It Might Be Possible to Prevent Gray Hair From Happening in the First Place

Here's a fun exercise for you: Imagine yourself somewhere around 40 or 50 years old. Now picture yourself with a full head of gray hair. It's clear as soon as you start asking people to do this that reactions are varied and distinct. Some people couldn't care less—they feel they would be comfortable and happy with their natural hair color, even if their natural hair color, at that point at least, is gray. Others say they will dye their hair, no ifs, buts, or whens about it. That's okay too: You see, gray hair, just like any other beauty-related topic, is personal.

First, you should know that the general consensus among scientists and medical professionals is that the root cause of gray hair lies in genetics. The earlier your parents and grandparents went gray, the earlier you will too. But that doesn't mean there aren't preventative measures you can take. And we're not just talking about just dyeing your hair. We're talking about preventing grays from popping up in the first place. While that might sound impossible, there's been quite a bit of research that tells us otherwise.

There are a number of dietary deficiencies that science shows can contribute to graying hair. Vitamin D is one of them. One study published in The International Journal of Trichology found that children who experienced premature hair graying had low vitamin D level. "There was significant high number of vitamin D3 deficient and insufficient among the cases compared to the controls."

In a similar study to the one noted above, also published in The International Journal of Trichology, researchers found that vitamin B12 deficiency may be associated with graying hair. Vitamin B12 can be found in many beauty supplements (so good news there). It's worth noting, however, that this was a preliminary study that requires more research to find a veritable connection.

Another possible cause of premature gray hair is stress. We're talking about the "I have a million errands to run and work tasks to complete" kind of stress that happens to almost everyone nowadays. Experts say that chronic stress can lead to inflammation. This inflammation might turn off the melanin-producing cells in our scalp while shortening our hair growth cycles, leading to premature gray hair.

This one is a given not only for hair health, but for our general health as well. There's extensive research that shows smoking is correlated with premature graying hair in people of all age groups. In other words, smoking can have the same accelerated aging effect on your hair as it can have on your skin.

Certain illnesses like autoimmune and thyroid disorders can cause premature gray hair, so it's important to check in with your doctor often. Actually, if you have any health or beauty concerns—gray hair or otherwise—it's important to speak with a medical professional. Physicians, dermatologists, and trichologists (or scalp and hair doctors) can give insight into the matter and make sure it's not a more serious underlying issue.

This one sounds obvious. We all do our best to get fresh air and avoid all types of pollution, right? However, it's still worth noting, considering that one study found a link between free radical exposure and gray hair. If you're trying to keep your color for as long as possible, it's a nice reminder to control the oxidative stress around you, keep your living environment pure, and breathe fresh air everyday.

Next, see if drinking water actually makes a big difference to your skin, according to a dermatologist.