Life can be uncertain. One day we feel well and enjoy things in life. The next thing you know, some kind of unfortunate event happens to you and affects the quality of your life. Some are just… let’s say, blessed in life. While others may not be as fortunate and blessed as other people.

But one thing is for sure: We will all get old, have wrinkles, and grow gray hairs. It can be only one of two things: Either you rock your gray hair or have it colored in hair salons specializing in color.

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding gray hair. Is it really that bad to have gray hair? Do old people only have gray hair? Can stress cause gray hair? How should you deal with gray hair in the first place? Here are things you need to know about gray hair.

Does stress cause gray hair?

Running an entire country can be very stressful. Ask any president of a country and they will most likely give you the same answer. One example is former US President Barack Obama. If you have seen his photos pre-Presidency, he had visibly dark brown hair. After his term, he apparently had more grays than brown hair.

Did stress cause Obama’s hair to turn gray? The truth is that having gray hair is not mostly due to stress. As we age, our hair follicles produce less melanin, hence the graying hair color. But aside from age, genetics also plays a role in graying hair. In fact, there are some people in their teens or early 20’s who already have graying hair.

People deal with gray hair differently. Some would go to hair salons with coloring services. Others would have Balayage hair highlights or experiment with different hair colors. Interestingly, other people would let their gray hair down and proud.

Stress cannot make your hair gray but can cause hair to fall instead. This condition, called telogen effluvium, makes your hair shed faster than usual. In most cases, it doesn’t cause balding. But for middle-aged persons, it is more likely that gray hair will grow in to replace your natural hair color.

Other causes of gray hair

Aside from age-related and genetic reasons, there are other reasons why we have gray hairs. This is also most likely due to certain medical illnesses such as:

• Thyroid disease
• Vitiligo (a condition that causes the melanocytes to be destroyed, which leads to gray hair)
• Alopecia areata (can cause overnight hair graying)
• Tuberous sclerosis
• Vitamin B12 deficiency

Can you prevent gray hair?

In reality, you cannot restore gray hair anymore unless you dye it. You can go to a hair color correction hair salon to do something with your graying hair. You can somehow delay the inevitable graying of your hair by changing your lifestyle. However, the success of delaying the growth of gray hair will still depend on your genetics.

So if you want to prevent premature gray hair, you can follow these tips.

Eat, drink, and take supplements rich in these certain minerals and vitamins.

Certain nutrients can boost the production of melanin. In turn, that can boost the natural color of your hair. Make sure to include these foods in your diet that are rich in:

• Calcium (milk, dark leafy vegetables, fish)
• Copper (lentils, peanuts, beef liver, white mushrooms)
• Protein (rich in keratin, too)
• Iron
• Vitamins D, B6, B5, and B9 (folic acid)
• Zinc
• Biotin

Use herbal remedies with caution.

Some people use herbs and other natural ingredients to combat health problems including graying hair. For example, Polygonum multiflorum is said to help in hair loss and other health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. However, it can also cause side effects such as liver damage. Before using any herbal medicines, make sure to consult a doctor first to prevent adverse reactions.

Cut off vices.

This includes quitting smoking, lessening drink nights, exercising more, and getting more sleep. It will be hard, but achievable. You can find support from trusted friends and groups for a successful lifestyle change. Take care of yourself more. Go to a Brazilian blowout salon for some refreshing change to your look.

Conclusion

Gray hair is an inevitable part of life. It is up to you how you are going to deal with gray hair. Either you have it colored by a hair color correction specialist in Rockville or leave it as it is. Gray hair can be a reflection of your overall health. But at the end of the day, we should take care of our health and that includes our hair, too.