Sore joints can make life hard.

Losing your hair’s natural colour can be frustrating.

But don’t worry, there are things you can do to help slow or even reverse the greying process.

Greying of hair is completely natural and usually occurs due to ageing.

It’s been linked to genetics, stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, or illness.

Hair goes white because the pigment that gives it colour is destroyed by specific enzymes in the body called catalases.

The enzyme peroxidase continues this destruction process.

The lack of melanin in hair causes it to appear as a silvery-white colour.

Genetics plays an integral role in male-pattern baldness and greying of the hair.

Men with no family history of male pattern baldness do not go grey until later in life

… if at all.

This is because male pattern baldness affects the catalase enzyme activity and other elements that contribute to this process.

Other people who are more likely to get grey hair earlier include smokers and women with low estrogen levels.

Estrogen helps protect hair colour by preventing greying.

If you’re lucky and greying is yet to happen to your hair, preventing the damage with lifestyle choices is a great option.

Understand the Natural Process of Greying Hair

As you age, your hair colour will gradually change. This is because melanin production, the pigment that gives hair colour, decreases with age. The average person’s hair will start to go grey when they are in their 30s or 40s.

Healthy hair will stay its natural colour (or close to it) for longer than hair that has been damaged. Dying your hair can affect how early or late the greying process begins because chemicals react with melanin to produce different colours.

Greying is an entirely natural process and should not be confused with premature greying, affecting people in their teens and 20s. This happens when the stem cells that produce melanin die off early for not yet fully understood reasons. The stem cells live in hair follicles known as “the bulge.” Studies have shown that the stem cells escape from the bulge over time.

Avoid Products That Claim To Reverse This Process

There are a few easy things you can do to protect and slow the greying process of your hair. First, try to eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Second, make sure to get enough exercise and sleep. Finally, avoid exposure to excessive amounts of UV radiation from the sun. All of these things will keep your hair healthy and may help delay the greying process. But once you see grey hair, is there anything you can do about it?

The answer to that question is maybe. Several products out on the market claim to reverse or prevent greying of your hair. These usually contain a form of hydrogen peroxide.

How exactly do these products work? The hair follicle is a tiny structure within the skin that produces hair. At the base of the hair follicle, there are pigment cells called melanocytes that produce a pigment called melanin. Melanin gives your hair its colour, and as you age, these cells stop producing as much melanin. People with very dark hair have high levels of a type of melanin called “eumelanin.”

Can You Reverse GREY Hair Scientifically?

There’s no definitive answer to this question. While some people may claim that specific methods or products can help reverse the greying process, the scientific evidence supporting these claims is sparse. One study did find that your hair can turn grey or even bright white due to acute stress.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to help keep your hair youthful and maintain its natural colour for as long as possible. These include eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise and exposure to sunlight, and avoiding excessive stress. In addition, using a quality hair care product specifically designed for coloured hair can help preserve your hair’s fullness.

Learn more: 5 Unusual Herbs that Stimulate Hair Growth Naturally

3 Natural Products To Help Maintain Hair Colour

Commercial hair dyes generally contain chemicals that may damage your hair and cause it to grey more quickly. If you do use hair dye, avoid using any products containing bleach as they will strip the melanin from your hair and lead to it turning grey more quickly. If you suffer from greying hair, avoid using shampoos that contain harsh chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) or Ammonium Laureth Sulphate. That strip your hair of its natural oils and contribute to the greying process. You should also avoid going swimming in chlorinated pools or saltwater, as this can also dry out your hair and cause it to turn grey more quickly.

The good news is that there are several natural products that you can use to keep your hair vibrant. These include:

Apple cider vinegar – a natural cleansing agent that can help remove any build-up from your hair that may be causing it to lose its colour.
Coconut oil – is a natural moisturiser that can help keep your hair healthy and hydrated.
Eggs – contain high levels of protein, as well as vitamins A and E, biotin, and folate, which can all help strengthen your hair and prevent it from greying.

2 Natural Recipes For Maintaining Youthful Hair

Apple Cider Vinegar & Water Cleanser

For best results, apple cider vinegar once or twice a week.

Ingredients: 8 oz water, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar.

Method:

Step 1 – Thoroughly mix apple cider vinegar with water.

Step 2 – Pour over your hair after washing it.

Step 3 – Allow it to remain on your hair for 20 minutes

Step 4 – rinse with warm water.

Coconut Oil & Egg Conditioner

For best results, make an egg mixture to use once every 2-3 weeks.

Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1 egg yolk

Method:

Step 1 – Combine coconut oil with one egg yolk in a small dish.

Step 2 – Beat together well before applying to the scalp area, and gently rubbing it in helps moisturise your hair and scalp.

Step 3 – Allow the mixture to remain on your hair for 30 minutes.

Step 4 – ash off with a mild soap before rinsing with warm water.

The Bottom Line

Greying hair is a natural process that most people experience, but it doesn’t mean you have to live with it. There are many things you can do at home without harsh chemicals or expensive treatments to help maintain the colour of your hair and stop greying from taking over. This article discussed how apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and eggs could be used in combination for best results. If these don’t work well enough on their own for you, consider adding some other healthy ingredients like honey into the mix as well! We also wrote about what causes grey hair and why using commercial dyes may not be a good idea if you want to retain your youthful appearance.