Did you just spot a strand or two of grey on your child’s head? Relax. Take a deep breath. It is fine. There is nothing to worry about. But if you find your child’s head getting more towards the salt and pepper side, then you have to know what causes grey hair at a young age.
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Although premature grey hair does not have any drastic effects on your kid’s physical health, it can greatly influence your child’s psychological health. He could be bullied at school or at play. Ultimately, this will shatter his confidence.
Hair gets its color from a pigment known as melanin. As we age, the hair reduces melanin production, leading to white hair. Normally, people start getting grey hair in their mid-20s to early 30s. But having grey hair at a tender age can be an indicator of some underlying problems in the body. So, the best option is to nip the bud from the root and one must take precautionary steps the moment he finds his child getting grey hair. Later on, we will be discussing 18 solutions for premature greying of hair.
9 Causes of grey hair at a young age
1. Genetics plays its part in the premature greying of hair
One of the topmost causes of grey hair at a young age is to do with one’s genes. Now, how it works is mysterious and indefinable.
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If you or your grandparents had the problem of premature grey hair, then it is most likely to be passed on to your child as an heirloom. You cannot help it.
2. Medical conditions that can cause grey hair at a young age
Evidently, certain medical and autoimmune conditions lead to the early onset of white hair in your child. It includes:
- Vitiligo
- Hyperthyroidism
- Chronic sinusitis
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Piebaldism
- Werner’s syndrome
3. Anaemia
If your child has an iron deficiency or anemia, he would be at stake of premature greying of hair. Pernicious anemia can have similar effects. It is an autoimmune disease that affects the stomach.
4. Insufficient vitamin B12
Clearly, if you are a non-vegetarian, it is quite likely that your child is having premature greying of hair because of a deficiency of vitamin B12.
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In such a case, discuss it with a doctor. He would run a few blood tests. If your kid has a low vitamin B12 level, then the doctor will prescribe its supplements accordingly.
5. Having junk food can lead to premature greying of hair
The past century has seen a rise in really bad eating habits in kids. Letting your child have unhealthy and junk food not only contributes to the early onset of diabetes, increased levels of cholesterol, and obesity but also white hair. Menkes hair syndrome and kwashiorkor (protein malnutrition) directly affect melanin production.
6. Stress and white hair
Are you raising an eyebrow at how can a kid be under stress? In the present world, there are a number of reasons that can contribute to stress in your child that may be an underlying reason for white hair. Both psychological and genotoxic stress can result in premature greying of hair.Â
- Genotoxic stress is the type of stress that is caused by external, environmental factors. This leads to DNA damage.
- Psychological stress is the type of stress that is caused by emotional pain and pressure. Nowadays, children are under stress psychologically related to their studies, peer pressure, competition, bullying, the quest to get all the happening stuff and cool gadgets around, etc.
7. Smoke can give your child ash grey hair
Unquestionably, if you are a smoker, then your child is more likely to get grey hair. Passive smoking leads to oxidative stress in your child’s body. The free radicals produced by smoking tobacco directly act on reduced melanin production. Do not smoke in your child’s presence. Better off, quitting smoking as a whole is the best option for your own well-being as well.
Whether you can reverse your child’s premature grey hair due to smoking or not is still unclear.
8. Use of soaps and shampoos
it should be noted that the use of synthetic soaps and shampoos leadsleads to grey-colored hair in kids.
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It is better that you use a baby or herbal shampoo only for your child. As it does not contain many harmful chemicals, is milder, and includes minerals and vitamins.
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9. Not oiling the hair
If you do not have a habit of oiling your child’s scalp and hair, then it may also contribute to his prematurely grey hair. Oiling the hair leads to even sebum production. If you massage warm oil on your child’s scalp, it will not only improve blood circulation but will also stop grey hair from growing.
10 solutions for premature greying of hair
- Limit the intake of junk food by your child.
- Do not smoke or let anybody else smoke in front of your child.
- Give your child a wholesome, nutritious, balanced diet.
- Make sure that your child is getting a fair share of lean proteins, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates.
- Instill the habit of eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your child. Green vegetables and yellow fruits are the best sources of vitamins that help in protecting the natural hair color of your child.
- Try your level best to get your child’s nutrient fulfillment through food, rather than through supplements.
- Use only herbal or baby shampoo for washing your child’s hair.
- Â The use of hair oil for grey hair at a young age has proved really effective. Massage your child’s scalp with coconut oil as it stimulates the formation of melanocytes.
- If your child likes to play outdoors, then ask him to either wear a hat or wrap a scarf around his head. This will give protection from the UV rays of the Sun.
- Never wash your child’s hair with fuming hot water, as it destroys the melanin-producing cells- melanocytes.
Bonus 8 tips for early age gray hair
- If hyperthyroidism is the reason behind your child’s premature grey hair. Then keep a close eye on his salt intake.
- There is no use in plucking away the white or grey hair strands off your child’s head. As it will only contribute to inflicting, only pain.
- Give your child protein-rich food like meat, whole grains, beans, cereals, and soy. Not only does protein keep the premature greying of hair at bay, but also nourishes the hair.
- There are many minerals that are really important to prevent premature greying of hair at a young age. These minerals are copper, zinc, and iron.
- You can add copper through seafood and whole grains to your child’s diet. Along with the food that contains copper, you can also cook food in copper utensils and let water sit in a copper glass overnight. Ask your child to drink it the next morning.
- Iron is present in apples, liver, spinach, eggs, wheat, sunflower seeds, fortified cereals, and milk
- You can introduce zinc to your child’s daily diet through chicken, red meat, and green vegetables.
- To get rid of premature greying of hair, add antioxidants to your child’s diet. They are present in berries, tomatoes, pecans, and pomegranates.
Can I dye my child’s premature grey hair?
No, it is better not to dye your child’s hair as dyes are laden with harmful chemicals. Your child’s skin could be sensitive to it, resulting in some adverse effects.Â
Takeaway
There are many reasons for premature greying hair. If your child is experiencing it, then find the root cause. Although you cannot reverse grey hair, you can easily prevent them from happening further through a balanced diet and lifestyle changes.