Scientists Explain the Reasons for Graying Hair and Ways to Slow the Process Down

Like VK on FB:

British dermatologists held a set of experiments and found out that by the age of 50, 50% of the world’s population has at least 50% gray hair. Additionally, fair-skinned people’s hair starts to turn gray after 30, Asian people’s hair — at approximately 40, and the hair of people with dark skin — after 40. It’s a natural process called depigmentation; however, sometimes gray hair might start to appear at 20 or 30. Why does this happen?

Bright Side is going to tell you why hair starts to turn gray, what problem it might signal, and how to slow this process down.

What gives color to hair?

Hair growth and color depend on the structure and proper work of hair follicles, or to be exact melanocyte cells that produce melanin. Melanin consists of eumelanin and pheomelanin and, depending on the amount and proportion of these pigments, the whole spectrum of hair colors known to us are formed.

The activity of melanin decreases with age or under the influence of processes happening inside the body. It literally stops cooperating with hair proteins and that’s how gray hairs start to appear at the roots. The process of turning completely gray may last for up to 10 years — hair can’t turn gray instantly even if severe stress took place in a person’s life. Those stresses can only speed up the process of worsening hair structure.

Reasons that can cause the appearance of gray hair

Myths about gray hair

Gray hair has a gray color. That’s a myth. In fact, completely gray hair is transparent. As the activity of melanin decreases, it can even acquire a yellowish tinge. It seems gray only because of an optical illusion.

How to fight graying hair and prevent its appearance?

Are you aware of other remedies that help to fight gray hair? Please tell us about them in the comments!

Preview photo credit eastnews, curtisleejamie / instagram