Premature greying hair has become one of the major concerns for a majority of Gen Z and millennials. Premature greying hair, which is also referred to as canities, involves the process of becoming hair grey at an early age of people, which is unusual. It is quite common that the color of hair will change over the passing of ages but greying at 20s or 30s has now become normal which can not be thought of in the past. Nowadays, around 41.4 per cent of Gen Z are found to be experiencing premature grey hair which is increasing at a considerable rate.
Hair generally turns grey among Gen Z and millennials because of the loss of pigment at the hair follicles and the reduction of the production of melanin, which is used to control hair color. The key factors which contribute to the occurrence of premature greying are the unhealthy lifestyle, stress, genetics, deficiency of nutrition as well as environmental factors.
Reasons for the premature grey hair among Gen Z
Unhealthy lifestyleÂ
The lifestyle habits of today’s generation play a pivotal role in the increasing prevalence of premature greying of hair among them. It is evident that Gen Z and millennials have the tendency to consume unprocessed foods in a high amount which lacks the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals while containing high amounts of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. Excessive intake of this type of food may contribute to the formation of free radicals, which leads to damage in the hair follicles, resulting in the occurrence of premature greying.
Furthermore, the younger generation is involved with the increasing consumption of tobacco and alcohol. According to the findings of a study, smoking and substance usage are related to the premature greying of hair. There is two and a half times more possibility for a smoker to face this problem before the age of 30 in comparison to people who do not smoke.
Stress
Around 77 per cent of Indians are found to be confronting at least one of the mental health problems, while the prevalence of stress, depression and anxiety among the younger generation, especially from the Gen Z generation, is too high. The constant pressure to achieve project deadlines in the office or achieve better ranks in the academic field, poor sleep, spending long hours in front of the screens and unhealthy lifestyles are some of the major causes of increasing oxidative stress among Gen Z and millennials.
During the time of facing stress, norepinephrine is released, which leads to the reduction of the pigment-producing cells. As a result, melanin is produced at a reduced level contributing to the development of grey hair.
Genetics
Individuals having a family history of premature grey hair are most likely to experience the same problem as their family members. Many times, the respective hair related problem simply comes from genetics. In this matter, there is also a pivotal role of race and ethnicity. According to a report, premature greying generally occurs among white people before the age of 20, among Asian people before the age of 30 and among African-American people before the age of 30.
Deficiency of nutritionÂ
The deficiency in essential minerals and vitamins may also lead to early greying. The lower levels of vitamin B12, B9 or Vitamin D and biotin, as well as deficiency of zinc, copper and calcium, are the pivotal reasons for greying at an early age because this adversely impacts the pigmentation, leading to the loss of normal hair colour.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors like excessive exposure to sunshine, UV rays or working in a chemical environment, along with pollution, can boost the process of hair greying. It is because of the fact that these aspects lead to the disruption in melanin production through damaging the hair follicles.Â
Usage of hair colours and other related productsÂ
In the market, there are several hair colour products available which are quite popular among Gen Z and millennials. Usage of these products is one of the reasons for the early greying as these products involve harmful chemicals which create disturbances in melanin production. Moreover, the utilisation of many other hair products like hair dryers and even shampoos can be accountable for canities.Â
Comparison between Gen Z and Millennials regarding greying patternsÂ
According to the findings of the research, the greying patterns are more prevalent among Gen Z rather than Millennials. Gen Z belongs to the age group of 11 to 26 years, while Millennials belong to the age range of 27 to 42 years. However, while the age of Millennials is greater than Gen Z, an opposite scenario is being observed nowadays in ageing faster. In this regard, stress is found to be the major reason. It has been observed that around 32 per cent of Gen Z experience poor mental health outcomes in comparison to 23 per cent of Millennials.
Moreover, Gen Z used to spend a long period of time in social media scrolling compared to millennials. This type of passive usage of social media is accountable for disrupting the emotional well-being of the individuals.
Is it possible to prevent premature grey hair?
There is nothing to do with the prevention or reversion of premature grey hair if the reason is genetics. However, in case of the other reasons, incorporation of effective measurements can be beneficial to reverse the problem but it is quite difficult to completely prevent the problem.
Among the effective solutions to the problem is living a healthy life. It is recommended not to consume fast foods, processed foods, or processed foods to remain healthy. Instead, they should follow a balanced diet consisting of fresh food and vegetables, protein-based foods and other antioxidant-rich foods to reduce the problem by addressing the nutrition deficiency. Consuming vitamin supplements can also be beneficial to reduce the deficiency. One can obtain better results in this problem by quitting smoking. Additionally, one can avail the anti-grey topical treatments or oral medications in response to this problem.
FAQ
1. What is premature greying of hair?
 Premature greying of hair, also known as canities, involves the process of becoming grey at an early age, which is unusual.
2. Why are younger adults experiencing premature greying more frequently?Â
Younger adults are experiencing premature greying due to an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, genetics, deficiency of nutrition, and environmental factors.
3. How does an unhealthy lifestyle contribute to premature greying?Â
Younger adults have a tendency to consume unprocessed foods lacking essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals while containing high amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Excessive intake of such foods may contribute to the formation of free radicals, leading to damage in the hair follicles and resulting in premature greying. Additionally, increasing consumption of tobacco and alcohol is linked to premature greying.
4. What role does stress play in the greying of hair?Â
The constant pressure to achieve project deadlines, better ranks in academics, poor sleep, long hours in front of screens, and an unhealthy lifestyle are major causes of increasing oxidative stress. During stress, norepinephrine is released, reducing pigment-producing cells and melanin production and contributing to grey hair.
5. Can genetics influence the onset of premature grey hair?
 Individuals with a family history of premature grey hair are most likely to experience the same problem. Race and ethnicity also play a pivotal role, with premature greying generally occurring among white people before 20, Asian people before 30, and African-American people before 30.
6. Is it possible to prevent or reverse premature grey hair?Â
There is nothing to do with the prevention or reversion of premature grey hair if the reason is genetics. However, effective measures, such as living a healthy life, consuming a balanced diet, and quitting smoking, can be beneficial. Anti-grey topical treatments or oral medications can also help address the problem, though it is difficult to completely prevent it.
