Getting gray or white hair is a natural part of growing older. While it is not uncommon for your hair to change color as you get older, some people go gray much earlier than others. Even teenagers and people in their 20s may notice strands of gray hair.
So why do some people experience premature Gray Hair?
And why do our hairs turn gray at all?
Let's take a look at what science has to say. Whatever your hair color may be, First, you need to understand that your hairs have pigment producing cells that are responsible for giving your hair its natural color. Over time, either as a part of normal aging, or maybe due to some illness, your body's production of that pigment slows down. As a result, you'll notice more gray hair. And when the pigment producing cells are completely lost or destroyed, your hair will turn white.
In some cases, gray hair may indicate more than your biological age. It could be a sign of an overactive immune system. This was shown in a study which indicated that premature gray hair could be linked to immune system activity. Researchers believe that the genes that are involved in your hair color are also involved in your body's immune system.
To understand the link between gray hair and the immune system, you first have to know a little bit about how your immune system works. When your body is under attack from a viral or bacterial infection, the body's innate immune system is activated. Your immune cells have the ability to detect any type of foreign invader that may enter the body. cells which are infected by these foreign invaders start producing molecules to fight them. The infected cells also signal other cells to take actions in order to block the infection. Researchers found that a protein called MIT f notifies our bodies of a pathogenic infection. This protein is also involved in making the pigment of hair cells.
Mice with mutations in this protein have an overactive response to viruses, which results in the loss of pigment cells leading to sudden graying. While the study hasn't been confirmed in humans yet, researchers predict that humans with similar mutations could show a similar response, resulting in spontaneous hair graying after an infection. While this is just a starting point for more research on the link between the immune system and gray hair, the discovery could lead to understanding pigmentation diseases such as vitiligo. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder that causes discolored patches of skin and hair.
Of course, there can also be other causes for premature graying hair. For instance, it is scientifically proven that premature graying of hair is mostly genetic in nature. So if your parents experienced the same issues and spotted their gray hairs early on, chances are you will do the same.
Other non biological factors may play a role in early hair discoloration. The connection between smoking and premature gray hairs isn't totally understood, but it definitely has a role in premature graying. According to one study, smokers are two and a half times more likely to develop premature gray hair than people who do not smoke. More recent research confirms that having gray hairs before the age of 30 is more common among smokers than the rest of the population. A few nutritional deficiencies have also been linked to premature gray hairs.
For example, a vitamin B 12 deficiency can cause hair loss and encourage gray hairs to grow. Whatever the reason, gray hair is natural and unavoidable. If you start spotting some of your own, try not to have an existential crisis.
We all grow older. If you notice that you are developing gray hairs before other people in your life.
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