Family Encyclopedia >> Beauty & Style

Gray hair:a hair health expert answers the questions we ask ourselves

Seeing white hair appear is what many women dread (and a smaller proportion of men, but they do exist), and the sudden popularity of silver manes at the start of 2017 has nothing to do with it. Changed to this general angst – not even the latest trendy Ash Brown Hair color recommended for brunettes in the spring? Damn. Although feared, this hair evolution is full of mysteries that Madeleine Preston has agreed to reveal to Cosmo UK . The expert in trichology, which designates the specialty of dermatology dedicated to the affections of the hair system (which therefore includes the hair), first of all addressed the question of the age at which the first gray hairs occur, and it is sooner than you think. "Most women in their thirties should spot a few here and there, and once they're over 50, 50% of their hair should normally be graying “, she begins. What is their origin ? “Grey hair is a combination of normally pigmented hair mixed with white hair. The hair becomes completely white when the pigment cells responsible for the natural color of the hair (melanin) are no longer produced ". It actually makes sense…

Choose protein-rich foods

It is only possible to slow down the phenomenon to a very small extent since it is above all linked to genetics, as the expert points out:"If your parents had gray hair early on, there is a strong possibility that it will happen to you too. Caucasians seem to be affected earlier and certain health problems such as diabetes, pernicious anemia [caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, editor's note] and those related to the thyroid are likely to accelerate the arrival of white hair ". However, she adds that good nutrition can slightly delay the phenomenon (but in no way prevent it). What foods should be preferred? Those that are high in protein, such as fish and eggs. We also focus on meals rich in iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, B12 and B6. Finally, head massages can also play a role on their scale:“Just like the body, the head needs regular exercise. [With massage], the hair is supplied with vital nutrients through the bloodstream, which helps nourish the follicles [the cavity in which the hair originates, editor's note] “, concludes Madeleine Preston. Well noted!