Hello Dr Jain.
I am 41 years old and I have had grey hair since I was 14 years old.
I apply mehendi (henna) from childhood on my hair.
Is there any solution to grow black hair, if possible?
Is there any other option other than mehendi? I am afraid of using dyes as it may affect my remaining black hair.
Please help.
Regards,
Madhuri Shinde
Ans: Hi Madhuri
You get grey hair when your hair loses the pigment called melanin. Though the cause is genetic in most, you can also get premature greying due to different causes that include:
- Stress
- Autoimmune diseases
- Antimalarial drugs
- Chronic illness
- Nutritional deficiencies
It would have been great if you had started taking treatment in your teens, when your hair started to grey.
Nevertheless, you can still slow down the process of greying and have healthy hair at the same time.
There are medicated treatments to prevent greying of hair. Before you consider them, do get evaluated by a good dermatologist. They will recommend a blood test so that they can evaluate your condition and suggest appropriate treatment.
Meanwhile, this is what you can do.
- Ensure you consume a good diet that is rich in Vitamin B12, proteins and other nutrients.
- A multivitamin pill can also be a good support.
- Avoid too much exposure to heat as it can damage hair tissue.
- Antioxidants form the mainstay of your treatment so you can take an antioxidant pill. You can also get good antioxidants from your diet.
Foods that help reduce greying:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Mushrooms
- Blueberries
- Sunflower seeds
- Oysters
If you wish to colour your grey hair, use good quality mehendi or ammonia free hair dyes.
