Are you worried of growing Grey hair in your child? Which factors contribute to Grey hair and how to solve it? This article gives answers to all your questions.
Grey hair is a sign of aging which occurs in the age group of sixty to seventy years. These days, even 2 years old kids are at the risk of Grey hair. It may shock the parents when they notice Grey hair on their child’s head. Extreme life styles are making everyone irrespective of age susceptible to Grey hair.
This article presents the symptoms of premature Grey hair in child and causes of it. It discusses the natural remedies to cure Grey hair in child.
What is Premature Grey Hair in Child?
Grey hair in child occurs mainly due to the decreased amount of skin pigment called melanin. Melanin is produced by the hair follicle cells known as melanocytes. It makes hair, skin, and eyes look darker. Increasing Melanin has many other benefits like- protects skin from UV rays, prevents skin cancer.
Usually Grey hair is a sign of old age. As we get older, the melanocytes start dying and they stop producing melanin resulting in the graying or whitening of hair. Grey hair usually starts at the age group of 30 to 35 years depending on the gender.
Causes of Grey Hair in Child:
Here are the few factors that cause Grey hair in child:
1. Genetics:
It is one of the most common causes for greying of hair in the childhood. If the parents or grandparents have encountered premature Grey hair, then your child is also at the risk of early graying of hair.
2. Nutritional Deficiency:
Lack of vitamin B12 results in the graying of the hair. Animal products including milk, eggs, meat, poultry, red meat,and eggs are the rich source of vitamin B12. Usually vegetarians are at the risk of this vitamin deficiency as plant based diet rarely contain vitamin B12. Vegetarians can include cereal, soya, and nutritional yeast in their breakfast to combat this vitamin deficiency.
3. Health Conditions:
Autoimmune disorder known as Alopecia areata, causes unusual loss of hair from the scalp. When the hair grows again, it may be Grey initially.
Other childhood disorder like vitiligo, tuberous, sclerosis, neurofibromatosis may also lead to early greying of hair.
Certain medicines containing lithium or methotrexate may cause hair fall making the Grey hair more noticeable.
4. Soaps and Shampoos:
These days, the quality of hair care products degraded gradually. Using adult soaps and shampoos to the baby may make their hair rough causing greying of the hair. Make sure to use baby shampoos with mild chemical content in them to protect your child from greying.
5. Stress:
In recent days, stress is common to both adults and children. However the general psychological stress may not lead to the premature Grey hair, it is the genotoxic stress. Environmental factors like exposure to UV and IR radiations may lead top genotoxic stress.
6. Exposure to Smoke:
Smoking can make lowering of the melanin pigment. Smoking should be avoided near the children in order to prevent them from the risk of premature greying.
7. Anemia:
Children with iron deficiency are vulnerable to premature Grey hair. Lack of iron decreases the oxygen supply to the hair. This makes hair to rest and fall out reducing the melanin.
8. Unhealthy Food Habits:
Eating fast food and refined sugar enhances the Greying of the hair. Protein malnutrition may also lead to premature Grey hair in child.
Symptoms of Premature Grey Hair in Child
- Dandruff, dirty scalp, and fungal infections of the scalp may lead to premature greying of the hair.
- Severe falling of the hair needs to be paid attention at the early stage in order to prevent the premature Gray hair in child.
11 Home Remedies For Premature Grey Hair in Child
Here are the few ways to cure premature Grey hair in child.
1. Amla:
Amla has many health and beauty benefits. It burns fat, build immunity,
It strengthens hair and scalp. It is effective in dealing with scalp infections like dandruff, lice etc.
How To Use:
1. Cut amla into small pieces and boil it in the coconut oil.
2. Filter it and apply it to your child’s scalp and massage gently.
3. The another way to use it is soak the amla pieces in the water over night and wash your child’s hair with that water.
2. Curry Leaves and Coconut Oil:
Curry leaves are rich source of beta carotene, antioxidants and amino acids. They help in reducing the hair loss and strengthening the hair follicles.
How To Use:
1. Boil the curry leaves in the coconut oil till they turn black. Filter and apply this oil to your child’s scalp.
2. It will help to reverse the greying of the skin by increasing the production of melanin.
3. Yogurt and Yeast:
Yogurt is rich in lactic acid which helps in cleaning of the scalp by eliminating the dead cells and keeps hair follicles strong.
Yeast is a source of Vitamin B, folic acid and amino acid. These nutritional ingredients in the yeast will help the hair to shine better.
How To Use:
Mix yogurt with 1 table spoon of yogurt and give it your kid for oral consumption. You can also apply yogurt to your kid’s hair for natural conditioning of the hair.
You can also apply sour yogurt to your kid’s scalp and allow it to dry for about 20 minutes before washing.
4. Butter:
The enzymes in the cow’s milk butter will help in reversing the greying of the hair.
How To Use:
Massage your kid’s scalp with the butter made from the cow’s scalp and leave it for about half an hour before washing and wash with water.
5. Black Tea:
Black tea increases the production of melanin thereby helps in retaining the natural colour of the skin.
How To Use:
1. Boil the black tea leaves in water and set it aside to cool.
2. Apply this water on your kid’s scalp and left it for an hour
3. Give head bath to your kid with out using shampoo. Do this for once in two weeks.
6. Almond Oil and Sesame Seeds:
Almond oil contains all the healthy ingredients that are required for the hair like- omega 3 fatty acids, phospholipids, Vitamin E , and magnesium. It works effectively for hair loss and hair damage.
Almond oil can also be used in combination with amla oil. Apply this oil mix to your kid’s scalp and allow it for over night. Wash it off in the morning.
How To Use:
1. Blend almond oil and sesame seeds.
2. Apply this mixture to your kid’s scalp and leave it for about 20 minutes after massaging gently.
3. Wash it off using herbal shampoo and lukewarm water.
7. Onion:
Onions are rich in sulfur content which helps in nourishing hair follicles by stimulating the blood circulation of the scalp.
How To Use:
1. Extract the juice from the onion and apply it to your kids scalp.
2. Leave it for about half an hour and wash it off with the lukewarm water.
These are the few natural remedies for premature Grey hair in child.
8. Sesame and Carrot Seed Oil:
Sesame seeds are rich in essential fatty acids like- omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 which helps in promoting the healthy scalp.
Carrot seed oil is known to repair the split ends and relieves the itchiness caused by the scalp infections.
How To Use:
1. Combine 1 tablespoon of sesame oil with 1/2 tablespoon of carrot seed oil.
2. Apply this oil to your kid’s scalp and leave it overnight.
3. Wash it off the next day morning with lukewarm water.
9. Neem Oil:
Neem imparts many benefits to the hair like reduces dandruff, kills lies, conditions scalp and promotes healthy hair growth.
How To Use:
Massage your kid’s scalp with few drops of neem oil. Leave it for about 30 minutes and wash it off with shampoo and lukewarm water.
Note: Dilute the neem oil with the few drops of carrier oil like -almond, olive or coconut. The proportion of neem oil should be 2-5% of the mixture.
Avoid the contact of neem oil with the eyes it may cause irritation
10. Mustard Oil:
Mustard oil is a rich source of omega -3 fatty acids, it stimulates the hair growth by increasing blood circulation in the scalp.
How To Use:
1. Slightly heat the mustard oil and apply it to your kids scalp.
2. Cover the hair with shower cap as this oil is sticky in nature.
3. Allow it for overnight. Wash it off the next day morning.
11. Fenugreek Leaves:
Fenugreek seeds kills the bacteria and fungi present on the scalp and promotes the hair growth by strengthening the hair follicles.
How To Use:
1. Soak the fenugreek seeds in water and grind them with coconut oil to form a thick paste.
2. Apply it to the hair and leave it to dry for 30 minutes before washing it off.
Precautions and Tips To Follow For Premature Grey Hair in Child
1. Always use hot water to wash your kid’s hair. Hot water may destroy melanocytes producing melanin.
2. Make sure to give your child healthy and balanced diet.
3. Don’t smoke or allow anyone to smoke near your child. As it may lead to premature greying of the hair.
4. Massage your kid’s scalp frequently with coconut. This can improve blood circulation and restores hair colour.
5. Avoid direct exposure to sunlight.
6. Do not pluck any Grey hair on your child’s scalp.
7. Make sure that your kid has adequate iodine intake. Thyroid glands are affected by the too much or too low intake, leading to the premature Grey hair in your child.
8. Treating the existing medical conditions can stop further greying of the hair.
Grey hair may prevent your child from playing with friends with the fear of teasing. Parents should take responsibility in supporting their child to ensure that Grey hair does not have psychological stress on the child. Try these 11 natural tips to get rid of premature Grey hair in children.
