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While most people wonder why their hair is turning white, you wonder why you don't have white hair on your scalp? First of all, we will see the reasons for hair bleaching. Then in a second part we will see why you have a total absence of gray hair.

Why does the hair turn white?

The hair bleaching process

Gray hair almost everyone ends up having it, it is inevitable. This process is called canities. It is a natural phenomenon that occurs when melanocytes, the cells which are responsible for the color of the hair, decrease or stop their production of melanin. In other words, your hair therefore continues to grow, but without pigmentation and therefore without coloring. Your hair will then turn graying or white.

The appearance of the first gray hairs is around 35 years for Europeans and can vary by more or less 10 years. This is an average, the individual reality is quite different. The appearance of white hair varies from one individual to another and depends on genetics, but also on endogenous or exogenous causes.

Causes of hair bleaching

• The natural aging of the body and melanocytes.
• Genetic. Often the hair turns white at the same age as that of your parents.
• An autoimmune disease, a physiological disorder or a particular pathology: thyroid disorder, vitiligo, Vogt-Koyanagi syndrome or Waardenburg syndrome, some cancers.
• Nutritional deficiencies. A lack of certain nutrients (Zinc, copper, iron, amino acids) and vitamin deficiencies (group A and B).
• A bad lifestyle: stress, tobacco, bad diet, extreme fatigue ...
• An emotional shock: death, accident, trauma ...

However, it sometimes happens that some people do not have white hair all their life.

Why don't you have white hair?

The differences in the development of canities between individuals is sometimes very significant. While some already see the appearance of gray hair at 20, others do not have it until much later. And still others never see their hair turn white. But where does this particularity come from? There is no official answer on this phenomenon, however some explanations on this subject have been provided by the scientific community. Check them out below.

You don't have gray hair thanks to genetics

Our genetic inheritance constitutes a fundamental role in the bleaching of the hair sooner or later. There can be three reasons why you don't have gray hair :

• Researchers have identified the gene involved in bleaching hair: the IRF4 gene. A team of researchers studied more than 6 individuals from Latin America with very diverse origins and therefore very different hair. They came to the realization that this discomfort is involved in triggering the process of canities. It could activate in different ways in individuals and never act on others. This would have the consequence of causing a total absence of white hair. However, this study is still in its infancy. Other genes and multiple factors could thus also be involved in the disparities in the appearance of white hair between individuals.

• Depending on the ethnic group, your hair turns white more or less quickly. On average, the appearance of white hair in Europeans is 35 years old, while for Asians it is around 40 years old and Africans around 45 years old.

• Aging of cells is not equal in individuals. As a result, in some melanocytes never die or very late and the process of canities is delayed or non-existent. Melanocytes continue to produce hair pigmentation indefinitely and therefore no white hairs appear on your head.

Your hair does not bleach thanks to your lifestyle

There are internal factors that influence hair bleaching, as we have just seen. But there are also external factors that play a major role. The hygiene of life has always been a factor studied to understand hair bleaching. The fact that some individuals have no gray hair may be due to a healthy and harmonious lifestyle. In fact, melanocytes are sensitive to oxidative stress. Food, tobacco and chronic stress have harmful effects on the body. These can activate the oxidation of cells and sometimes also cause inflammation which reduces the production of melanin. 

By having a balanced and healthy lifestyle, you increase your chances of delaying the body's premature aging process and therefore the development of gray hair.

Some tips to maintain the beauty of your hair

Even if you don't have gray hair, caring for your hair is essential to keep it healthy.

• Eat a balanced diet and consume foods rich in trace elements, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.
• Avoid fast food and processed foods filled with toxin that saturates the liver.
• Massage your scalp regularly to activate blood circulation. Coconut, jojoba and almond oils rich in vitamin E help maintain healthy hair.
• Avoid too frequent and harmful colorings such as those based on ammonia. If possible, favor natural colors.
• Apply natural masks with antioxidant ingredients to the scalp. Sage or curry leaves, avocado, and onion are renowned for their antioxidant properties.
• Avoid the use of too aggressive shampoos (sulfate, silicone, quats) and try to space their application as much as possible (if possible, no more than twice a week). Prefer the purchase of natural shampoo.
• Be careful not to expose your hair too much to excessively high heat sources such as the straightener, the sun or the too hot hair dryer.