• Is there any white or gray hairs on you head?
• Your gray hairs are less manageable or coarser?
• Your age is between 20 – 30?

MAY BE YOU HAVE PREMATURE GRAYING…

What is Premature Graying?

Hair plays an important role in one’s physical appearance. Hair graying is an age related process. Premature graying (PHG) or premature canitiesis a process of earlyaging and occurs regardless of gender or race. Our hair is connected to small sac is called hair follicle which contain pigment is named asmelanin, decreased melanin production which results inloss of hair colour. In this condition when a person’s hair starts graying (discoloration) in early 20s in white, 25 in Asians and 30 in Africans. In men graying usually starts at the sideburns and the temples and later on spread to the whole scalp, whereas in women it starts at the perimeter of the hairline.

Causes of Premature Graying

The main reason for premature graying is genetic. Other factors responsible for canities are: stressful lifestyle, lack of sleep, anxiety, anger, excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine, excessive consumption of spicy or greasy food, irregular diet habits, long-term use of harsh shampoo or hair gel or hair colour or even hair dryer, continuous exposure to sun (UV radiation), smoking. Beside these people suffering from anaemia, hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis and HIV are more prone to premature graying.

Symptoms of Premature Graying

Premature gray hairs are stiffer, coarser and less manageable than the pigmented hair. They are more prone to get damaged from UV radiation. Premature grey hairs are dull and non-shiny.

Ayurvedic Perspective of Premature Graying

Premature graying is also known as Akalapalitya in Ayurveda. It is categorised under kshudraroga and is also known as rasapradoshajvyadhi. Vata, pitta and kapharegulates all the activities of the body. Vitiation of pitta is carried by vatadosha and lodging to kapha in hair follicle leading to premature graying of hairs. It is further classified on the basis of doshik – vataj, pittaj, kaphaj, dwandwaj and tridoshaja.Nasya karma (administration of medicine through nostrils) is one of the major treatment protocols for treating premature graying. There are many oil preparations  used for nasyakarma in treating premature graying, some of them are- Prapaundrakadi tail, Ma-hanil tail, Yashtimadhvadi tail, Chandanadya tail Sahacharadi tail etc. Shirobhyanga (oil massage) also helps to prevent graying of hair. Some oils used in treating this are Bhringraj Oil, or Neeli Oil. If graying is dueto stress then yoga and pranayama helps in treating it. Premature graying can also be treated with the application of organic dye, which is a combination of different medicinal plants. Some of the plants used in treating Premature graying of hair are:- Emblicaofficinalis (amla), Phyllanthusemblica, Azadirachtaindica (neem), Rhodiolarosea, Daucuscarota (carrot), Prunusdulcis (Almond).