How to Avoid Hair Loss and Premature Greying

Hair loss and premature greying are some of the most common issues people face when it comes to their hair today. There’s nothing strange about it, however, for the most part, thinning hair and grey hair are genetically determined. Many other factors contribute to these issues as well, including stress, smoking, nutritional deficiencies, tension on the hair follicles, and certain medical conditions. As the world evolves, all those are becoming more and more widespread.

Everybody loses hair, and everybody’s hair will become grey at some point in their lives. We consulted our friends over at scissortech.co.uk, who know a lot about hair, to give us some tips and tricks on how to avoid premature greying and hair loss. Keep reading below if you want to find out for yourself.

What Causes Hair Loss and Premature Greying?

Genetics

Genes are responsible for your hair color, thickness, and texture. If your genetic makeup was passed down from a parent who loses hair easily, you’re likely to inherit the same trait. When the genes that cause hair loss or greying are triggered, the compounds that cause hair to grow could be overproduced or underproduced.

The Environment

It’s not just your genetics that decides whether or not your hair will fall out or turn grey prematurely. Your environment also plays a role in hair health. If your environment is stressful, unhealthy, or filled with contaminants like toxins or chemical substances, your hair will suffer.

Stress and Depression

When you’re under an increased level of stress, your body releases cortisol which is the hormone responsible for increasing blood sugar levels and metabolizing fats. Cortisol makes you feel stressed and anxious, which can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, and insomnia. When those issues arise, the immune system is weakened and certain hormones get out of balance. Hair growth is affected by the hormone testosterone, which gets produced by the adrenal glands. These glands are also responsible for stress management. If cortisol gets too high, it will suppress testosterone production, leading to hair loss and greying.

Smoking

Smoking has been found to affect both the quality and the quantity of hair growth. Smoking damages the cells responsible for producing sebum which is the natural oil that keeps hair healthy. Sebum is vital to healthy hair as it protects the hair shaft against environmental damage, such as UV radiation, pollution, dry air, and others. In order to keep your hair strong and healthy, make sure to avoid smoking altogether!

Nutrition Deficiencies

Nutrition deficiencies can also affect hair health! Deficiencies in proteins have been found to cause excessive hair shedding in women with PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome), a common hormonal disorder in women of childbearing age. Low iron levels can lead to anemia, which causes a depletion of cells responsible for creating healthy hair follicles. Other nutrients that affect hair health include zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, biotin, vitamin E, B vitamins (especially B5), magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin D, copper, and essential fatty acids (omega-3).

Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalances can have detrimental effects on hair growth and overall appearance. The most common hormonal imbalances concern women who suffer from PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), menopause due to estrogen deficiency, excess testosterone production in women due to hyperandrogenism, hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone production), and so on. Men can suffer from hypogonadism (deficiency of sex hormones), hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid hormone production), and other hormonal conditions as well.

Medical Conditions

A number of medical conditions can cause hair loss and premature greying. The most common ones are high blood pressure, diabetes, lupus erythematosus (a connective tissue disorder), thyroid problems (both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism), alopecia areata (an autoimmune disease that causes patchy baldness), bodybuilding steroid use (can affect both men and women), kidney disease and liver cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse.

How To Prevent Hair Loss And Premature Greying?

Lower Your Stress Levels

In order to prevent hair loss and greying from happening due to stress and anxiety, you need to make sure that your diet contains the right vitamins and minerals. Protein-rich foods will help you feel full longer which will reduce food cravings and maintain stable blood sugar levels. You should also make sure to get enough sleep every night to prevent lack of rest from getting you all stressed out!

Stop Smoking

In order to stop smoking habits before they take their toll on your hair health and overall appearance, we recommend that you try a healthier alternative such as vaping or e-cigarette use. Vaping doesn’t contain any harmful substances, it merely replicates tobacco smoke without actually containing it. If you’re looking for an easy way out of smoking tobacco cigarettes and want to improve your overall health along with it, give vaping a try!

Take Hair Growth Vitamins

Vitamins play a crucial role in keeping better body & body parts healthy! A regular intake of vital nutrients through our diet can prevent many issues before they occur. In order to improve your hair health through nutritional means, try supplementing with some biotin and vitamin C every day! Make sure to eat plenty of leafy greens as well!

Increase Your Intake of Zinc

Zinc is crucial for hair health and overall skin appearance. In fact, a deficiency in zinc has been found to cause hair loss! If you’re looking for a method to prevent hair loss and greying, go for foods high in zinc, such as shellfish, meat (pork, beef, veal), fish, nuts, beans, legumes, and eggs.

Get Enough Magnesium Every Day

Magnesium is another mineral that works wonders for hair health and general health. It can help you relax and reduce stress levels, and it can also increase the blood circulation in your scalp which in turn creates an environment that’s beneficial to hair growth. Magnesium-rich foods include spinach, sesame seeds, dark chocolate, cashews, almonds, brown rice, soybeans, scallops, oysters, halibut, lobster, crab, and tuna. Magnesium supplements are also available, however, make sure to consult your doctor before taking any of them.

Prevent Hair Loss Through Diet

If you’re looking for a way to prevent hair loss through diet the best thing you can do is to eat more proteins. Protein-rich foods will give you all the amino acids required for hair growth and repair.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Sure, fruits and vegetables are great for your overall health but did you know that they’re also great for your hair? Fruits and vegetables contain plenty of flavonoids that will protect your hair against cell damage caused by UV radiation. They’ll also give you plenty of antioxidants to help fight free radicals which are nasty compounds that destroy cells at their own will.

Summary

Hair loss and greying hair can be a sensitive subject for a lot of people. In today’s society, our looks seem to be of utmost importance, including our hair. If you are someone who is suffering from hair loss or premature greying then you know how frustrating it can be and how detrimental it can be to your self-confidence and self-esteem. Luckily, there are many things you can do to prevent this from happening. Try to make sure that you’re leading a healthy lifestyle including eating healthy foods, and staying away from stress. If you seem to be suffering from a lot of hair loss, consult with your doctor first to make sure you don’t have any underlying medical condition. If you are perfectly healthy, make sure to up your intake of the vitamins listed above. If you are a smoker maybe hair loss is the perfect reason why you should quit.

If you are a UK reader and want to buy any of the vitamin supplements mentioned in this article, click HERE to go to the UK website of FutureYou Cambridge