3 reasons your hair may be turning gray

The day has come.

You look in the mirror and notice that one hair doesn’t seem to match all the others. Your first gray.

While many people spot their first silver lock in their 30s, others are “lucky” enough to get a reprieve until their 40s.

So what causes you to go gray?

Past research has shown that genetics may come into play, so your family history may be telling. Even your ethnicity plays a role in this rite of passage for the next phase of life.

But can other factors you control help determine when those silvery strands pop up?

Dr. Michael Jude Welsch, a dermatologist at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill. says yes.

In fact, there are a variety of additional factors aside from genetics that affect how quickly you go gray. The three that top the list include:

• Stress. Experts have long debated the link between stress and silver locks. While many studies have shown an association, it is difficult to show causation. “My patients often ask me if their condition is related to stress,” says Dr. Welsch. “Certainly, stress makes everything in life worse. I see stress worsen many dermatological conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema and hair loss, to name a few. However, it is hard to quantify since I can’t just tell my patients with a problem to go and not be stressed for two weeks and let me know how it improves their condition.”
• Smoking. You may have heard smoking leads to yellow teeth and even wrinkles, but it also affects your hair. One study found a significant association between premature hair graying and cigarette smoke.
• Vitamin or mineral deficiency. Did you know the color of your hair can be affected by your diet? Vitamin B-12 is essential for many processes in your body, and while graying is not a primary symptom of low levels, it can cause graying in some cases. “In patients with hair loss or premature graying, I will check a CBC (complete blood count). If they are anemic (have a low red blood cell count), it may be due to a vitamin, usually B-12 or folate, or mineral, namely iron, deficiency,” says Dr. Welsch.

Dr. Welsch often tells his patients there are three things they can do for themselves to lessen the progress of gray hair and live healthy in general.

Two of those things are dos and one is a big don’t:

• Do eat well and exercise
• Do get enough sleep
• DON’T smoke.

By following these three recommendations, the hope is that patients will live a little longer with a little less gray hair to show for it.

Are you trying to find a doctor? Look here if you live in Illinois. Look here if you live in Wisconsin.