Natural Treatment For Gray Hair

After having spent an estimated $65,000 on coloring her hair for over 20 years, Anne Kremer, a writer for "More" magazine, conducted a number of unscientific studies to examine attitudes toward gray hair. She found that people perceive others with gray hair to be about three years older than they are, but that a woman's attractiveness overall doesn't suffer because of gray hair. Whether you choose to go gray or try to naturally reduce the amount of gray in your hair, there are plenty of ways to keep your hair looking healthy and attractive.

Why Does Hair Go Gray

Heredity is the primary cause of gray hair, explains Tara Parker-Pose, writing in "The New York Times." She notes that the graying process can start as early as the mid-30s and occurs with Caucasians sooner than Asians or Africans. The actual cause is not exactly clear to scientists. However, they do speculate that the blockage of melanin, or the colorful hair pigment, in the hair cells could be caused by environmental stress as well as the internal stresses of aging.

How to Stop the Gray

Despite the fact that going gray is largely a matter of heredity, numerous folk remedies exist for delaying the inevitable. According to Fat Free Kitchen, eating foods high in protein, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B and iodine can stop your hair from turning gray. The website also suggests drinking buttermilk with 2 tsp. of yeast and wheat germ, and eating 1 tsp. of grated ginger with honey every day.

Healthy Gray Hair

Mark Garrison, a hair consultant writing for "Ladies' Home Journal," advises regular deep conditioning treatments for gray hair because it is drier than hair that still retains color. He also recommends against using heat on gray hair, perming your hair and using hair accessories that tend to break gray hair more easily than other hair.

Shampoos

Shampoos without chemicals and fragrances may produce less lather than others, but according to Siobhan O'Connor and Alexandra Spunt, authors of "No More Dirty Look," natural shampoos won't dry your hair as much as traditional shampoos. The authors also recommend homemade shampoos, including: 1 tbsp. of baking soda diluted in 1 cup of water; and the juice from one lemon added to 1 cup of water. Or for a dry shampoo, try cornstarch sprinkled on your hair for a few minutes before being brushed or patted out.

Conditioners

O'Connor and Spunt also recommend making your own conditioners to restore moisture to gray hair. Their formulas include: 1 to 2 tbsp. of organic mayonnaise with 1 tsp. lemon juice left on the hair for 20 minutes before rinsing; mashed avocado left on for 20 minutes; and rinsing your hair with coconut milk.