Tips on how to avoid grey hair as old age approaches

In this youth-obsessive era, people fight ageing
with every fibre of their being. From cosmetic
procedures to 'lifting' the eyelids, to 'wiping off' of
crow's feet from the corners of the eyes and the
mouth, not to mention chest augmentation, etc.,
many people would do anything to remain
youthful-looking.
While we may succeed in rejuvenating the skin
around the face and neck with costly body creams
and surgical intervention, the hairs in the body
usually refuse to cooperate. As such, by the time
the average person is 35 years old, gray hairs
would have started sprouting up in some parts of
the head.
For sure, it's not only the hairs on the head that go
gray, as the hairs on the arms, eyelids, the brows,
legs and… (you know where else) gradually lose
their natural shine and lustre, turning unattractive
and becoming hoarse as they turn grayish.
Researchers say your chance of going silvery
increases 10-20 per cent every decade after you hit
age 30. In essence, therefore, we all have a date
with hoary head; only that gene, stress levels and
other factors predispose individuals to when they
develop gray hair.
But then, imagine getting older without developing
leaden hair! This is the assurance coming from
English scientists who studied 2,411 patients by
examining the activities of hydrogen peroxide in
the hair.
In the new online research report published in The
Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology Journal, researchers at Bradford
University's School of Life Sciences say those who
go gray develop "massive epidermal oxidative
stress" through the accumulation of hydrogen
peroxide in the hair follicle, causing their hair to
bleach itself from the inside out.
Professor of cell biology at the University of
Bradford in England, Dr. Desmond Tobin, suggests
that hair turns gray because of age and genetics.
He notes that genes regulate the exhaustion of the
pigmentary potential of hair follicles. For some
people, he says, the process occurs rapidly; while
in others, it occurs slowly over several decades.
Scientists say various factors make hair grey. They
include genetic defects, hormones, body
distribution, age, climate, pollutants, toxins and
chemical exposure.
To beat the gray, people resort to dying their hair.
And, unlike other beauty treatments that are
exclusive to women, both sexes indulge in the war
against argentine head.
The hair dye industry is a multi-billion-dollar
business globally, and the market is burgeoning
with choice of various shades, which can be in form
of powder, liquid or cream.
Experts say hair dyes may be temporary, covering
the surface of the hair but not penetrating into the
hair shaft. They generally last between one and
two washings. Dyes may be semi-permanent, in
which case they don't penetrate into the hair shaft
and typically lasts between five and 10 washings.
Permanent (oxidative) dyes cause lasting chemical
changes in the hair shaft, and are the most popular
among users because the colour changes last until
the hair is replaced by new growth.
Hair treatment specialist and salon operator, Mrs.
Tinu Oladele, says the dye "restores the hair's
original colour, makes it shine, while it also gives
hair a kind of hitherto elusive fullness that makes
you look younger than your real age."
Well, cosmetologists may give hair dye thumbs-up,
physicians say dying your hair poses certain health
risks.
Professor of Anatomy and Consultant
Endocrinologist, Oladapo Ashiru, says some of the
ingredients in hair dyes can cause allergic
reactions that may result in severe skin and eye
irritation in some people. He notes that eye
irritation can seriously affect vision and, very
rarely, lead to blindness.
Experts also note that hair dyes can actually cause
hair loss in some people. In addition, Ashiru says
certain ingredients in hair dye could make users
develop cancer of lymph tissue (Hodgkins disease),
or cancer of plasma cells (multiple myeloma,
affecting the bones, immune system, kidneys and
red blood cell count).
Data from America's National Cancer Institute
suggest that the use of hair dye has an association
with chest cancer, as the ingredient, para-
phenylenediamine, found in nearly all hair
colouring products, was shown to be carcinogenic
to the chest.
The NCI data also claims that both men and
women hair dye users are at "heavily increased
risk" for bladder and other cancers.
As for women, using certain hair dyes shortly
before pregnancy or while pregnant heightens the
risk of cancer in their babies by as much as 10-fold,
experts warn.
Experts also reveal that almost 70 per cent of the
hair colouring products contain coal tar, which can
be easily absorbed through the skin and trigger
allergic reactions.
To save hair dye users from these health problems,
the Bradford team says it has discovered that
accumulation of hydrogen peroxide — which leads
to graying — can be remedied with a proprietary
treatment.
They describe the preparation as "a topical,
UltravioletB-activated compound called PC-KUS (a
modified pseudocatalase." UVB is also used
therapeutically for treatment of skin disorders like
vitiligo that causes a loss of pigmentation.
Since the scientists have yet to tell us when their
product will hit the market, the United States Food
and Drug Administration advises people who want
to dye their hair but are concerned about safety to
follow these suggestions:
• Consider delaying dyeing your hair until later
in life when it starts to turn gray
• Consider using henna, which is largely plant-
based
• Be sure to do a patch test for allergic reactions
before putting the dye in your hair Do a patch test
before every use
• Carefully follow the directions on the hair dye
package
• Wear gloves when applying hair dye
• Don't leave the dye on your head any longer
than necessary
• Rinse your scalp thoroughly with water after
use
• Never mix different hair dye products, because
you may cause potentially harmful reactions
• Never dye your eyebrows or eyelashes
Source: cancer.org