Greying Hair and Ayurveda

Scalp hair gives a lot of aesthetic value to our lives. Younger individuals devote a significant amount of time and money to style their hair in order to enhance their personality. No amount of bad hair is tolerated by any of us under any circumstance. We easily get annoyed by its change in colour or if they shed off. Greying of the hair is an indicator of ageing in your body. Inevitably this is the phase of our life which one is bonded to go through. But if it gets triggered when still in your 20s or 30s then it is actually an issue. This trigger is known as premature or early aging. There are various factors because of which the greying in early age occurs. People who present with such condition should be assessed for syndromes and metabolic diseases. Hair dyes are not the permanent fixes and only resolves the cosmetic concern adding more harm to the hair later. Let us find out what are the reason because of which greying of hair happens at such early ages.

The natural colour to the hair is because of the pigment melanin produced by melanocytes. As we age the melanin is produced less or is stopped, hence the effect is grey hair. The lifestyle is the most responsible reason for the hair turning grey, which actually affects the body negatively (bad lifestyle) and thus affects the hair. It is researched that ROS – Reactive Oxygen Species is responsible for ageing, which occurs due to the lack of antioxidant activity of cells. Oxidative stress can also be a result of ultraviolet (UV) rays, pollution, emotional factors, or inflammatory causes. oxidative load due to psychological stress implying that even emotional factors play a role in premature greying. Certain mineral and vitamin deficiency also causes this issue. 

Now that we have seen what are the causative factors according to the moder science, Ayurveda opines that imbalance and aggravation of all the three dosha in the body, especially pitta dosha is responsible for grey hair. Excessive intake of salty, spicy and oily food. Day sleep and aggravated mental stress. Frequent digestion issue, gastritis, bloating, nausea etc is an indicator of the impaired digestion. So to cut the long story short according to ayurveda the hair health depends upon the digestive capacity or digestive health of an individual and also the quality and quantity and type of food the person eats.

How to address the greying hair concern? What should be done?

While we have discussed the possible causes of the appearance of grey hair, and what not to do to prevent further greying, let us now look at some grey hair treatments in Ayurveda that you can indulge in while at home.

1.      Application of coconut oil
2.      Sesame oil
3.      Bringraj
4.      Amla
5.      Indigo
6.      Curry leaves 
7.      Black tea
8.      Methi seed powder 

Use of the pastes of these herbs and decoctions for application and hair wash can help reduce this, it is a good alternative for the artificial or chemical products used to mask the grey hair.