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ASK DR JAIN: How can I reduce grey hair?

May 24, 2021 13:58 IST

Tackle your hair and skin problems with expert help from Dr Dinesh Jain.

Woman with grey hair

IMAGE: Kindly note this image has only been posted for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Anastasiya Lobanovskaya/Pexels.com

Dear Reader, worried about your skin?

Or your hair?

Is acne the bane of your existence?

Or dandruff causing you embarrassment?

Do send in your queries about your skin and hair problems to Dr Dinesh Jain at getahead@rediff.co.in (SUBJECT: Ask Dr Jain).

 

Hello Dr Jain.
I am 41 years old and I have had grey hair since I was 14 years old.
I apply mehendi (henna) from childhood on my hair.
Is there any solution to grow black hair, if possible?
Is there any other option other than mehendi? I am afraid of using dyes as it may affect my remaining black hair.
Please help.
Regards,
Madhuri Shinde

Hi Madhuri

You get grey hair when your hair loses the pigment called melanin. Though the cause is genetic in most, you can also get premature greying due to different causes that include:

It would have been great if you had started taking treatment in your teens, when your hair started to grey.

Nevertheless, you can still slow down the process of greying and have healthy hair at the same time.

There are medicated treatments to prevent greying of hair. Before you consider them, do get evaluated by a good dermatologist. They will recommend a blood test so that they can evaluate your condition and suggest appropriate treatment.

Meanwhile, this is what you can do.

Foods that help reduce greying:

If you wish to colour your grey hair, use good quality mehendi or ammonia free hair dyes.

Dear Dr Jain
My name is Binoj Kumar and I am 48.
My hair is very thin and I have dandruff problems since childhood.
I have controlled my hair fall in the last 3-4 years but I am very worried about my thin hair. Is there any solution to make it stronger?
Thanking you,
Binoj Kumar

Hi Binoj

Thinning of hair has many causes.

Primarily, it is due to aging, skin infections, various skin diseases/skin conditions and hormonal changes.

The good news is that you can still get treated and get much thicker hair than you currently have.

Consult a good doctor, who will run certain tests and evaluate your condition.

Also a hair and scalp examination is mandatory, as you have mentioned that dandruff is a major problem. You may be having a long standing fungal or bacterial infection that has caused excessive thinning.

Do remember, a good diet, regular exercise and sound sleep are complementary to any medical treatment.

The following remedial measures will help with your hair thinning problem:

Hello Doctor.
I am a 49-year-old man. Lately, I have developed an itchy scalp.
I had alopecia (a condition that causes hair to fall our in small patches). I have recovered but now have a four finger-sized bald patch on the crown of my head. My hair is thinning too.
I have done my blood test -- my Vitamin D, thyroid, iron... all levels are normal.
There is no stress.
I get seven hours sound sleep too.
I am vegetarian and there is no heredity of balding in my family.
Once a week, I use warm coconut/castor oil with some lemon drops and leave it in my hair for 7-8 hours.
I use Patanjali Coconut Kesh Raksha shampoo.
For conditioner, I use egg yolk and yoghurt and after that I use Dr Hauschka Neem Scalp Tonic.
What are your thoughts on Biotin 500 tablets?
If you can please guide me with any simple home remedies, I will be grateful.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Jay

Hi Jay.

The fact that you have recovered from alopecia is a good sign.

From your description, it looks like you were suffering from androgentic alopecia or male pattern baldness, starting from your crown area.

While the cause for androgenetic alopecia is mainly hormonal, many factors can add to this.

We should aim at controlling them while preventing you from balding further. We should also try to reverse your hair thinning and bald patch problems.

First, the don'ts

Now, the do's

Hi Sir
I have been suffering from psoriasis (a skin disease that causes red, itchy scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp) for the last 20 years.
I have tried various medications -- homeopathy, allopathy and Ayurveda -- but none have worked.
Can you please suggest an effective medication please?
Name withheld on request.

Hi.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder of the skin where you get thick patches and plaques of skin, usually symmetrically and many times itchy.

Normally, even if you get relief with medication, the patches reoccur.

Of late, biologic therapy has shown promise but it sometimes has undesirable side effects.

We treat psoriasis with a combination of autologous cells and laser, which reduces the lesions significantly.

I would suggest that you follow up with your dermatologist and get regular guidance to treat your psoriasis.

These recommendations below will help:

Hello Dr Jain.
This is Mitesh Shah, age 45.
Whenever any metal comes in contact with my skin, I tend to get rashes.
For example, if I wear a watch with a metal strap or a bracelet of any metal, I get rashes on my wrist. It gets very, very itchy and, in no time, I get some small boils which oozes out some transparent liquid due to abrasions.
Similarly, with a chain, I get rashes and itchiness all around my neck.
This has been happening since the last 20 years.
Can you help?
Thanks and regards,
Mitesh Shah

Hi Mitesh.

It looks like you are allergic to metals and I strongly recommend a metal allergy test.

Avoid wearing watches with metal straps and bases.

Most people are not allergic to pure silver and gold ornaments. Once your report detects which metal/s is/are causing your allergy, you can then get ornaments accordingly.

Home remedies include:

 


Dr Dinesh Jain is based in Mumbai and practises at Sparsh -- the Aesthetic Clinic. He is a well known cosmetologist and specialises in anti-ageing regenerative medicine, hair regrowth and stem cell-based treatment.

His qualifications include an MBBS, DV&D, MD and an MSc.

In his two decades of practice, he has treated thousands of patients including many Bollywood stars.

Please mail your skin care queries to Dr Jain at getahead@rediff.co.in (SUBJECT: Ask Dr Jain)

Do note: This column is an advisory. Please consult your doctor before beginning any treatment.


Disclaimer: All content and media herein is written and published online for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It should not be relied on as your only source for advice.

Please always seek the guidance of your doctor or a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Do not ever disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read herein.

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Opinions expressed herein cannot necessarily provide advice to fit the exact specifics of the issues of the person requesting advice.


Dr DINESH JAIN