Hair color

Human beings have many variations in hair color and texture.

Some names for human hair colors include:

Most people of African, Indian and Asian descent have very dark hair by European standards. However, hair color differences also exist between individuals in these groups, as well as distinct hair texture differences.

People also change their hair color to colors that aren't their natural ones.

Gray, silver, and white hair

A change in hair color also typically occurs naturally as people age, usually turning their hair from its usual color to gray at first, and then white. The change is caused by the gradual decrease of pigmentation caused when melanin ceases to be produced in the hair root, and new hairs grow in without pigment. It is common as people age (more than 40% of Americans have some grey hair by their fortieth birthday), but can occur as early as the teens and twenties for some. The determination of when someone begins graying, whether it comes with aging or prematurely, seems to be almost entirely based on genetics.

There are no special diets, nutritional supplements, certain vitamins, and protein that have been proven to slow, stop, or in any way affect the graying process.

A 1996 British Medical Journal study conducted by J.G. Mosley, MD found that smoking may cause premature graying. Smokers were found to be four times more likely to begin graying prematurely, compared to nonsmokers in the study.

Medical causes

Vitiligo is a patchy loss of hair and skin color that may occur as the result of an auto-immune disease.

Werner syndrome and pernicious anemia can also cause premature graying.