Premature Graying of Hair: Review with Updates

submited by

Style Pass

2024-11-26 01:30:34

Address for correspondence: Dr. Anagha Bangalore Kumar, 1721 3rd Street SW #304, Rochester, Minnesota 55902, USA. E-mail: anagha87@gmail.com

This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Premature graying of hair (PGH) is defined as graying of hair before the age of 20 years in Caucasians and before 30 years in African American population. It can severely affect the self-esteem of an individual. The exact etiopathogenesis remains unknown, although it has been associated with premature aging disorders, atopy, and autoimmune diseases. Patients, who present with PGH, should be assessed for syndromes and metabolism diseases. Hair dyes remain the main modality of the treatment for cosmetic concerns after nutritional supplementation.

Haalthy hair is a sign of general well-being and youth. Unlike other animals, the function of hair in human beings is being debated. Nevertheless, hair serves as a great esthetic tool and means of nonverbal communication. Hair color and style can significantly alter the physical appearance of a person and thus alter his/her body image. As graying of hair is perceived as a sign of old age, premature graying of hair (PGH) can bear an adverse effect on the self-esteem of the individual.