GRAY HAIR MAY BE A SIGN OF UNDERLYING DISEASE

Rigomo Team

Sat, 04 Oct 2025

There are a variety of reasons why a person's hair begins to grey at a young age. Grey hair is caused by a deficiency in melanin or a lack of melanin. Melanins are the pigments that give our hair its colour. Grey hair has less melanin than white hair, which has none at all. This happens as the number of stem cells [melanocytes] that mature into melanin-producing cells decreases over time. Your ethnicity, as well as your family history, influences the amount and rate of greying.

Reasons for Premature Greying: Grey hair isn't always an indication that you're getting older. It can sometimes indicate that you have an underlying disease that, if not treated promptly, can have serious consequences. Greying usually begins in your 30s, though some people notice a few greys as early as their 20s. However, there are a variety of other factors that can cause hair to grey prematurely in both men and women. Premature greying of hair can be caused by several factors, including:

1.     Genetic factor: If a person's family has a history of premature greying, they are more likely to develop grey hair earlier in life.

2.     Nutritional deficiencies: Premature greying of hair has been linked to mineral deficiencies such as iron and copper. It has also been reported that most cases of premature greying of hair are caused by a lack of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B3 (niacin).

3.     Medical conditions: Some diseases, such as vitiligo (immune cells attacking the body's colour-producing cells), neurofibromatosis (growth of tumours along nerves), and hypothyroidism, can cause hair to grey prematurely.

Greying of hair is one of the symptoms of syndromes like Book's syndrome, Down syndrome, and Werner's syndrome.

4.     Stress: Hair can be affected by stress. At some point in their lives, everyone is exposed to stress. Sleep problems, anxiety, a change in appetite, and high blood pressure are all possible side effects of chronic stress.

5.     Smoking: There's also a link between smoking and premature white hair. It's common knowledge that smoking raises the risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Toxins in cigarettes can also harm other parts of your body, including your hair follicles, resulting in premature white hair.

6.     Medications: Grey hair has been linked to medications such as chloroquine (used to treat malaria), mephenesin (a muscle relaxant), phenylthiourea (used in DNA testing), triparanol (used to lower cholesterol), and dixyrazine (used to treat psychiatric disorders). Topical medications for psoriasis such as dithranol, chrysarobin, and resorcinol (used to treat psoriasis) can cause premature greying of hair.

PREVENTION:

Depending on the condition, white hair can be reversed or prevented. You won't be able to prevent or permanently reverse the colour change if the cause is genetic. To avoid these, all you have to do is live a healthy lifestyle.

1.     Diet can help to slow down greying to some extent: Various vitamins (A and B), proteins, and minerals such as copper, iodine, and iron help to keep the hair in a healthy balance. Dark green vegetables, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables should all be part of your daily diet. Fresh green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cauliflower, cereals, yoghurt, bananas, eggs, seafood, soy, and whole grains should all be consumed in greater quantities.

2.     Exercising regularly is also beneficial to your overall health: It is always recommended to include at least 20 minutes of exercise in your daily routine, whether it is for hair loss or premature greying. Physical activity can help you stay in shape and boost your immunity to diseases.

3.     Keep yourself hydrated: Water is vital to the body's overall well-being. Drinking enough water throughout the day keeps you fresh and healthy, as well as flushing toxins from your body that cause premature greying and other health issues.