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8 Natural Home Remedies to Stop Premature Graying Hair

Hi Lianne,

Gray (or white, or silver) hair happens to all of us at one point or another but noticing your hair turning gray at young age can be really upsetting as grey hair makes you look years older than your actual age.

So, why do you get gray hair at a young age? What causes premature grey hair in young adults? Does stress cause white hair? Contrary to what most people believe, stress does not cause gray hair. Scientists don't know much about what exactly causes some of us go gray early, but it’s largely determined by our genetic makeup.

That said, premature graying hair could also be linked to some autoimmune and genetic conditions such as vitiligo, alopecia areata (a condition that causes round patches of hair loss), and Werner syndrome (a hereditary premature aging disease that begins in adolescence or early adulthood and results in dramatic and rapid aging).

Problems with the pituitary or thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism) can also cause premature color loss and graying of hair, and can be easily reversed if the problem is addressed.

In addition, many studies have also linked smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and improper nutrition to premature graying.

The good news is there are many things you can do to reduce premature graying hair and allow more melanocytes to be produced even after you begin losing it. These simple anti-gray hair natural remedies listed below will gradually bring back your original hair color, and prevent the regrowth of gray hair.

What Natural Home Remedies Can Reduce and Stop Premature Greying Hair?

1. A lack of the copper mineral in your body can lead to loss of hair color and premature gray hair because copper is directly related to the hair follicles' ability to continue producing color. For that reason, you want to increase your copper intake through diet – avocados, lentils, almonds, mushrooms, garlic, and soy products – or supplementation.

Try blackstrap molasses (extremely rich in copper), a time-tested simple natural home remedy for premature graying hair. Many people claim that blackstrap molasses help their hair color returns after about 1-2 months of daily doses (2 tablespoons) of molasses. You can mix it with almond milk but make sure to avoid anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it as it can leach some vital minerals (copper) from your body.

2. I've heard that drinking a few ounces of wheatgrass juice regularly for a few months helps turn gray hair back to its original color. Wheat grass is a superfood loaded with antioxidants,vitamins, minerals, and proteins that will keep your body in pristine health.

3. You can take PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid), a Vitamin B complex that can help maintain your natural hair color and thereby reducing premature greyness naturally when paired with other vitamins and minerals.

Brewer’s yeast, whole grain, egg, kidney, and liver are rich sources of PABA. Another great plus, PABA has been proven to protect our skin from the damaging rays of the sun. Recommended daily dosage for PABA is 30 mg for adults.

Try drinking buttermilk with a 2 teaspoons each of yeast and wheat germ to help cure premature greying of hair.

4. You also want to consume iodine-rich foods as iodine also helps maintain natural hair color, especially when taken with copper. Iodine is found mostly in seafood such as lobster, crab, tuna, mackerel as well as sardines. Bananas and carrot are good examples of fruits and vegetables that have high iodine content.

5. Alternatively, use Chinese medicine to reverse grey hair. He Shou Wu (also known as Polygonum Multiflorum Root, or Fo-Ti) is a plant native to China, highly valued as one of the most beneficial herbs to increase energy and maintain youthful vigor. According to TCM (Chinese traditional medicine), He Shou Wu has traditionally been used for reversing graying of hair and hair loss, and is highly recommended for long-term use to improve hair and body nourishment for people with Qi deficiency.

However, always consult a qualified TCM practitioner before use. He Shou Wu can cause potential rare liver reactions in some people.

6. An Indian lady friend told me that rubbing Indian gooseberry (Amla) mixed in coconut oil into the scalp regularly works miraculously well as a natural home cure to make white hair turn black. If you prefer, massage hair with coconut and lemon juice on a daily basis will also help slow down the white hair growth.

7. Another solution to treat white hair naturally is dissolve 1 tablespoon table salt to a cup of strong black tea, and massage into your scalp. Leave it on for about 1 hour and wash your hair thoroughly.

8. You can try this natural treatment to cure premature graying. Mix together 2 teaspoons henna powder, 1 teaspoon natural plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon fenugreek, 3 teaspoons coffee, 2 teaspoons basil juice and 3 teaspoon mint juice until you get a paste. Apply this paste to your hair. Wash hair well after 2-3 hours.

Aside from using natural home remedies to treat premature graying of hair, I also suggest you take great care of your hair and use shampoos with a blue base. A blue shampoo can help prevent gray hair from "turning" yellow (yellowish cast) while adding brightness to your hair. Some of the best blue shampoos for gray hair include Loreal Professional White Violet Color Depositing Shampoo, Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo, Phyto Phytargent Whitening Shampoo, and Matrix Essentials Solutionist So Silver Shampoo.

Lianne, if you think about it, premature grey hair can be fashionable too. It can be a distinctive bold way for a stylish young person to assert a sense of individuality. Try styling grey hair in a modern sleek cut like a graduated bob with smooth fringe bangs to frame your face.

By Diane Hanson

I'm a young woman in my early to mid twenties but my hair has started going gray prematurely and I also noticed I'm getting more and more grey hair recently. Having gray hair is really embarrassing for me because I'm work as a medical device sales rep and have to meet my customers almost everyday. I get very self-conscious about people looking at my hair turning grey at a young age. I wasted so much time and money on many different types of shampoos, sprays and pills that gave disappointing results. I'm wondering if there are ways to stop gray hair naturally, or natural home remedies to retard premature graying of hair. Please help me! – Lianne, Arkansas.

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