This month, Eva was invited to share her expert insight with British GQ magazine as part of feature looking at “why guys go grey”. So, here, Eva explains in more detail some of the key factors behind the much misunderstood greying process:
“As we age, melanocytes (tiny cells in the skin that produce melanin, the pigment that gives our skin and hair colour) start to fail. As a result, hair doesn’t actually go grey – it becomes translucent, only appearing grey because it reflects the light from surrounding darker hairs.
“Many men embrace the ‘silver fox’ look and feel confident with the stylish, dignified air of a greying head of hair. But others may experience a serious knock on their self-esteem from losing their natural colour (and the perceived aging effects of greying) and will go to great lengths (and costs) to disguise it. So, what causes / exacerbates the greying process?
- Smokey grey:
It’s long been acknowledged that smoking tobacco can speed up the rate at which you go grey (and, in more recent years, it’s become more likely that using an e-cigarette – aka vaping – isn’t any safer).
This is because toxins in cigarettes trigger oxidative stress, a biological process where unstable molecules in the body called free radicals – which are produced by smoking – attack and destroy healthy cells in the scalp that produce melanin, the pigment that gives your hair colour.
Air pollution can also damage hair colour in much the same way as cigarette smoke does. When inhaled and absorbed into the bloodstream, toxins such as diesel fumes can trigger oxidative stress – damaging healthy cells in the scalp, reducing their ability to produce the melanin needed to retain colour.
So, if you live in a built-up area, it’s important to wash your hair regularly – at least every other day – to get rid of polluted particles that could penetrate the hair and damage melanocyte cells in the scalp. And consider using an antioxidant-rich conditioner, that can help protect against toxic deposits that might speed up the greying process.
- Find some ‘shades’ of grey:
Too much sun exposure isn’t just bad for your skin – it also drains the colour out of your hair. Excess UV light triggers the same oxidative stress that smoking does, damaging melanin-producing cells in the scalp and speeding up the greying process. Studies show that UV rays also disrupt levels of keratin, a protein in hair that strengthens and protects it.
So, men who spend a lot of time outdoors – such as builders or farm workers – should make sure they wear a hat when it’s sunny – as well as using specialist conditioners, such as Tricotain, which coat the hair in an antioxidant substance to protect them against sun-related damage.
Antioxidants work by neutralising the harmful free radical molecules (which trigger oxidative stress, damaging the delicate melanin-releasing cells) before they penetrate the hair and scalp.
3. Pump up your iron (and your B12)
Despite the growing popularity in following a vegetarian or vegan diet, this really can cause all sorts of problems for your hair. Vegan diets are notoriously lacking in iron and vitamin B12, which are found in abundance in meat, eggs and dairy products but in much lower concentrations in plant-based foods. It’s not found naturally in fruits, vegetables or grains.
Vitamin B12 is absolutely crucial for cell regeneration, including that of melanocytes, and without enough of it in your diet it can bring on the greying of your hair.
For this reason, vegans are more at risk of going grey prematurely.
If you’re looking to boost your B12 intake, the best food sources are liver and red meat. If that’s unacceptable, you should try a daily supplement – your body needs around 1.5mg a day to stay healthy.
For those who are meat-free, a daily iron supplement – such as Gentle Iron 20mg from Holland and Barrett (£8.99 for 90 capsules) – can help. This is because iron deficiency is known to cause hair to grey by also depleting melanin levels. Or for an all-round complete supplement men can take Tricoextra which is specially formulated for hair and scalp health. www.tricoextra.com
- The stress effect
The occasional bad day at the office work, losing a football match or having a row with your partner isn’t going to affect your chances of going grey prematurely. But if you are experiencing chronic, long-term stress – whether financial worries or a troubled relationship – the impact is real. Our bodies are programmed to release certain hormones – such as cortisol and norepinephrine – when we find ourselves under threat or feeling pressure. It’s part of the natural, instinctive fight-or-flight response – but if that persists for long periods of time – the excess cortisol can take a significant toll on our bodies, including our hair. When we’re in survival mode the brain prioritises the supply of blood and nutrients to cells and tissues that are vital for “escaping the crisis”. Non-essential cells, such as melanocytes that dictate hair colour, are a low priority – over time, melanocytes begin to malfunction and hair colour fades.
- Turn down the heat:
Most household hairdryers heat to between 20C and 60C. At the top end of that range, it’s enough to ‘bake’ not only the hair but the delicate melanin-releasing cells in the skin and hair follicles, turning off the supply of pigment to each strand of hair.
If you regularly use a hairdryer, it’s advisable to go for a moderate setting and keep the drier a reasonable distance – about 8in – from your hair, while moving it around. Even better – let it dry naturally (which of course is much easier if you’re got short hair!)
- “Keep it in the family – some people just can’t help going grey”
Genetics play a major role in who we are and what we look like and this is so true of the hair, with a significant influence on the timing of grey hair. So, if you notice grey hair at an early age it’s often likely that your parents or grandparents also had early onset of grey hair too.
Premature greying of hair (PGH) is the term used to identify the onset of grey hair at an unusually early age, it can also be called canities or achromotrichia.
Poliosis is also a genetic condition where a patch or streak of grey hair develops with the rest of the hair retaining its natural colour. Fun fact; this condition has famously been called “The Mallen Streak” after the character in the late 1970’s Catherine Cookson novels of the same name (and also sported by another legend from the same era, TV presenter, Dickie Davies!)
To book a consultation at this or any of Eva’s clinics call us on 01788 819325 (9-5 Monday to Friday) or email us at admin@ukhairconsultants.com
Love, Eva x
Eva has successfully treated numerous men and women suffering from hair loss and is the resident trichologist on “The Hair Loss Clinic”, which can currently be streamed on Discovery Plus.
“I encourage anyone who is concerned about hair loss and alopecia to check out the information here, where I talk through specific variances of alopecia, causes, and potential treatment options.
As always, if you have any general concerns then please do pop me a question here: www.ukhairconsultants.com/ask-about-symptoms-eva-proudman. I’m always here for you and committed to helping people of all ages with hair and scalp health concerns.”
Or get in touch here!