You’re brushing your hair as you usually do, and suddenly you notice a strand of grey hair. It has no business being on your head, because you’re still in your 20s or early 30s. Oh, the horror! The presence of premature grey hair can make you look older than you actually are, and that has you stressing. But how could it happen to you, you wail! But wailing and railing at the gods won’t do you much good at this point.
Melanin is the pigment that gives color to your hair, and melanocytes are the cells that actually produce melanin. As you grow older, the melanocyte activity slows down, causing a slow down in the production of melanin. So your hair turns grey. However,
Suggested read: 11 super-awesome home remedies for oily hair to help control the grease
Causes of premature grey hair
But what causes premature greying of hair? Let’s take a look:
- Genetic predisposition
- Improper nutrition
- Smoking
- Stress
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Deficiency of vitamins (B vitamins)
- Deficiency of minerals (iron, copper, and iodine)
- Certain disorders like sinusitis, chronic colds, and thyroid disorders
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Home remedies for premature grey hair
So you have a few strands of premature grey hair. But that’s no reason to color your hair with chemical-laced dyes or colors. Instead, try one of these natural home remedies for premature grey hair that have the power to stop the greying and help maintain your natural hair color. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective natural remedies:
1. Amaranth
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These perennial plants are cultivated as leafy vegetables as well as ornamental plants. It’s a rich source of proteins that help combat hair loss while putting a stop to premature greying of your hair.
Remedy
- Put a few amaranth leaves in a blender and extract its juice. Once you’ve washed your hair, put this extract on your hair and scalp and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, before rinsing it off.
2. Black sesame seeds
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Black sesame seeds aid in getting rid of premature grey hair, by promoting melanocyte activity. These seeds are rich in minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous, copper, and magnesium, and proteins.
Remedies
- Eat 1 teaspoon of black sesame seeds every day with water on an empty stomach. Do this for at least 3 months to see positive results.
- Apply sesame oil in your hair regularly to see visible results in a couple of months.
3. Blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses is a very effective natural remedy for premature grey hair. Since it’s rich in copper, it helps with the production of melanin by melanocytes.
Remedy
- Eat 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses every morning. Follow this remedy for a few months to see positive results.
4. Black tea
Black tea not only helps darken your hair, it also softens it while adding shine to it as well.
Remedy
- To a cup of water, add 2 teaspoons of black tea and bring it to a boil. Now add 1 teaspoon of salt. Once it’s cooled, rinse your hair with this decoction a few times, leaving it for 15-20 minutes the last time. Wash your hair with cold water to remove any last traces of the decoction but not a shampoo though. Use this remedy at least once or twice in a week.
Pro tip: You can use the same remedy with black coffee powder too.
5. Curry leaves
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Curry leaves help increase the natural dark pigmentation in your hair.
Remedies
- Consume curry leaves juice every day. You can add 1 teaspoon of honey to make it more palatable.
- Take a handful of fresh curry leaves and put them in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Now heat this till the leaves are charred. Strain the oil and massage it into your scalp and hair using circular motions. Leave it on for half an hour to 45 minutes before washing your hair. Use this remedy at least once or twice a week to see visible results.
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6. Coconut oil
Coconut oil not helps moisturize your hair, it also stimulates hair growth, fights infections (if any), and adds shine to your hair. Prolonged use is also known to reverse greying because of the numerous antioxidants in it.
Remedy
- Add 3 teaspoons of lemon juice in some coconut oil and mix well. Apply this on your hair and use your fingertips to massage it into your scalp. Let it sit for at least an hour before rinsing it off with shampoo. Repeat this at least once a week.
7. Henna
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Henna not only colors your hands, it naturally colors your hair as well. Not only will it help make your hair darker, it will condition and strengthen it too.
Remedies
- Take a handful of henna leaves and grind them into a paste. To this, add 3 teaspoons of Indian gooseberry powder, 1 teaspoon of coffee powder, and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt. Mix it well and apply it evenly on your hair and leave it on for 20-30 minutes. Shampoo it as usual. Repeat this remedy at least once every 2-3 weeks.
- Take half a handful of henna leaves and boil them in coconut oil or mustard oil, till the leaves are charred. Strain the oil and apply it evenly on your hair. Let it sit for half an hour before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
- In a saucepan, mix 3 teaspoons of black coffee powder and 3 tablespoons of henna powder with some water. Bring this to a boil until it has reached the consistency of yogurt. Cover the saucepan and let it steep for a few hours. Apply this decoction on your hair and leave it for 1-3 hours, before shampooing it as usual.
8. Indian gooseberry
Indian gooseberry is also called amla, and is an excellent remedy when it comes to many hair problems, including premature grey hair, dull hair, and hair fall. It has high content of vitamin C and antioxidants, that have anti-aging properties. Apart from consuming the fruit directly, you can also apply the pulp or its oil on your hair for best results.
Remedies
- In a saucepan, pour some coconut oil. To this, add a few dried pieces of Indian gooseberry. Boil this till the gooseberry pieces are charred. Once this is cooled, apply the oil on your hair and scalp. Let it be overnight, before washing it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this at least once or twice in a week.
- Add 1 tablespoon of Indian gooseberry pulp with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix well. Massage this on to your scalp using circular motions before going to bed. The next morning, rinse it out using lukewarm water.
- Take equal amounts of amla juice and almond oil. To this, add a little lemon juice too. Mix well and apply it on your hair. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it off.
9. Onion juice
Onion juice is an excellent home remedy for not just premature grey hair, but also for thinning hair.
Remedy
- Extract onion juice in a blender and massage this on to your scalp using circular motions. Leave it on for 30 minutes to 1 hour, before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this remedy every day for a few weeks till you see visible results.
Pro tip: You might have to use a strong shampoo to get rid of the residual onion smell from your hair.
10. Rosemary and sage
Both these herbs are not just used for culinary purposes, but are wonderful to darken your grey hair naturally.
Remedy
- Take half cup each of dried rosemary and sage and boil them with 2 cups of water. Let it steep for a couple of hours, before applying the strained solution on your hair and scalp. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before washing it off with lukewarm water. Use this remedy at least once a week.
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11. Shikakai
Shikakai is a shrub native to Asia, and is an excellent remedy to treat premature grey hair.
Remedy
- Soak shikakai in water overnight. The next morning, boil this water and use it to rinse your hair once it’s cooled. Do this regularly, at least twice a week till you see visible results.
These are the natural home remedies for premature grey hair that can work wonders, provided you keep at it regularly. Because they won’t and can’t give you instantaneous results. You need to follow them for at least a few weeks to a few months to see any kind of visible results. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya!
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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