What Causes White Hair?

Are white hair normal?

What Causes White Hair

It is not uncommon for your hair to change as you grow older. As a younger person, you probably had a full head of brown, black, red, or blonde hair. Now that you have grown, you may notice thinning in some areas of your head, or your hair may change from its original color to brown or white.

Your body has pores, which are small sacs lined with skin cells. Hair follicles contain pigment cells known as melanin. These cells give your hair its color.
What causes white hair at an early age?
People with white hair have darker hair color. Although white hair is a characteristic of aging, colorless hair strands can appear at any age - even if you are still in high school or college. If you are a teenager or in your 20s, you may get one or more white hairs.

There may be ways to restore pigmentation, but it depends on the cause. Here are the common causes of premature white hair.

1. Genetics

Your makeup plays a big role when (or if) you develop white hair. If you see white hair at an early age, it is likely that your parents or grandparents also had white hair at an early age.

You cannot change genetics. But if you don't like the way your brown hair looks, you can always color your hair.

2. stress

Everyone deals with stress from time to time. The consequences of chronic stress may include:

• Sleep problem
• anxiety
• Change in appetite
• high blood pressure

Stress can also affect your hair. A 2013 study source found a relationship between stress and depletion of stem cells in the hair follicles of mice. So if you have seen an increase in the number of your white varieties, stress can be the culprit. This theory may also explain why some world leaders appear increasingly age or gray while in office.

3. Autoimmune disease

the body's immune system attacks its cells. In the case of alopecia and vitiligo, the immune system can attack the hair and cause pigment loss.

4. thyroid disorder

Hormonal changes due to thyroid problems - such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism - may also be responsible for premature white hair.  The health of your thyroid can also affect the color of your hair. An overactive or low thyroid can cause your body to produce less melanin.

5. Vitamin B-12 deficiency

White hair at an early age may also indicate vitamin B-12 deficiency. This vitamin plays an important role in your body.

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is associated with a condition known as fatal anemia, which occurs when your body is unable to absorb sufficient amounts of this vitamin. Your body needs vitamin B-12 for healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the cells in your body, including hair cells. A deficiency can weaken hair cells and affect melanin production.

6. Smoking

There is also a relationship between premature white hair and smoking. A study found a source of 107 subjects "finding a relationship between the onset of gray hair before the age of 30 and cigarette smoking."

It is well known that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease. Smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, which can reduce the flow of blood to the hair follicles and cause hair loss. Additionally, the toxins in cigarettes can damage parts of your body, including your hair follicles, leading to early white hair.

Can white hair be stopped?

the cause is genetics, there is nothing you can do to stop or permanently stop the color change.

If you treat an underlying health problem, pigmentation may return, but there is no guarantee.

According to a study source, if thyroid problems cause white hair, hormone therapy can lead to pigmentation again after treatment. Taking vitamin B-12 shots or pills to correct a deficiency can also improve the health of hair follicles and bring back your natural complexion. If white hair results from stress or smoking, there is no evidence to support the return of pigmentation after quitting smoking or reducing stress.