanin. The color of hair growing out of the follicle is determined by this chemical whether it is black, blonde, red or brown. The more the content of melanin the darker is the color of hair.
Ageing and Melanin Production:
As we grow older, the pigment cells in the hair follicle begin to perish or die. When there are lesser pigment cells, the hair will not contain melanin and the strand will become more transparent in color leading to the growth of silver or gray hair. As people continue to grow older, fewer pigment cells will produce melanin leading to complete graying of the hair.
People can get silver hair at any age. Some individuals get gray hair as early as in their 30s or 40s. These days even youngsters have grey hair. Our genes play a dominant role in determining the age at which we get white hair. This means that most of us will start developing traces of graying at the same time as our parents and grandparents did. Silver hair is starker in individuals with a darker hair color. This is because silver hair tends to stand out in darker tones.
Premature Graying of hair:
Premature graying of hair is attributed to various factors such as smoking, consumption of alcohol. As per research, the hair of smokers is prone to graying four times earlier than that of non-smokers.
The process of graying is slow and gradual. The first streaks of gray hair normally appear at the sides or the temples. This grey streak is the most unwelcome sign and is often the cause of worry for most individuals, particularly, if they are young. Hair types, genetics, textures and even stress lead to premature graying of hair. Gray hair indicates a deficiency in some part of the body. Gray hair projects an ageing look. Plucking out gray hair does not deter the growth. It is better to cut the gray strands rather than pluck them. Alternatively, you may use one of these great cover-ups to hide the gray strands.
Nutrition:
The process of graying can be halted with proper treatment and intake of a well balanced and nutritious diet. Supplements of copper, folic acid, and B complex can restore color and hair loss in some individuals.
Natural Remedies:
Sage leaves help to darken gray hair. Make a strong infusion using sage leaves, 2 tablespoons of henna, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves and ½ cup strong tea decoction. Boil the Sage leaves in ½ cup of water, strain and keep aside to cool. Mix all the ingredients and apply to the hair and scalp. Leave on for 30 minutes and rinse off.
Take 250 gm. of castor oil, 50 gm. of olive oil, 50 gm. of sandalwood powder and 50 gm. of coffee powder. Heat the oil and mix all the ingredients. Store in a bottle and apply overnight.
Premature Graying can be postponed by using the following tip:
A strong decoction of black tea and 1 tablespoon of table salt must be trained and applied to the roots for 45 minutes. Avoid using a shampoo with this potion.
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