Hair Concerns

Greying of hair is an eventual process and no one can escape from it. Statistics show that the average age for Asians to grow white hair is late 30s. White hair results from the lack of melanin, a chemical that gives our hair its natural color. While a decrease in the production of melanin is traditionally due to aging, other factors leading to decreased melanin levels have surfaced. Hence, premature greying of hair has become increasingly common these days.

Signs and Symptoms

Random strands of your hair start turning white and gradually, overall greying of hair starts getting more and more obvious, making one look older than his/her actual age.

Causes

The rate and age at which your hair starts turning white are largely determined by genetics. Nevertheless, external factors such as smoking, nutrition deficiency can accelerate the process, resulting in premature grey hair.

Possible Complications

Greying hair, on its own, poses no complication. However, that no longer holds true for those who undergo frequent hair coloring treatments to cover up the grey hair. While that can temporarily conceal the problem, these chemical treatments can damage the hair when done excessively and/or without professional services; hair that has been repeatedly colored becomes weaker and drier, making it prone to hair breakage which could lead to increased hair fall. In addition, white hair tends to be frizzy, making it harder to manage. Thus, more effort has to be paid to maintain the quality of hair.