Gray hair in children: reasons

Gray hair in children is unusual and contradictory with the established opinion that gray hair is a sign of age or a result of stress. Experience at work, the excitement in making important decisions, the frenzied rhythm of life are just some of the factors that contribute to diluting the hair with unwanted, premature hairs.

The role of melanin in the body

The color of the hair on the head depends on the coloring pigment - melanin, presented in such varieties as:

• Pheomelanin - responsible for the reddish-brown hair color;
• Ossimelanin - gives a golden hue to the hair;
• Eumelanin - dyes the hair in dark shades.

The combination of these colorants is determined by the genetic characteristics of a person and forms a natural, individual for each hair color. Melanin produces melanocytes - cells of a hair bulb, stopping in work which causes hair growth that does not have a color (gray).

The child had gray hair: what to do?

A child is a person from the world of childhood with his toys, cartoons, fairy tales. However, its special space is not insured against the penetration of stress, which can be caused by conflict with peers, a teacher's misunderstanding, a poor evaluation in the class. And, as a result, the first gray hair of a child is 6 years old. As soon as the influence of stress subsides - the color of the curls will necessarily recover to the natural.

Gray hair in children appears as a consequence of nervous breakdowns and increased fatigue, which can be caused by excessive school loads or an abundance of additional activities and creative circles. Severe fright, the transferred illness with complications, a malfunction in the pancreas, liver, kidneys, herpes infection - the causes that cause the appearance of premature graying in the younger generation. When parents ask themselves: "Why does the child have gray hair?", The very first explanation is the heredity factor. It is likely that close relatives of the baby at the same age already had gray hair.

Gray hair from diseases?

Gray hair in children can be a sign of the presence in the body of certain diseases at the genetic level. For example, vitiligo - a type of skin disease, in addition to the above feature is characterized by the presence on the epidermis of white, clearly delineated spots.

Neurofibromatosis is a hereditary disease that, in addition to the growth of gray hair, is accompanied by the appearance of tumor-like, pigmented spots on the skin and deformation of the spine.

Gray hair is the natural color of hair in albinism - a genetic disease, accompanied by a lack of production of melanocytes dye pigment. In addition to changing the color of the hair, albino people suffer from low vision and are characterized by a reddish color of the eyes, due to the translucence of blood vessels through the poorly pigmented iris.

Postponed chemotherapy for leukemia - a severe disease of the blood, can also be the cause of the growth of gray hair and possible subsequent baldness. Termination of the chemical effect on the body causes the restoration of normal hair growth and the acquisition of its natural color.

Gray hair of the child: reasons

One of the main reasons for the growth of gray hair in childhood is an insufficient amount of vitamins and nutrients in the body. Gray hair in children to return to their natural color can be with the help of multivitamins containing in its composition paraaminobenzoic and folic acid. In passing, you should ensure the full nutrition of the baby. It is recommended to increase the consumption of fresh berries and fruits, especially cherries, blackberries, apricots, strawberries. Positive influence on the hair products with zinc and copper, namely: lemons, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, bananas, legumes. To achieve maximum results, you can rub the juice of the above products into the roots of the hair. Also useful is the juice of parsley, 2 tablespoons a day which is recommended to give babies.

Gray hair can grow even in newborns, if their mother in the last months of pregnancy took "Chloramphenicol". Also, gray hair can appear after prolonged exposure to the sun, when the hair, burning out, loses its natural color.

Why did the child's gray hair appear?

To determine the cause of gray hair growth in a child, it is recommended to seek help from a pediatrician and a dermatologist, undergo a complete examination with mandatory blood tests, check the thyroid hormone levels and the general condition of the endocrine and immune systems. Often, gray hair in children is not a sign of the presence of a serious pathology, and this should not cause parents anxiety. But if the gray hair is very noticeable and increases in front of your eyes - you should definitely visit a pediatrician.

It is not recommended to engage in self-treatment of children and dyeing their hair in order to mask gray hair. Also, one should not tear them out, as this situation will not fix it, and a hair bulb can do much harm. Torn hair will be replaced by another, the same gray, because of the absence of melanocytes in the hair bag. Formed on the site of the torn hair, the wound can become a hotbed of pathogenic bacteria, become inflamed and grow into a small bald patch on the head.

Preventive measures

Therefore, for prevention, it is recommended to massage your head regularly: this improves blood flow in the skin. As a conditioner for washing your head, it is effective to use a decoction of burdock root, chamomile or parsley, and to strengthen hair in the head it is desirable to rub burdock oil.