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The onset of the first gray hairs is on average around the age of 35 and can vary by approximately 10 years. This is an average, the individual reality is quite different. The occurrence of white or gray hair varies from one individual to another and can depend on genetics, and also on internal or external parameters. We will first see, why your child has white hair at 10 years old , secondly we will see, how to prevent and slow down the appearance of gray hair at 10 years old.

Why does your child have white hair at 10?

The phenomenon of hair bleaching cannot be avoided. This phenomenon is called canities. This is a natural change that happens as soon as the melanocytes, the cells that are responsible for coloring the hair, decrease or stop their production of melanin. To be clearer, the hair therefore continues to grow, only it is no longer pigmented, and consequently it is no longer colored. The hair then becomes graying or white. At a certain age it is normal for this change to appear, however at the age of your child it is highly possible that it indicates other problems.

ONE or MORE gray hair at 10?

First, analyze the appearance of white hair and ask yourself: is it a lot, sparse or has only one hair turned gray or white? Indeed, 1 or 2 gray hairs are not indicative of a problem : it may simply be a localized melanin dysfunction. From time to time the hair is even depigmented on some parts, and on others it is still colored. In the case of'just one white hair, there's no reason to be worried. This hair simply did not have time to load up with melanin. Thus, the following will grow back normal.

If your child has a whole wick of salt and pepper or several gray hairs that are spread over your head, this could be the cause of a number of factors. We will now see the possible causes of the appearance of gray hair at the age of your child.

The different reasons that are likely to be responsible for the arrival of gray hair at 10 years old

1 -Melanocyte dysfunction can cause gray hair at age 10

At some point in your life, sometimes it happens that the melanocytes do not properly produce hair pigmentation. This is not serious or abnormal, it should go away over time if it only concerns a few hairs. However, if your child has more and more white hair, grows heavily and / or comes back even after removing it, we recommend that you visit your GP to determine the exact cause of the problem.

2 - A disease is likely to cause gray hair at 10 years old

Usually rare, a autoimmune disease, physiological disturbance or an specific pathology can lead to the appearance of white or gray hair at 10 years. If so, the process of white hair appearing may be reversible if the condition can be treated. It is important to call your doctor if the appearance of white hair is abundant and the phenomenon is worsening. These concerns can be: A thyroid disorder, vitiligo, Vogt-Koyanagi syndrome or Waardenburg syndrome. These diseases cause depigmentation of the skin or hair, and may come on gradually or all at once.

However, be careful not to fall into paranoia. These pathologies are extremely rare. In addition, in these extreme situations, the development of white hair is accompanied by other more prominent symptoms.

Finally, an American study correlates the immune system and hair bleaching. It is therefore likely that after a long illness some people will experience gray hair.

3 - Dietary deficiencies risk developing gray hair at 10 years old

• Modern food consumption has not only brought goodness to our plates. The current diet and the culture of "fast food" can lead to diseases that can interfere with the correct production of melanin. In addition, it contains too much fat, sugar and salt, and it does not contain enough vitamins and minerals which can lead to deficiencies.

The appearance of gray hair at 10 years old can therefore be a symptom that the body is lacking in certain nutrients and / or vitamins.

To avoid this, we advise you to respect a balanced diet and correctly dosed in minerals and nutrients. Vitamins that can be responsible for the appearance of gray or white hair are vitamin B. The latter have the function of producing energy for the body and ensuring the normal functioning of the nervous system. Vitamin B12 is found in large amounts in foods that come from animals.

To get to the point, we advise you to consume fresh products and to have a varied diet to avoid the early development of gray hair and to follow the recommendations of WHO (World Health Organization).

4 - Emotional shock can lead to the development of gray hair at age 10

A significant emotional shock such as a death or an accident can lead to the early appearance of gray hair at 10 years old. Indeed, in reaction to a traumatic psychological shock and following significant stress, the body's immune defense system would react, and would change the functioning of a certain number of cells. This would cause the appearance of white hair.

How to prevent having gray hair at 10 years old?

In view of what we have seen previously, the premature graying of hair and the dysfunction of certain melanocytes comes in many cases, and at the age of your child, from factors which may be reversible. Most of the time, there is no cause for concern, the concern is mild.

Make a diagnosis to understand the development of gray hair

First of all, if your child has other symptoms that appear than the bleaching of some of his hair, see a doctor to be sure that it is not a pathological or hormonal concern.

If your child has no other symptoms, you can still have him have a general health check-up by a doctor or a nutritionist to check for any deficiencies. The blood test can reveal, for example, iron deficiencies or a thyroid problem. Taking into account the result obtained, the doctor or nutritionist will inform you of what to modify or not in his diet.

Solutions to delay the appearance of gray hair to 10 years

1 - Eat a balanced diet to delay the development of canities

Let your child eat everything while respecting the saying "avoid foods that are too fatty, too sweet, too salty". This also works to slow down the development of gray hair! He must eat foods rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Minerals such as copper, zinc and iron are said to have a positive impact on the hair. The latter would be able to keep the hair follicles in good health and therefore prevent the premature appearance of white hair at 10 years.

Copper is essential in creating pigmentation in hair. Note that melanin is generated by melanocytes thanks to the enzyme tyrosinase. And it is copper that catalyzes this enzymatic reaction. Therefore, a good diet providing the right daily dose of copper will allowprevent the development of gray hair early. However, be careful, copper is toxic if you take too much! Take your child's blood to check their copper levels before making any changes to their diet.

In all cases, we advise you to contact your doctor before changing your diet or taking food supplements.

Finally, B vitamins are necessary to prevent premature aging of the body and to give energy to the body. Thereby, your child should eat foods rich in B vitamins to prevent the development of gray hair at age 10.

2 - Adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid the appearance of gray hair at 10 years old

1 - As we mentioned above, avoid junk food and fast food. Prefer the consumption of fresh, unprepared foods such as fruits, vegetables, butcher's meats, whole grains, etc. Indeed, industrial products are full of toxins. When the liver is saturated, the organ which cleans the body, is no longer able to eliminate toxins and this leads to premature aging and the appearance of gray hair.

2 - Avoid exposing your child to cigarette smoke which is responsible for the deterioration of the condition of the skin and hair. Indeed, studies have shown the correlation between smoking and the development of gray or white hair prematurely. Therefore, it is best to prevent your child from being exposed to cigarette smoke.

Please note that in no case our advice replaces the advice of a specialist, such as a doctor, naturopath or nutritionist. If you want to check your child's state of health, do not hesitate to call your doctor.

Thanks to natural processes and a healthy lifestyle, you have the possibility of slow down the process of premature depigmentation of hair and thus prevent the appearance of too massive white hair at 10 years.