Causes of gray hair in children

Micronutrient deficiencies, diet, thyroid disease, vitiligo, genetics can cause gray hair in children.

Premature gray hair in children is defined as the appearance of white hairs due to loss of melanin pigment, these hairs appear before the age of 25. There are many causes of premature graying of hair, including medical causes.

Heredity: This is probably the biggest cause of premature graying of hair. The hair's melanin pigment is regulated by genes. Genetic mutations cause premature graying of hair. If grandparents, parents have gray hair in their teens or earlier than 25 years old, it is likely that the next generation will have the same problem.

There are many causes of premature graying of hair. Photo: Freepik

Vitamin deficiency : Children often do not get enough vitamins and minerals, including: vitamin B12, zinc and copper, folic acid, vitamin D which can lead to premature graying of hair.

Environment: Exposure to air pollution, UV rays, harsh shampoos or hair care products can cause young children's hair to turn gray. Tobacco smoke can also cause hair aging. An American study showed that people who smoked before the age of 30 had gray hair earlier than non-smokers.

Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions can also cause premature graying of hair in children. Conditions may include:

Vitiligo: Vitiligo destroys the color-producing parts of the hair follicles, causing premature graying in children.

Thyroid disease: Either type of thyroid dysfunction, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, can adversely affect hair.

Alopecia areata: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can cause sudden patches of hair loss. When the hair grows back, it may be temporarily or permanently gray.

Diet: A poor diet that does not provide adequate nutrients can also affect a child's hair color. Specifically, a deficiency in protein and other essential nutrients can cause hypopigmentation or patches of lighter skin, and accelerate premature graying of hair. Folate deficiency commonly seen in people with poor diets also causes anemia.

If the child appears a few random gray hairs, parents should not be too worried and can take the child to the doctor to find out the cause. The method to fix premature gray hair will be based on each cause of this condition.