{"id":14570,"date":"2023-07-13T16:00:26","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T08:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.tricholab.com.sg\/?p=14570"},"modified":"2024-08-15T17:07:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T09:07:14","slug":"what-causes-grey-hair-at-an-early-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.tricholab.com.sg\/blog\/what-causes-grey-hair-at-an-early-age\/","title":{"rendered":"What Causes Grey Hair at an Early Age?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seeing silver strands in your hair in your 20s and early 30s can be a distressing experience. You may feel confused and wonder about your health. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve prepared this guide on premature greying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What causes premature grey hair, is grey hair anything to worry about, and is dyeing or plucking your hair a long term solution?<\/span><\/p>\n

How do we get our hair colour?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Have you ever wondered why your hair has its unique colour? From luscious black to fiery red, the shades that grace our crowning glory are influenced by a pigment called melanin. The pigment is produced by cells called melanocytes, located at the base of each hair follicle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Melanin comes in two main types: eumelanin, which gives shades of brown and black, and pheomelanin, which contributes to red and yellow tones. The proportions of these two types determine your hair colour.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your hair goes through three phases: the anagen phase (growth), the catagen phase (transitional), and the telogen phase (resting). During the anagen phase, melanocytes deposit melanin into the hair shaft, giving it colour.<\/span><\/p>\n

What causes premature greying?<\/b><\/h2>\n

As time passes, your body sees a gradual decrease in melanocyte activity. This reduction in melanin can cause hair to lose its colour, resulting in the emergence of grey or white hair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While age plays a significant role in the greying process, other factors can contribute to and accelerate this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Genetics<\/span><\/h3>\n

Genetic makeup is a blueprint that influences many aspects of your physical traits, including hair colour. If your parents or close relatives experienced premature greying, there’s a higher likelihood that you are also prone to this condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a 2016 study, the <\/span>IRF4 gene<\/span><\/a> was identified as being associated with premature greying. Led by Professor Andreas Ruiz-Linares of University College London, the study analysed the genomes of 6,357 people who lived across five countries in Latin America \u2013 Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Stress<\/span><\/h3>\n

Chronic stress can disrupt the normal functioning of the body and impact various physiological processes, including hair pigmentation. Stress triggers the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which causes permanent damage to pigment-regenerating stem cells in hair follicles, as evidenced by a <\/span>2020 research<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prolonged periods of stress ultimately speed up the ageing process of your hair follicles. This can lead to a reduction in melanin production, causing hair to turn grey prematurely.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Medical conditions<\/span><\/h3>\n

Premature greying can also occur due to certain medical conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n