Gray hair is just another unwelcome part of aging. The Everyday Mysteries website reports that your chance of going gray increases by 10 to 20 percent every decade after you turn 30. Although there are some medical conditions that cause gray hair, chances are that your gray hair is due to age or heredity.
Identification
Hairs grow from follicles or small openings in your skin. Cells in the follicles called melanocytes produce melanin, the pigment that gives your hair its color. The Hair Foundation reports that melanocytes produce eumelanin, a pigment that colors hair black or brown and pheomelanin, a melanin pigment that colors hair blond or red. Melanin enters the hair shaft from the follicle when the hair is actively growing.
Becoming Gray
While the melanocytes stay busy producing melanin for many years, eventually the day arrives when the cells stop producing hair pigment. If the reduction is gradual, you may notice that your hair looks gray, while a total absence of melanin will make hair appear white. Gray hair is as healthy as pigmented hair, but may have less natural lubrication and be more likely to experience damage from combing and brushing, according to the Hair Foundation.
Risk Factors
In addition to age, several other factors can cause gray or white hair, including your race. The Dr.Greene.com website reports that Caucasians usually experience a reduction of melanocyte activity earlier than other groups. When you develop gray hair can vary depending on when other family members developed gray hair. If they developed gray hair early, you may too.
Gray Hair and Medical Conditions
If you develop gray hair at an early age with no family history of early graying, a medical condition may be to blame. The Dr.Greene.com website reports that the most common problem is a vitamin B12 deficiency. A vitamin B12 deficiency can occur if you eat a vegan diet, have anemia, have had surgery on the bowel or stomach or have had a disease affecting the bowel, including diverticulosis or tuberculosis. If you have vitiligo or a problem with your thyroid, you may also notice gray hair.
Considerations
A study by J.M. Wood and other researchers found that an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide over the years may be responsible for gray hair. The study, entitled "Senile Hair Graying: H2O2-Mediated Oxidative Stress Affects Human Hair Color by Blunting Methionine Sulfoxide Repair," was published in the February 23, 2009 edition of "The FAESB Journal." The problem occurs when hydrogen peroxide produced by your body blocks melanin production. Hair follicles can normally produce enzymes to break down hydrogen peroxide, but older hair follicle cells may no longer be able to effectively carry out the process. The findings may help scientists develop new treatments and products to combat gray hair.
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