Noticing grey or white strands in your 20s or early 30s can feel surprising—even frustrating. While we usually associate greying with aging, early onset is far more common than most people realize. Instead of panicking, it’s worth understanding what’s really going on. From genetic factors to stress and nutritional deficiencies, there’s more to premature greying than meets the eye. In this guide, we’ll break down the real causes, clear up common misconceptions, and explore what you can do to slow it down or manage it.
What is Premature White Hair?
Premature white hair refers to the early onset of greying that occurs before the age of 25 in Asians, before 20 in people of African descent, and before 30 in Caucasians. It happens when the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in hair follicles slow down or stop producing melanin, the natural pigment responsible for hair color. Genetics, nutritional deficiencies, stress, and underlying health issues can all contribute to this early loss of pigment.
What Causes White Hair in Early Age?
If you’re spotting white or grey strands earlier than expected, you’re not alone. Premature greying can be influenced by a mix of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Here’s a breakdown of the most common causes:Here’s what causes white hair at early age.
1. Genetics
It often starts with your family tree. If your parents or close relatives began greying in their 20s or 30s, it’s likely that you’ll follow a similar timeline. Genetics play a dominant role in determining how soon your hair loses melanin—the pigment responsible for its natural color. While you can’t alter your DNA, understanding your genetic background can help set realistic expectations and guide how you care for your hair.
2. Stress
While stress might not instantly turn your hair white, prolonged emotional or physical stress can impact your body in subtle ways—including your hair. Chronic stress has been linked to hormonal imbalances and oxidative damage, both of which can affect melanin production in hair follicles. Over time, this disruption may lead to premature greying, especially if combined with other lifestyle or genetic factors.
3. Nutritional Deficiencies
When your body lacks vital nutrients—especially vitamin B12, iron, copper, and folate—it can disrupt melanin production, leading to early greying. These vitamins and minerals support healthy hair growth and pigmentation. A deficiency may also show up as dull, brittle strands or increased hair fall. Incorporating nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens, eggs, lentils, nuts, and lean meats into your diet can help preserve your natural hair color for longer.
4. Thyroid disorder
Your hormones play a key role in regulating hair health, including its color. Disorders like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can interfere with melanin production, potentially leading to premature white hair. Since the thyroid gland affects everything from metabolism to hair growth cycles, any imbalance may show up in your strands. Keeping hormones in check through regular health screenings and medical guidance can help reduce the chances of early greying.
5. Oxidative Stress
Exposure to pollution, harsh weather, and UV rays doesn’t just harm your skin—it affects your hair, too. These environmental stressors can generate free radicals that damage the melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) in your hair follicles, accelerating the greying process. To combat this, consider using hair care products enriched with antioxidants and UV filters to shield your strands from daily damage and preserve their natural color.
6. Smoking
Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs—it’s also harmful to your hair. The toxins in cigarettes create oxidative stress, which can damage hair follicles and disrupt melanin production, leading to premature greying. Kicking the habit may help slow down the greying process and improve overall hair health.
7. Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions, such as autoimmune diseases or deficiencies, can contribute to premature grey hair. Conditions like vitiligo or alopecia areata can affect melanin production in the hair follicles, leading to early greying. Managing and treating underlying medical conditions may help prevent or slow down this process.
8. Damage to Hair Follicles
Excessive hair styling, harsh chemical treatments, or frequent heat exposure can weaken the hair follicles, leading to premature greying. Over time, these damages can disrupt melanin production, causing the hair to lose its natural color. Opting for gentler hair care routines and reducing heat styling can preserve your hair’s pigment.
9. Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the body’s ability to maintain proper melanin levels in the hair follicles. The body’s immune system attacks its own cells, which can lead to premature greying. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help manage the effects of autoimmune conditions on hair health.
This is a popular misconception, but the truth is a bit different. Plucking grey hair won't result in more grey hairs sprouting from the same follicle. Each hair grows from an individual follicle, and plucking one won't trigger the growth of additional grey strands. However, frequent plucking can damage the hair follicle, potentially leading to thinning hair over time. Instead of plucking, it’s better to consider dyeing or embracing the greys as a part of your natural aging process.
2. Stress Directly Causes Grey Hair
It's commonly believed that stress can turn your hair grey, but that's not entirely true. While stress can trigger hair loss or contribute to health issues that may affect your hair's condition, it doesn’t directly cause grey hair. Grey hair is primarily caused by the reduction of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color. Factors like genetics, aging, and certain health conditions play a much bigger role in the graying process. Stress, however, can accelerate the aging process, which may indirectly contribute to the appearance of greying hair.
3. Hair Dyes Can Reverse Grey Hair
Hair dyeing is a popular way to cover grey hair, but it's important to understand that dyes only provide a temporary solution. They work by adding color to the hair shaft, but they don't address the root cause of greying, which is the decrease in melanin production. Permanent hair dyes can effectively cover grey hair for a period of time, but they cannot reverse the biological process responsible for greying. So, while dyes can mask grey hair, they won’t prevent new grey hairs from popping up.
4. Grey Hair is Stronger Than Pigmented Hair
This is another common misconception. While grey hair may feel coarser or thicker, it's not actually stronger than pigmented hair. In fact, the absence of melanin and other structural changes in the hair follicles can make grey hair more delicate. Without the protective pigment, grey strands are more prone to breakage and damage, making them appear more brittle. So, while grey hair might feel rougher, it requires extra care and gentle handling to maintain its health and prevent damage.
How to Reduce White Hair and Prevent Premature Greying
To reduce white hair and prevent premature greying, focus on a healthy diet rich in vitamins like B12, iron, and copper, while managing stress and avoiding harmful habits like smoking. Regularly protecting your hair from environmental damage and using hair care products designed to nourish the scalp will help you learn how to prevent white hair and maintain its natural color longer.
1. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eat your greens! Incorporate foods rich in vitamins and minerals to support hair health. Leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, and lean meats should be your go-to.
2. Manage Stress
Yoga, meditation, and regular exercise can help reduce stress levels, potentially slowing down the greying process and avoiding white hair at early age.
3. Protect Your Hair from Damage
Use hair products that protect against UV rays and pollution. Wearing a hat or scarf when you're out in the sun can also help protect your hair.
4. Avoid Smoking
Quitting smoking can improve your overall health and potentially slow down the greying process.
5. Consider Supplements
If you suspect a nutritional deficiency, consult with a healthcare provider about taking supplements like Vitamin B12, iron, or copper.
6. Use Natural Remedies
Some natural home remedies for white hair may help slow down or reduce white hair in young age. Amla, curry leaves, and coconut oil are known to support melanin production. Applying these as hair masks or drinking amla juice can be beneficial.
7. Use The Right Hair Products
To maintain healthy and strong hair, opt for nourishing shampoos and oils. Indulekha Bringha Ayurvedic Shampoo is an excellent option, as it is infused with bhringraj, an herb known for its hair-strengthening and scalp-rejuvenating properties. This Ayurvedic formula helps reduce hair fall and promotes healthy growth. Additionally, Tresemme Keratin Smooth Shampoo is perfect for those looking to tame frizz while adding a silky shine to their locks. With the power of keratin and argan oil, it helps in keeping hair smooth, strong, and manageable.
Embracing Your Natural Grey
While there are steps you can take to slow down the process, it’s important to remember that grey hair is a natural part of ageing. Many people are choosing to embrace their natural grey hair, seeing it as a sign of wisdom and maturity. If you decide to go grey gracefully, there are plenty of hair care products designed to keep grey hair looking its best.
Premature greying can catch you off guard, but understanding the reasons behind it and how to manage it can help. Whether you decide to dye your hair or rock the grey, it’s all about what makes you feel your best. Grey hair can be just as stunning as any other colour, so embrace your unique look and enjoy the journey!
FAQs
Q. How to get rid of white hair at a young age?
A. While there’s no guaranteed way to reverse greying, maintaining a nutrient-rich diet, reducing stress, and using natural hair care remedies can help slow down the process.
Q. How to prevent hair whitening?
A. Prevention involves a healthy diet, avoiding smoking, protecting hair from environmental damage, and managing stress. Using antioxidant-rich hair oils like amla or coconut oil may also help.
Q. Why hair become white in early age?
A. Genetics, stress, nutritional deficiencies, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalances, and smoking are some of the primary causes of premature greying.
Q. Can white hair turn black again naturally?
A. Once a hair follicle loses melanin, it typically does not regain its colour. However, some treatments, like improving diet and using natural remedies, may slow down further greying.
Q. Does stress really cause white hair?
A. Stress alone doesn’t directly cause white hair, but chronic stress can lead to hair fall and changes in hair growth patterns, which may contribute to premature greying.
Premature GreyingCauses of White HairMyths About Grey HairHair Care Tips for Grey Hair
Premature GreyingCauses of White HairMyths About Grey HairHair Care Tips for Grey Hair
Keerat Kohli
Keerat Kohli is a beauty and lifestyle writer who often boasts her expertise as the self-proclaimed beauty guru of her friend group. She specialises in all things content- from social media strategy to creation.
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by
third-parties.
We will keep your personal data for as long as we need
it
for the purpose it is being processed for. For example,
where you make a purchase online with us we will keep the data related
to
your purchase, so we can perform the specific contract you have entered
and
after that, we will keep the personal data for a period which enables us
to
handle or respond to any complaints, queries or concerns relating to the
purchase.
Your data may also be retained so that we can continue to improve
your experience with us and to ensure that you receive any
loyalty rewards which are due to you.
We retain the identifiable data we collect directly for targeting
purposes
for as little time as possible, after which we employ
measures to permanently delete it.
We will actively review the personal data we hold and delete it
securely, or in some cases anonymise it,
when
there is no longer a legal, business or consumer need for it to be
retained.
Your rights in relation to your personal data how it is processed. You
can
exercise these rights at any point. We have provided an overview of
these
rights below together with what this entails for you. You can exercise
your
rights by sending an email or submitting a request through the “Contact
Us”
form on our websites.
Where we process your personal data, you have a number of rights over how
the
data is processed and can exercise these rights at any point. We have
provided an overview of these rights below together with what this
entails
for you. You can exercise your rights by sending an email or submitting a
request
through the “Contact Us” form on our websites.
The right to be informed. You have the right to be
provided with clear, transparent and easily understandable
information
about how we use your personal data and your rights. Therefore,
we’re
providing you with the information in this Notice.
The right to access and rectification. You have the
right to access, correct or update your personal data at any time.
We
understand the importance of this and should you want to exercise
your
rights, please contact us.
The right to data portability. The personal data
you
have provided us with may be portable. This means it can be moved,
copied or transmitted electronically under certain circumstances.
The right to be forgotten. Under certain
circumstances,
you have right to request that we delete your data. If you wish to
delete the personal data we hold about you, please let us know and
we
will take reasonable steps to respond to your request in accordance
with
legal requirements. If the personal data we collect is no longer
needed
for any purposes and we are not required by law to retain it, we
will do
what we can to delete, destroy or permanently de-identify it.
The right to restrict processing. Under certain
circumstances, you have the right to restrict the processing of your
personal data.
The right to object. Under certain circumstances,
you
have the right to object to certain types of processing, including
processing for direct marketing (i.e., receiving emails from us
notifying you or being contacted with varying potential
opportunities).
The right to lodge a complaint with a Supervisory Authority.
You have the right to lodge a complaint directly with any
local
Supervisory Authority about how we process your personal data.
The right to withdraw consent. If you have given
your
consent to anything we do with your personal data (i.e., we rely on
consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data), you
have
the right to withdraw your consent at any time (although if you do
so,
it does not mean that anything we have done with your personal data
with
your consent up to that point is unlawful). You can withdraw your
consent to the processing of your personal data at any time by
contacting us with the details provided below.
Rights related to automated decision-making. You
have
the right not to be subject to a decision which is based solely on
automated processing and which produces legal or other significant
effects on you. In particular, you have the right:
to obtain human intervention;
to express your point of view;
to obtain an explanation of the decision
reached after an assessment; and
to challenge such a decision.
Further information and advice about your rights can be obtained from the
data protection Regulator in your Country.
We are committed to protect your personal information collected and
processed
by us and look forward to your continued support for the same. If you
have
any query, grievance with respect to the processing of information by
us,
you can reach out to us by calling our Toll Free No.
1800-10-22-221
or by email to lever.care@unilever.com or
submitting a request through the “Contact Us
(Privacy Request/Concern)”
form available on the HUL website.
You can also reach out to our Privacy Office in the event of any
escalation
or absence of resolution of grievance, requests, rights pertaining to
personal data processed by us. You may contact our DPO/Privacy Grievance
Officer at (1) The Data Protection Officer/Privacy Grievance Officer,
Hindustan Unilever Limited, Unilever House, B. D. Sawant Marg, Chakala,
Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400 099 or at: Grievance.Officer-Privacy@unilever.com.
You can also call on the aforementioned contact number and request it to
be
referred to the DPO/Data Protection Office.
When a privacy question or access request is received, we have
a dedicated
team which triages the contacts and seeks to address the specific
concern or
query which you are seeking to raise. Where your issue may be more
substantive in nature, more information may be sought from you. If you
are
unsatisfied with the reply received, you may refer your complaint to the
relevant Supervisory Authority. If you ask us, we will endeavour to
provide
you with information about relevant complaint avenues which may be
applicable to your circumstances.
We will update this Privacy Notice when necessary to
reflect
customer feedback and changes in our products and services. When we post
changes to this statement, we will revise the “last
updated” date at the top of this Notice. If the changes are
significant, we will provide a more prominent notice
(including, for certain services, email notification of Privacy Notice
changes). We will also keep prior versions of this Privacy Notice in an
archive for your review.
We will not reduce your rights under this Privacy Notice
without your consent.
Additional Privacy Terms or Notices
In addition to this Privacy Notice, there may be specific campaigns or
promotions which will be governed by additional privacy
terms or notices. We encourage you to read
these additional terms or notices before participating in any such
campaigns
or promotions as you will be required to comply with them if you
participate. Any additional privacy terms or notices will be made
prominently available to you.
Privacy Notice