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The onset of the first gray hairs is around 35 years old and can vary by more or less ten years. Here we give you an average, the individual reality is quite different. The appearance of white or gray hair varies from person to person and depends on DNA, and also on internal or external factors. We will see to start, why your child has white hair at 5 years old , secondly we will explain to you, how to prevent and delay the development of gray hair at age 5.

Why does your child have white hair at 5?

White or gray hair, everyone ends up having some, it's inevitable. This process is called canities. It is a natural process that happens when melanocytes, the cells that are responsible for hair color, decrease or stop their production of melanin. To explain it otherwise, the hair therefore continues to grow, but without pigmentation and therefore without coloring. The hair then becomes graying or white. At a certain age it is common for this mechanism to appear, however at the age of your child it is highly possible that it indicates other problems.

ONE or MORE gray hair at 5?

First, analyze the arrival of white hair and ask yourself the question: are they numerous, sparse or is there only one hair that has turned white or is graying? Indeed, one or two gray hairs are not indicative of a concern : it can commonly be a problem of melanin in one specific place. Sometimes the hair is even depigmented on some parts, and on others it keeps its color. In the case of'only one white hair, there is nothing to worry about. This hair just hasn't had enough time to load up with melanin. Therefore, the next ones will grow back in a normal way.

When multiple white hairs appear on the scalp, various factors can be responsible. We will now see the possible reasons for 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 5 years old

1 -Melanocyte dysfunction can cause gray hair at age 5

There can come a point in life when the melanocytes do not properly produce hair pigmentation. This is nothing serious or abnormal and this concern should go away over time if it only concerns a few hairs. However, if gray hairs are growing in number, appearing massively and / or coming back even after removing them, we suggest that you consult your GP to determine the exact reason for the problem.

2 - A disease can cause gray hair at 5 years old

Although often rare, a autoimmune disease, physiological disturbance or an particular pathology can lead to the appearance of white or gray hair at 5 years. If so, the appearance of white hair turns out to be reversible if the disease can be treated. It is important to call your doctor if the appearance of gray hair is abundant and the process is worsening. These problems can be: Thyroid disorder, vitiligo, Vogt-Koyanagi syndrome or Waardenburg syndrome. These diseases cause depigmentation of the skin or hair, and may occur gradually or all at once.

However, don't panic, don't fall into paranoia. These pathologies are extremely rare. What is more, in these extreme situations, the appearance of gray hair is accompanied by other more important symptoms.

Finally, an American experiment links the immune system and hair bleaching. It could therefore be that following a long illness some people will see white hair appear.

3 - Dietary deficiencies may cause gray hair to appear at 5 years old

• Modern food consumption has not only brought goodness to our plates. The current diet and the culture of "fast food" may lead to pathologies that are likely to interfere with the normal production of melanin. In addition, it is too high in sugar, fat and salt, and it is not rich enough in vitamins and minerals which can lead to deficiencies.

The appearance of gray hair at 5 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 rich in minerals and nutrients. The vitamins that can be implicated in the appearance of gray hair are vitamin B. Indeed, these vitamins are responsible for maintaining the proper functioning of the nervous system and the production of energy in the body. 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 - An emotional shock may cause the development of gray hair at 5 years old

A brutal emotional shock such as death or an accident can lead to the premature development of gray hair at 5 years old. Indeed, when the organism suffers a traumatic shock or a very strong stress discharge is released in the body, the body's immune defense system reacts and changes the functioning of a number of cells. This would lead to the premature development of gray hair.

How to prevent the development of gray hair at 5?

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. A lot of times you don't have to worry, it is just something benign.

Make a diagnosis to understand the development of gray hair

For starters, if your child has symptoms other than bleaching some of their hair, see a doctor to be sure it's not a pathological or hormonal concern.

Then a general diagnosis made by a doctor or a nutritionist can also be made to detect possible deficiencies. The blood test can reveal, for example, iron deficiency or a dysfunction of the thyroid. Depending on the result obtained, the doctor or nutritionist will inform you of what to modify or not in his diet.

Solutions to slow down the arrival of gray hair at 5 years old

1 - Eat a balanced diet to slow the onset of canities

Let your child eat everything, but stick to the saying "avoid foods that are too fatty, too sweet, too salty". The latter also works to prevent the development of gray hair! He must adopt a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Consumption of minerals like copper, zinc and iron are said to have a positive effect on the hair. They would be able to keep the hair follicles healthy and therefore prevent the risk of having white hair at 5 years.

Copper is essential in the transmission of pigmentation to the hair. Note that melanin is produced by melanocytes thanks to the enzyme tyrosinase. And it is copper that catalyzes this enzymatic reaction. Thus, a balanced diet and providing the right daily dose of copper will allowprevent the development of gray hair early. Be careful though, copper is toxic if you consume more than necessary! Have your child a blood test to see their copper levels before making any changes to their diet.

In all cases, we suggest that you call your doctor before changing your diet or taking food supplements.

Finally, B vitamins are essential for preventing premature aging of the body and for providing energy to the body. Consequently, your child should eat foods rich in B vitamins to prevent the development of gray hair at 5 years old.

2 - Adopt a healthy lifestyle to fight against gray hair at 5 years old

1 - As we mentioned above, avoid industrial consumption and fast food. Prefer the consumption of fresh, unprepared foods such as fruits, vegetables, butcher's meats, whole grains, etc. This is because processed foods are full of toxins. When the liver is saturated, the organ which has the function of cleaning the body, can no longer eliminate toxins and this leads to premature aging and the appearance of white hair.

2 - Avoid exposure of your child to cigarette smoke as much as possible, which is responsible for the deterioration of the condition of the skin and hair. Indeed, studies have shown the relationship between smoking and the appearance of gray or white hair early. In this way, it is best to prevent your child from being exposed to cigarette smoke.

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

By combining a healthy lifestyle and natural processes, you can delay the phenomenon of premature canities and thus avoid the too massive arrival of white hair at 5 years.