Stop Premature Greying of Hair: Nowadays, it’s not that uncommon to see people in their mid-20s or early 30s struggling with silver strands. Excessive stress, hormonal imbalance, unhealthy diet, and certain chemicals or environmental factors have been the major culprits in recent times behind premature greying of the hair. For some people, genetics can also play a role in premature grey hair.
However, if you take a step at the right stage to combat greying hair in your younger years, you can easily stop and postpone it without any expensive treatments or chemical-based hair colours.
Keep scrolling to find out the 6 best natural solutions for grey hair that you can try out.
How To Stop Premature Greying Of Hair Naturally
1. Include Amla (Indian Gooseberry) Juice In Your Daily Diet
Amla fruit, also known as Indian Gooseberry in English, is a highly potent source of Vitamin C and antioxidants. You will be surprised to know that it contains more powerful antioxidants than pomegranate, acai berry, or any other “superfood”. Furthermore, with its high concentration of several other essential nutrients, it helps prevent premature greying of hair.
There are various ways to include amla in your daily life, but drinking its juice is the best option to keep your overall well-being and the health of your hair in check!
You can also use it directly on your hair, you will only need amla in powdered form and any carrier oil of your choice. Mix the amla powder with any carrier oil that you like (olive oil or coconut oil for example) and massage it into your scalp. Keep it on your scalp overnight or at least for 2-3 hours before washing it off.
If we go by Ayurveda – the ancient Indian medicine system, increased Pitta (excess heat in the body) can be one of the causes of premature grey hair. Since Amla is a coolant food, consuming it or using it topically on the scalp decreases body heat, thus reducing grey hair.
2. Use Reetha Or Shikakai To Wash Your Hair
These days, most shampoos contain harmful chemicals such as phthalates, SLS, and parabens that are quite damaging for your hair in the long run. Reducing your exposure to such toxic chemicals found in hair care products can save you from premature greying, hair fall, and brittle hair.
Reetha and Shikakai are two very popular natural ingredients used in Indian households as a replacement for shampoos and conditioners. Toss the chemical-filled hair products for these two natural, Ayurveda Inspired alternatives to get healthy, strong, and beautiful hair.
Here is how to use Reetha and Shikakai for washing your hair:
- Soak a few pods of Reetha and Shikakai in water overnight and then boil the mixture in the morning.
- Wait for the mixture to cool down and blend it in a blender.
Your natural, homemade shampoo plus conditioner is ready! Use the mixture just like you use a shampoo normally.
Also read: 12 Best Shampoo Bars in India
3. Use A Herbal Hair Oil For Premature Greying Of Hair
I have always emphasized the fact that there is nothing better in the world for our beauty and health than the ingredients from our mother nature!
For those of you who love a good head massage with hair oil, there are tons of best hair oil for grey hair available in markets that are highly effective for grey hair.
Look for hair oils that contain Amla, Vitamins, and herbs like brahmi, bhringa, jasmine, and other such potent natural ingredients for healthy and shiny hair. You can also find black hair oil in the market which is specially concocted for grey hair.
4. Try Out These DIY Hair Masks For Grey Hair
Using hair masks twice a week before washing your hair is a great way to pamper your scalp and hair. It ensures that your scalp receives proper nutrients for healthy hair growth. I have already shared my favourite DIY hair masks that use just two ingredients on the blog.
Here are my suggestions for DIY hair masks for grey hair:
Curry Leaves Hair Mask For Grey Hair
- Take a handful of curry leaves and blend them in a blender.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of yogurt to the curry leaves paste.
- Apply the mixture liberally on your scalp and hair.
Onion Hair Mask For Grey Hair
- Take a small onion and blend it to make its juice, strain the onion juice after blending it.
- Mix the onion juice with a teaspoon of honey.
Catalase – an antioxidant found in onions naturally darkens your hair. Hence, I suggest using onion in your hair care routine as often as possible. Adding honey to this onion hair mask will ensure extra nourishment, moisturization, and shine for your hair.
Also read: How To Repair & Restore Damaged Hair – Best Tips For Repairing Damaged Hair
5. Take Ashwagandha Supplement For Premature Greying Of Hair
Indian Ginseng/Poison Gooseberry or Ashwagandha, is a renowned medicinal plant in Ayurveda that treats several health issues and also helps to fight stress, anxiety, and depression. It is an “adaptogen“, which means it can help your body to manage stress by resisting all kinds of stressors.
If your grey hair is stress-led, then taking Ashwagandha supplement – in the form of powder or pills can help you.
Ashwagandha has also been proven to restore the natural pigmentation in your hair by stimulating the production of melanin.
6. Consume Probiotics Rich Foods
Fermented foods that contain probiotics support gut health, which in turn, improves the health of your hair as well. Probiotic bacteria in the gut synthesizes Vitamin B and Biotin – that not only strengthen your hair but also help to restore your natural hair colour (melanocytes). Yogurt, pickles, kimchi, green peas, etc, are some of the tasty yet healthy probiotics-rich foods that you should eat for better gut health.
I hope that you all found this post helpful! Check out more such natural hair care tips in our Hair section.