| Grey hair at an early age can have various causes, | | | | usually look for more subtle options of covering their |
| such as vitiligo, vitamin B deficiency, thyroid imbalance, | | | | grey hair as for a man dyeing hair is socially less |
| constant and extreme stress, alopecia areata, bad diet, | | | | acceptable. Progressive hair colorants, with their slow |
| etc. but its greatest trigger is genetics, causing the | | | | and gradual mode of action, seem to be the right |
| premature death of pigment-producing cells in hair | | | | product for men. |
| follicles. When it comes to treating grey hair caused by | | | | The marketing of progressive hair colorants is typically |
| other health conditions then the focus should be on | | | | targeted at male customers but they can be also |
| tackling the primary reason. In treating genetically | | | | successfully used by women. These products colour |
| determined, premature grey hair, any effective therapy | | | | hair gradually and unnoticeably and only affect your |
| should involve interference with our genes. However, | | | | grey hair. They can be applied selectively so that you |
| at the moment, no such treatment exists that can halt | | | | can leave certain areas untreated to look more natural. |
| or reverse the dying of pigment-producing cells called | | | | Progressive hair colorants are easy to apply, no plastic |
| melanocytes. There are some commercial products | | | | gloves are needed to apply them, and you just have |
| out there, though, containing vitamins, minerals and a | | | | to spread them on your white areas. Their mechanism |
| Chinese herb Fo-Ti that are said to stop and reverse | | | | of action consists of the chemical reaction involving |
| grey hair but the only evidence supporting the claims | | | | one or two substances from the colorant, which in the |
| made by their marketers refers back to the old | | | | presence of atmospheric oxygen produce synthetic |
| Chinese legend of an old villager, Mr He, from one | | | | pigment on the surface as well as in the pores and in |
| thousand years ago. Vitamins B, namely PABA and | | | | the cortex of your hair. As the substance is drying in |
| folic acid, have been observed to stop greying in | | | | the air, the chemical reaction begins and lasts until the |
| individuals with diets poor in vitamins B but they cannot | | | | next shampoo wash. Hence, the longer the substance |
| help reverse grey hair in people suffering from chronic | | | | stays in your hair the better. The downside is that |
| vitamin B deficiency, let alone in cases of | | | | progressive hair colorants have to be reapplied |
| genetically-determined grey hair. | | | | relatively frequently, which makes them more |
| Therefore, the only available grey hair treatment option | | | | expensive compared with the majority of traditional |
| for premature and age-related grey hair is to cover it. | | | | hair dyes. Progressive hair colorants are either metallic |
| There are two principal colouring options for covering | | | | based or use organic chemicals. |
| grey hair, which include hair dyes and progressive hair | | | | The occasional controversy surrounding these |
| colorants. Hair dyes can be temporary, | | | | products results from a wrong understanding of their |
| semi-permanent, demi-permanent or permanent, | | | | mechanism of action and the purpose they were |
| depending on the durability of their colouring effects. | | | | designed for. They were not meant to cover all your |
| The ability of the pigment molecules to penetrate into | | | | grey hair with a single application. For people with more |
| the hair shaft determines the stability of the hair colour. | | | | than 50% of their hair white, it is almost impossible to |
| Each hair consists of at least two layers, the cuticle, | | | | achieve full white hair coverage with these products, |
| which is an outer protective layer, and the cortex, | | | | no matter how often they apply them. They were |
| which is hidden under the cuticle. Permanent hair dye is, | | | | designed for people who want to reduce the amount |
| as its name says, the most stable of the hair colouring | | | | of their grey and wish to do it discretely and |
| options, as its large molecules get trapped in the | | | | unnoticeably. Frequent shampooing reduces the |
| cortex of the hair and resist being washed out but it is | | | | effectiveness of these products as does exposure to |
| also the most drastic method of dyeing hair. Hair dyes | | | | direct sun. |
| are popular, especially with female consumers. Men | | | | |