The first signs of grey hair let most of us know we are getting older. For most people grey hair starts to appear in there late thirties. But premature graying starts for some individuals as early as their teens and twenties. The majority of us will find that about half of our hair will be gray at fifty. No matter when it starts most of us would rather not turn grey.
So what does cause hair to loose its color? The hair follicles are surrounded by cells that have melanin, the pigment that determines the color of the hair. Depending on how much melanin is present the hair will be various shades of blond, brown, black or red. Unfortunately the cells that contain the melanin die slowly as we get older. As the hair looses melanin it also looses its color and may become grey or sometimes white.
Luck for us that hair doesn’t turn grey in an instant. This is a gradual process. When you first start to notice grey hair it can take ten years or so for the rest of the head to turn. Gray hair starts at the temples and spreads to the crown. It eventually moves around to the back of the head.
Everyone will eventually get grey hair, but it is sometimes possible to slow down the process. Getting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals may actually help the cells stay alive longer. The longer they are alive the longer melanin will be produced. Some vitamins supplements that may help are Vitamin B, PABA and Vitamin B12. Folic acid is also helpful in keeping grey away.
Grey hair is also often drier and coarser than colored hair. It can sometimes even be wiry. Vitamins can help as well as natural ingredients like jojoba oil and emu oil. These ingredients can work to deeply moisturize rejuvenate the hair, even the ones that have lost their color.
Tags: gray hair, Grey Hair, hair vitamins