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Why do we actually go grey?
This will turn my hair grey!
Grey hair can also appear early if our lifestyle does not support the processes taking place on the scalp. Reduced protein intake, a lack of vitamin B12 and folic acid, and iron deficiency can all result in a pigment-deficient state.
With completely normal bodily function, grey hair can appear even in one’s thirties, although with a slight chance. According to data, the likelihood that the colour of our hairs begins to fade over time increases by the same percentage every ten years.
Hair colour before greying
Our hair colour is determined by two kinds of pigment, pheomelanin and eumelanin. These substances are produced by the body’s pigment cells, the melanocytes. The proportion of the pigments in the body determines what colour hair a person has. Pheomelanin is responsible for the red colour of hair, while eumelanin paints our scalp black or brown. Mixed with the keratin found in the hair, these substances make up 97 percent of the hair structure. Once the hair has grown out and the body has, so to speak, “decided” what colour the hairstyle will be, the colour of the hairs can no longer change naturally.
Hair transplantation and greying
When a hair transplant is performed, our older patients usually ask whether it will look unnatural if hairs of the original colour are transplanted into greying hair. The answer is: no. As in every area of hair transplantation, our doctors strive to achieve the most aesthetically natural effect with grey hair as well. That is why, when assessing the donor area, they also take into account how many grey hairs should be transplanted, creating a natural transition between the new hair of the original colour and the existing grey hair.
The process of greying
The melanins, or melanocytes, are responsible for passing the produced pigment cells on to the keratinocytes, the epithelial cells attached to them. The protein that serves as the “fuel” of the hair is produced by the keratinocytes, known in everyday terms as keratin. When keratinocytes die at the end of their life cycle, they are able to retain, deep inside their cells, the pigments responsible for the colour of the hair. When pigment production stops, air bubbles begin to fill the hairs instead of the pigment, colouring them grey or white.
Interestingly, the process of pigment production and its cessation differs markedly depending on whether it takes place in the skin or in the hair follicles, but fortunately in neither case does the pigment disappear overnight. Greyish hair still contains some melanin, while a completely white hair is the indicator of the absolute cessation of production.
There is no need to panic at the appearance of the first grey hair, since a full hair life cycle must pass before completely grey hair forms. We speak of greying when the production of melanins, as they are collectively called, begins to decrease or stops completely; the following hairs will then come out grey or white. Greying affects everyone over time, but the process can be slowed down if we pay a little attention to our lifestyle.
If you have questions about greying and hair transplantation, or are interested in our regenerative therapies, you can easily contact us by clicking the button below!
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