Anfisa Lepekhova: “Early graying may be a sign of cardiovascular disease”

Early gray hair: reasons

Pigment cells - melanocytes are largely susceptible to the influence of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Internal unfavorable factors can reduce or completely stop melanin synthesis.

Let's list the main risks.

1. Reduced levels of thyroid and pituitary hormones.
2. Iron deficiency, anemia.
3. Autoimmune diseases.
4. Atherosclerosis.
5. Chronic stress.

Early gray hair in women and early gray hair in men, in general, have a common etiology. Experts note that representatives of the stronger sex often turn gray prematurely due to stress, as they endure nervous stress more heavily than women.

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Gray hair in young people: why and how to fight

According to trichologists, the normal age for gray hair to appear is after 40 years. But gray hair occurs even in 20-year-olds. What causes hair to turn gray early, is it possible to reverse this process? Let's figure it out.

All diseases are caused by nerves, but in the case of gray hair this is just a hypothesis. A study was conducted in Latin America in which 6,630 people participated. The goal was to test why gray hair appears. It turned out that emotional stress is not the primary factor influencing the formation of the melanin pigment that colors hair. The main causes are genetic predisposition and oxidative stress (cell damage due to oxidation).

Causes of early gray hair

Physiology

The amount of gray hair and the degree of its coloring is determined by the pigment melanin. Eumelanin makes hair black or brown, pheomelanin makes hair red. The less of this substance is produced in the follicles, the lighter the hair. And the gradual decrease and cessation of melanin production occurs due to hydrogen peroxide, which inhibits melanocytes (cells that produce the melanin pigment). Hair begins to grow discolored, which is why gray hair appears.

Genetic predisposition

All physiological processes in the body depend to one degree or another on genes, since it is in them that the work of all cells is programmed. Genes are passed on from parents. If one of them goes gray early, there is a high probability that the children will begin to go gray at about the same age.

Moreover, scientists see a connection between gray hair and race. For Europeans, it is normal for the first gray hair to appear after 25 years, for Asians - after 35, and for Africans after 40.

Thus, genetic predisposition is the main factor why hair turns gray. But she's not the only one. Much depends on lifestyle.

Bad habits

Drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking, unbalanced diet, and lack of physical activity are factors that trigger premature aging of the body. Under their influence, oxidative stress begins. Free radicals (reactive oxygen species) destroy cellular structures and disrupt cell function. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most aggressive types of free radicals. It is under its influence that melanin synthesis is significantly reduced or stopped altogether.

Diseases

Violation of melanin production and, accordingly, early gray hair, both in women and men, can be a symptom of disease. These are vitiligo (skin discoloration), iron deficiency anemia, thyroid dysfunction, atherosclerosis and even gastritis.

Infections can also be attributed to the cause of gray hair. When the scalp is inflamed, the antioxidant protection in the follicle cells is disrupted, and free radicals begin to intensively destroy melanocytes.

Low levels of sex hormones are another factor why hair turns gray early. By eliminating hormonal imbalance, you can return some of the discolored hair to its original shade.

Micronutrient deficiency

All kinds of diets, especially those with few components, burn not only extra pounds, but also deplete the entire body. It is through nutrition that we receive essential minerals and vitamins. If there are not enough of them, early gray hair is quite possible. For normal functioning, hair follicles necessarily need omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, D and group B, and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and sulfur.

If you cannot do without a diet, you need to provide additional “feeding” of the follicles with microelements. There are specialized medications for this. For example, Selentsin tablets for hair loss normalize the functioning of the follicles as a whole. In addition to minerals, the drug contains the herbal component lycopodium, the effects of which include the prevention of gray hair.

Emotional stress

The reason why hair turns gray before the age of 35-40 may well be a strong nervous shock. Not just any feelings, but intense stress. When scared, a huge amount of adrenaline is released into the blood. This hormone literally bombards and destroys melanocytes.

Aggressive effects on the scalp

Every day we ourselves provoke earlier graying of hair. All aggressive beauty treatments affect the follicles, to a greater or lesser extent. Lightening and highlighting take precedence, since the basis of bleaching compounds is hydrogen peroxide. However, in general, all means and procedures for permanent hair coloring, curling, and straightening are aggressive.

The negative effects of beauty treatments can be reduced with the help of therapeutic skin care products. See the compositions of shampoos, balms, masks, lotions. For example, caffeine and menthol have a beneficial effect on the follicles - they tone the scalp, stimulate blood flow to the follicles, thereby increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients. Of the plant extracts, nettle is considered the best for gray hair.

How to deal with gray hair

Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely get rid of gray hair. It is useless to pull out whitened hair, since the same, colorless ones will grow in place of the removed ones. So what to do if gray hair is already striking.

The fastest and most effective measure is painting (essentially camouflage). It is optimal to use gentle dyes - tinting shampoo and/or balm, aerosol cream with a masking effect, camouflage gel, tint powder or mascara to darken the roots/temples. Shampoos and conditioners work more or less for a long time, up to a couple of weeks. And all other listed remedies are washed off immediately.

Only permanent hair coloring with gray hair lasts a long time, up to 2 months. It is undesirable to use dye with ammonia, this has the most aggressive effect on the hair. To reduce harm, choose ammonia-free cream paints with various useful additives, for example, collagen or a vitamin complex.

Don't forget that colored hair needs special care. Products with keratin, biotin, panthenol, collagen are good - these substances restore the structure of damaged hair, envelop the hair shafts with the thinnest protective film, and prevent fragility and split ends.

Gray hair prevention

Everything is commonplace - a balanced diet, quitting smoking and alcohol, regular exercise, calmness in stressful situations and careful hair care.

A simple home prevention is a mask against gray hair, for example, made from nettle or burdock oil. Rub it into the scalp, put a cap on top and leave for 30-40 minutes. It’s even easier to use any ready-made mask to nourish the follicles - this one doesn’t need to be kept for so long, it is easily washed off from the hair. But what’s more important is that ready-made masks are much more effective - the active components undergo specialized processing and become maximally bioavailable (that is, they can penetrate directly into cells).

Cosmetic and hardware procedures can be used to support follicles. Scalp massage, mesotherapy, darsonval improve root nutrition and indirectly help stop hair graying.

Mesotherapy is the delivery of active components directly to the follicles using injections. The doctor selects medications for a specific problem, including the treatment of early gray hair. The procedure is painful and quite expensive. As an alternative, you can use peptide hair treatments. These are short parts of protein molecules that easily penetrate the skin and trigger self-healing processes in cells.

As you can see, it is quite difficult to get rid of gray hair that has already appeared, but you can delay its appearance. The best prevention is a healthy lifestyle. As well as strengthening follicles with the help of specialized procedures, preparations and care products for healthy hair.

This is interesting

A group of Spanish scientists has reported that early graying of hair predicts healthy longevity. The peptide glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, is involved in the synthesis of melanin pigment. Dysfunction of melanocytes releases glutathione. It is redirected to maintain the health of the cardiovascular system and protect the body from the development of malignant neoplasms.

Early gray hair: how to stop?

Having noticed the first gray hairs, you should immediately begin active prevention. Measures aimed at improving the health of hair and scalp will help to significantly slow down the negative process. What do we have to do?

1. Switch to a healthy lifestyle.
2. Regularly take courses of professional procedures as prescribed by a trichologist: massages, masks, ozone therapy, mesotherapy and others.
3. Use natural folk remedies: burdock oil, nettle infusions, coltsfoot.

Hygienic care should also be targeted. Leading cosmetic brands produce special shampoos and conditioners for gray hair - this is the best choice.

Why does gray hair appear?

— Graying of hair is a genetically programmed physiological process of aging. It mainly begins in people after 35–40 years of age in a small amount and progresses towards 50 years of age.

Some people may experience gray hair earlier (after about 25 years of age) due to a genetic predisposition. If a father or grandfather had gray hair at a young age, then it is highly likely that it will appear in children, regardless of their gender. This process cannot be predicted and cannot be prevented.

External factors can also stimulate the process of graying in people with a genetic predisposition: stress, ultraviolet radiation, poor nutrition (in particular, lack of B vitamins) and autoimmune diseases - for example, the thyroid gland.

How to care for gray hair

— There are no special procedures for gray hair. But also when graying, you can undergo all the same improving procedures that exist for regular hair. To improve blood circulation and nutrition of hair, which promotes good growth and melanin production, physiotherapy, mesotherapy with the introduction of additional vitamins and macroelements, as well as plasma therapy are performed.

If you have gray hair, the graying process has begun to actively progress, or hair has begun to fall out along with this, you need to consult a trichologist who will help identify the causes by prescribing examinations: clarify the condition of the thyroid gland, find out if there is a nutritional deficiency, check microelement levels hair composition. In some cases, this helps to pause the process.

Is it possible to fight graying?

— It is believed that graying with age is a physiological condition, and early graying is pathological. But we cannot say that gray hair is less healthy than regular hair. It’s just that the hair partially changes its properties. Gray hair is an aesthetic defect, and the attitude of each person to this issue is important.

Currently, the main method of combating gray hair is coloring. Permanent dye will damage the structure of the hair itself, while unstable dyes and tinted shampoos are not so harmful, but the desired color or shade may not be obtained.

You need to choose one or another dye individually, depending on the gender and age of the person, the quality and thickness of the hair, the amount of gray hair and the wishes of the person himself.

The greatest cosmetic effect from coloring gray hair is achieved by using permanent dyes. Dyeing is carried out completely along the entire length of the hair, and then, as it grows, the roots are dyed once every 1.5–2 months. If there is not much gray hair, you can use unstable dyes or tinted shampoos, but you will have to use them more often.

Single gray hairs can be carefully cut off at the root with scissors. Pulling out gray hair, in addition to causing pain, can lead to damage to the hair follicle, and the hair in that area will stop growing altogether.

What determines hair color

Eumelanin and pheomelanin (together forming melanin) are 2 key pigment substances that form shade. They are secreted in special cells - melanocytes.

Eumelanin makes the color darker. If a little of it is produced, then the curls have light brown or dark brown tones. Excess eumelanin is observed in brown-haired and brunette people. Pheomelanin gives a red tint. If little pheomelanin and eumelanin are secreted, then we are talking about natural pure blonde or ashy-colored curls.

The characteristics of the native color, its depth and undertone are very important when planning to color your hair, especially if we are talking about radical coloring, for example, “going” from dark chestnut to red. The hair stylist needs to know these characteristics in order to lighten or neutralize the color through the use of a complementary shade. Competent actions allow you to achieve the optimal result, closest to the desired one.

International tone depth standards:

Hair tone is often perceived differently depending on the type of lighting.

What does hair consist of?

Hair formation occurs in the follicle. The only exception on the human body are eyelashes, which do not have hair follicles.

If you put two hairs from the heads of different people side by side, they will seem the same only at first glance - in fact, they differ both in the type of section and in appearance. Straight ones have a round cross-section, wavy ones have an oval cross-section, and curly ones have a flat cross-section. The main characteristics of the hair depend on the size, bend and shape of the follicle.

The hair follicle is located simultaneously in two layers: the epidermis and the dermis. At its base there are cells that secrete pigments. They are responsible for the formation of the natural color of hair. In this area, the hair root passes into the shaft, it is called the hair funnel.

Above is the area of ​​keratinization. It is responsible for the production of substances responsible for the strength of hair and serves to transport nutritional components.

The core of the hair is called the medulla. Nearby is the cortex - a cortical substance made of elongated fibrous cells. Between them are pigment granules.

Material and research methods

Under our supervision there were 41 patients with graying hair aged from 18 to 38 years, of which there were 21 women, 20 men. During laboratory testing, a decrease in the amount of copper was noted in all patients. Patients associated the development of their disease with stress (11 patients), nervous excitement and overload (21 patients). 10 patients were addicted to a diet excluding protein foods.

Patients in complex therapy received Vitalong for 3 months, 1 capsule 3 times a day.

Composition of Vitalong

:

Vitalong is a combined drug that eliminates the lack of nutrition of hair and nails, stops hair loss, at the same time stimulates its growth, helps revitalize and improve weakened and fragile hair, eliminates dandruff, itching and seborrhea. Acts as an oxidant that stimulates regeneration processes.

Causes of androgenetic alopecia in women

There are several reasons why women develop male pattern alopecia:

• by inheritance.

  The baldness gene is passed on through the maternal line. Therefore, if one of the representatives of the older generation in the family is faced with this disease, then you need to especially carefully monitor the condition of your hair and consult a doctor even before its first signs appear. Preventive therapy will help delay the onset of symptoms to later years;

• hormonal disbalance

  . Increased hair loss is associated with an increase in the hormone dihydrotestosterone in the female body. This hormone makes hair follicles unviable, causing hair strands to fall out and the follicles to no longer produce new ones;

• pregnancy

  . During this period, the female body is rebuilt, all energy goes into bearing a child, and hormonal levels are disrupted. In most cases, after the birth of a child, the amount of hormones returns to normal, and the hairstyle becomes voluminous and beautiful again. But sometimes only therapy helps prevent androgenic alopecia;

• internal diseases -

  disorders of the endocrine system, gastrointestinal tract, liver;

• scalp diseases;
• taking certain medications.

  Long-term use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives, hormonal drugs, antidepressants can affect the loss of follicle viability;

• prolonged exposure to stress.

  Stress negatively affects all body systems, including hair follicles.

Another cause of androgenetic alopecia in women is a strict diet. During strict restrictions, nutritional balance is disrupted. The body does not receive enough vitamins and microelements important for the development and growth of vegetation. As a result, while acquiring a beautiful body, a woman loses her beautiful hair. Nutritionists warn about this, recommending women not to prescribe diets for themselves. It is better to consult a doctor who will select the right diet based on the balance of the necessary vitamins and microelements.

Androgenetic alopecia is caused by improper hair care. Hair often becomes brittle and falls out from constant use of styling products: drying with a hot hairdryer, daily use of curling irons or hair straighteners. Perm, low-quality dyes or too frequent hair coloring also lead to hair loss.

How gray hair differs from non-gray hair

— One of the most common misconceptions about gray hair is that you can go gray overnight due to extreme stress. In reality, this is unrealistic, because graying is a gradual process of cessation of melanin production by melanocytes and a long-term accumulation of air bubbles in the hair.

It is worth understanding that only 1% of the hair consists of pigment, which determines the shade of the hair. All people have both eumelanin (dark pigment) and pheomelanin (so-called red melanin). Only their ratio determines the hair color of each person: in 90% of people, eumelanin (dark shades of hair) predominates, and in 1.8%, pheomelanin (red and light shades of hair), the rest are combinations of both. As the hair turns gray, it becomes transparent, but in certain lighting you can see a yellowish tint - this is an optical illusion.

Gray hair accumulates air bubbles, their medullary layer begins to prevail over the cortical layer, as a result of which the hair loses strength and elasticity and becomes more susceptible to curling. The cuticle scales adhere more tightly to each other, resulting in the surface of the hair becoming less loose.

After graying, it is more difficult to work with cuticles, for example, when dyeing. To dye such hair, hairdressers use special compounds and techniques to prepare the hair to capture dyes. But if we compare gray hair with regular hair, then gray hair does not require additional bleaching when dyeing - firstly, it is less damaged, and secondly, due to the absence of pigment in the hair, the color lies on it like on a white sheet of paper.

Determination of hair structure

Hair structure can be determined based on the presence/absence of pigment (three examples below) and thickness:

Hair structure also varies depending on race:

Types of hair according to strength and quality:

You can determine the hair structure as accurately as possible and objectively establish the possibility of carrying out one or another aggressive procedure without consequences (dying with ammonia dye, blonding, perm, creating root volume, etc.) by making an appointment with a good hair specialist.

MATERIALS OF THE VIII ST. PETERSBURG DERMATOLOGICAL READINGS

Author: Khamidov F.Sh.

The causes of tarnishing and graying of hair in patients are considered to be age, nervous overload, unfavorable environment, and lack of tyrosine.
Also, early gray hair can occur prematurely in people who are addicted to diets that exclude protein-rich foods. In addition, gray hair can appear due to disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems, limited supply of vitamins to the body, as well as copper deficiency. Para-aminobenzoic acid, which promotes the complete absorption of proteins and also participates in the formation of red blood cells that deliver oxygen to cells, will help prevent this process.