A number of studies have found that smoking is closely related to the appearance of gray hair at a young age. Now, try a mirror and pay attention to your hair. Are there any signs of gray hair even though you have just entered the head even two or three? Could be one of the causes is smoking. The following is a complete explanation.
What is the process of gray hair formation?
Initially, follicles into hair growth have a collection of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes function to produce melanin, a dark pigment that gives your hair color.
As we get older, melanocytes begin to die so that melanin production is reduced. Hair color will gradually become gray, silver, white and finally when melanin is completely stopped being produced. This is the reason why gray hair is generally owned by parents.
Anything that can cause gray hair at a young age?
On average, new gray hair will appear when you are in your late 30s or only entering your 40s. However, you can be said to have gray hair at a young age if gray hair appears when you are 25 years old or less.
Here are a number of factors that can trigger the appearance of premature gray hair:
1. Genetic factors
Genetic factors play a major role in causing gray hair at a young age. When your parents or grandparents already have gray hair at a young age, then you might also experience the same thing. Indeed genetic factors cannot be changed, but you can get around by coloring gray hair using hair dyes.
2. Lack of vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 plays an important role in maintaining healthy red blood cells. These blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, including melanocytes in hair follicles. Lack of vitamin B-12 can affect the supply of oxygen to these cells. As a result, reducing melanin production and gray hair formation at an early age.
3. Certain diseases
The formation of gray hair at a young age can be caused by autoimmune diseases and thyroid gland disorders. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes thereby inhibiting melanin production. While disruption of the thyroid gland, it interferes with melanin production by less or excessive hormonal activity.
What is the relation between smoking and gray hair at a young age?
In addition to the three causes above, gray hair can also appear earlier due to smoking. In a study conducted in 2010, found that smokers were 2.5 times more likely to have gray hair at a young age than nonsmokers. On average, gray smokers appear at the age of 30 years.
This is thought to be closely related to various contents in cigarettes which are free radicals. This substance causes oxidative stress in melanocytes, consequent damage for these cells. Finally, melanocytes stop producing melanin and cause the appearance of gray hair at a young age.
In addition, smoking will also cause constriction of blood vessels. blood flow to the hair follicles is reduced so that your hair is more susceptible to loss. Not only does it cause gray hair at a young age, but smoking can also potentially cause other damage to your hair.
Smoking will affect your entire body, including hair. However, it is not too late for you to improve your habits. Before your hair color fades, let’s reduce smoking and try to replace it with something healthier.