Natural home remedies to prevent gray hair

No matter you call it gray hair happens to the best of us and can occur at any age. Whether silver, salt-and-pepper, pewter or charcoal, people turn gray at various stages of their lives and while there are reasons for the change of hue, there are remedies that can help to prevent it.

The main cause of gray hair is a loss of pigmentation melanin from the hair follicles due to a lack of essential nutrients, especially those of vitamin A and B, as well as iron, copper and zinc. Hair turns gray when the color-producing cells stop producing pigment due to a lack of these minerals. If you want to prevent the onset of those gray hairs, here are a few great home remedies that you can try. Other common causes of gray hair include:

• Smoking
• Emotional stress or worry
• Medical conditions such as anemia, hypothyroidism, tuberous sclerosis or neurofibromatosis

Here are some home remedies to prevent the onset of those grey hairs and keep you looking a little younger for longer.

 1. Henna- Henna is an excellent natural hair colorant and not only makes hair darker and gets rids of grey roots and strands but also strengthens and conditions your hair. Buy henna paste from the pharmacy or store and apply as instructed or make you own paste with this easy recipe:

• Grind a handful of fresh henna leaves into a thin paste and add a teaspoon of instant coffee powder, three teaspoons of Indian gooseberry powder, and a dollop of plain yogurt. Mix together and spread it evenly on your hair, paying particular focus to the parts that are the greyest. Leave to dry and then shampoo and condition as usual. To maintain the color, repeat this process every four weeks.
• Another method of applying henna is to boil some henna leaves in coconut or mustard oil until the leaves become black and charred, and then use this oil on your hair.

2. Curry Leaves and Coconut Oil Mask- Curry leaves not only make a fantastic Indian curry but also have incredible benefits for fighting grey hair as well and are known as one of the most effective ways to combat grey. Packed with Vitamin B, curry leaves help to restore the functions of the natural pigment in the hair follicles, which creates the brilliant black color of hair, stimulates hair growth and prevents hair fall. Coconut oil is a good natural moisturizer and combined with the curry leaves creates an oil-rich mask that can be applied to the hair to fight the grey and boost condition and volume.

Add a handful of leaves to the coconut oil and bring to the boil for 6-8 minutes or until the leaves turn black. Strain the oil into a container and massage the oil into your scalp and hair every night before going to bed. Wash hair thoroughly with an herbal shampoo in the morning.

Expert tip! Wear a shower cap over your hair at night to prevent your pillows becoming stained with the oil.

3. Black-strap Molasses- Black-strap molasses is packed with high doses of copper, one of the minerals needed to help the color-producing cells produce pigmentation and provides up to 14% of the daily recommended dose needed. Eat a tablespoon of black-strap molasses every morning for at least three months to begin to see a change in pigmentation.

4. Indian Gooseberry- Also known as Amla, Indian Gooseberry is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and an excellent remedy for dull hair, hair loss, greying hair and fighting ageing. All you need to do is eat some of this fruit – fresh or dry – every day to see positive results. Another method of using Indian gooseberries to fight the grey is to boil a few dried Indian gooseberries in some coconut oil to create a paste. Allow to cool and massage this pulpy mixture into your scalp, concentrating on the roots and sections that are greyer than others. Leave it on for at least an hour if the grey isn’t too bad, or overnight if there is a lot of greys, and rinse out thoroughly in the morning. Repeat this process at least twice a week for the best results.

Expert tip! Add some almond oil to the mix for an extra conditioning boost. Almond oil not only helps with the fight against grey hair and pigmentation but facilitates hair growth and hydrates hair beautifully.