How to cover grey hair without dye?

Not everyone gets grey hair early but the main cause is usually a genetic link, so if your parents went grey early the chances are you will too. Others develop it after an illness, a shock, or following poor nutrition. Here are some other reasons:

• Whether your hair turns dark grey first or you head straight to white hair, it’s all due to the reduction of a hair pigment called melanin. Grey hair occurs when the cells that hold colour begin to die and the density is reduced. Melanin production declines with age.
• Alongside this process the hydrogen peroxide that’s present in everyone’s hair isn't broken down effectively by hair cell enzymes as we grow older, so eventually, hydrogen peroxide outstrips the cells that fight against it and we go grey.
• Lifestyle choices such as smoking can also contribute to poor-quality grey hair in men and women. The chemicals in smoke restrict your arteries making it difficult for oxygen to reach the skin surface and this means your scalp won’t receive enough oxygen to produce a healthy head of hair. Smoke chemicals also alter hair cells making them weaker leading to breakage, thinning and greyness.
• A poor diet additionally contributes to weak, brittle and grey hair. Hair needs a rich, varied diet to look its best and so a diet that's low in vitamins and minerals won’t keep your hair healthy. Your body will use up all these resources to maintain your vital organs so that your hair may go without and start to turn grey.
• Certain conditions including autoimmune disease, anaemia, vitiligo, and alopecia can result in greying too. In some cases, they also lead to hair thinning and baldness.

It can appear at any time in your life and it’s more socially acceptable than ever before so you don’t necessarily have to cover grey hair anymore. Many people let nature run its course and look great as a result of not worrying about greying. However, if you want to preserve your colour and prevent grey hair, there are some lifestyle changes and supplements that can help:

Don’t stress. Worrying and getting stressed upsets your body’s natural rhythm. You may find you lack sleep, eat the wrong foods and drink too much to cope. Stress manifests in many forms from sudden shocks to long-term burnout so try to find ways to relax and unwind. Mindfulness, yoga classes, reading or a new hobby can help manage stress levels and, as a result, maintain your hair colour.

If you smoke, for healthy-looking hair it’s best to stop and there’s plenty of support out there for quitters. Ask your pharmacist for advice because nicotine and toxins in smoke impact hair cells causing poor growth, thinning and premature greying of hair.

A good diet can help prevent grey hair too. By eating the right foods by cutting out salt, sugar and fatty processed meals, you’ll boost your hair colour because it needs vitamins and minerals to thrive.

Alongside a better diet, you should try to drink more water because our bodies need it to function properly. If you can increase your intake of vitamins, minerals and water your hair will respond positively and appear healthy and lustrous.

Covering grey hair is simple and your hairdresser is best placed to recommend a suitable hair dye that doesn’t need a great deal of maintenance. Men can feel under less pressure to cover grey hair, but hair dye for men is the same as women’s and you can do it easily at home. Hair dye is a quick short-term fix to cover grey hair, but it can get expensive if you need to use it constantly. For short-term use, you can choose permanent dyes, vegetable washes, and henna products to cover grey hair.

Pros of dyeing your hair

If you’re looking for easy, quick and discreet methods to cover grey hair, then dyeing them is the best bet for you. It will not only enhance your look but may also provide thickness to your locks. There’s a whole new and advanced range of dyes available on the market that offers you natural-looking hair that compliments your skin. Nobody will come to know that you have dyes if you get it done properly!

Cons of dyeing your hair

One of the main disadvantages of using dyes to cover grey hair is that they dry your hair out, making it frizzy. If you already have dry frizzy hair, this can become difficult to manage after using a dye. Another problem with dyeing hair is that you have to do it frequently if you don’t want people to see your greys. This is not only time-consuming but costs you a great deal of money. Using chemical dyes to cover grey hair can also cause allergic reactions or discolour your skin. If not done correctly, dyed hair may look unnatural and can cause social embarrassment.

It’s clear that dyeing hair does more harm than good. So, if you want a better and more permanent solution to cover grey hair, using a natural treatment for hiding greys is what you need. If you can only see 1 or 2 grey strands, then there’s no need to panic. You can simply cut them off and start looking out for the cause of the problem. Sometimes it’s due to poor nutrition that our hair starts turning grey. If that's the case with you, try and adopt a healthier diet.

If you're going grey rapidly, it’s best to see your doctor in case you have an underlying health condition. But if you get the all-clear sign from your doctor, it’s most likely genetics and age that are turning your hair grey.

It’s not a medical condition; grey hair is a commonly accepted form of ageing. There’s no medical reason to cover grey hair so if you aren’t not worried or you like the grey look then you’re at liberty to love it. However, some people prefer to stop or cover grey hair because bright, vibrant healthy hair is associated with health, vitality and sex appeal by many. If greying makes you feel unhappy and your self-esteem is affected negatively, you can take some steps to stop or cover grey hair. (Read: How to delay ageing and get a youthful look?)

Grey hair supplements are a good place to start if you’re beginning to go grey. Supplements are natural and, discreet and help to gradually restore colour to your crowning glory without the harshness of dyes and hairstyling processes.

Anti-grey capsules are supplements that boost enzymes and fight against the hydrogen peroxide greying process. Supplements can help resolve your troubles in the long term because they last over a long period of time whereas dyes are short-lived. Good quality grey hair supplements contain vitamins, minerals and herbs that help to boost hair thickness too.

Greying is associated with older people so watching hair turn grey in your 20s and 30s is a heavy blow. If you’re younger and prematurely grey then anti-grey supplements can help make a difference to your self-confidence.

Shampoo with Pantothenic acids can help boost hair pigmentation by caring for the melanin pigments that colour hair. Pantothenic acid is also known as vitamin B5. You can take a vitamin B5 supplement but other good sources are carrots, eggs and whole grains. Shampoos, however, can be a simple way to help your greying hair as, for most of us, it just requires a simple swap with our regular shampoo and no extra steps or products are needed. This makes it perfect for those looking for simplicity or who can’t remember to take supplements every day.

For some, grey hair is a sign of wisdom and they flaunt it with confidence, but for many seeing grey hair can be a panic situation. Dyeing and colouring seem like an easy option for them to hide their greys. But is it the right thing to do? Using chemically laden shampoos and hair products can also trigger greying. Switching to more natural products to stop grey hair is one of the best solutions to stop or prevent this condition and enjoy a youthful look for longer.