Home HairGray Hair Can Grey Hair Be Reversed Naturally? Reverse Graying Hair from Stress with Diet, Coffee, Coconut Oil and Henna

Can Grey Hair Be Reversed Naturally? Reverse Graying Hair from Stress with Diet, Coffee, Coconut Oil and Henna

by Dr. Joe Morales

Is it possible to reverse gray hair? Gray hair is considered a graceful part of aging but it is not perceived with open arms when it occurs amongst younger adults – especially those in their 20s and 30s – who may feel that it makes them look older than they really are. Today we discuss how to reverse gray hair naturally without using chemical hair dyes that are typically used to hide gray hair.

Can You Reverse Gray Hair? Can Gray Hair Be Reversed?

Gray hair causes mental worries and can impact on one’s self-confidence and self-esteem which brings us to the question, “can you reverse gray hair?”

How to reverse gray hair naturally

How to reverse gray hair naturally – vitamin supplements and foods are said to help stop grey hair from growing.

Well, some cases of gray hair – those linked to poor nutrition – can indeed be reversed with proper diet. We have discussed appropriate dietary changes that you may want to consider in a subsequent section of this article.

Reversing gray hair permanently from stress

As for gray hair resulting from stress, the whole subject of stress is debatable with some medical experts saying that stress cannot cause graying of hair and others holding the opposite view. All in all, it may be worth a shot to try using various stress management techniques.

In the next section, we will cover various natural remedies that anyone could use to restore their hair back but  a clarification need to be made at this point; results are never typical. What works for one person may not yield any results for another person. Some of the remedies also require a long time of continued use before you can achieve noticeable results or get rid of gray hair permanently.

How to reverse gray hair naturally or get rid of premature gray hair fast

Hair strands contain hair follicles at their base. These hair follicles contain a pigment called melanin which is responsible for giving your hair its color. When melanin is present in lower than normal amounts, some or all your hair strands turn gray and when it is absent altogether, your hair turns white.

Naturally, melanocyte activity decreases with age and as the body’s ability to produce melanin decrease accordingly, people tend to get gray or white hair as part of the natural ageing process.

Factors such as genetic predisposition, poor nutrition (especially vitamin B5 and B12 deficiency), smoking, pollution, harsh hair products, hormonal fluctuations, and diseases such as thyroid disorders and chronic sinusitis can however speed up the appearance of gray hair.

The term premature grey hair is used to describe a situation whereby an individual has more than 50 percent graying of hair while aged below 40 years. If gray hair bothers you, then here is a breakdown of how to reverse gray hair naturally:

Cover gray hair naturally coffee or reverse gray to black

Coffee is affordable, is natural, not messy and will cover gray hair naturally and quickly. Coffee is good for covering gray hair because it will act as a natural dye. According to Thrive Style and Livestrong, the method works when done well and with good conditioner even though it might not be able to deliver 100 percent gray hair coverage.

Coffee is a good temporary dye for gray hair

Coffee is a good temporary dye for gray hair.

Coffee does not contain the harsh chemicals that might damage hair when dyeing it. The coffee granules can cover gray hair on the beard or head in a more natural way, and is a temporary measure, which can be helpful if you are looking to hide gray hair in between dyeing sessions. See at the end a video on how to do it.

Apply Coconut Oil to get rid of grey hair at home

Coconut oil is one of the best natural remedies for gray hair. It is known to have essential nutrients that help to not only moisturize your hair but also stimulate hair growth and curb infections, not to forget its ability to add a brilliant luster.

When used consistently over a long period of time, coconut oil also helps to reverse gray hair naturally thanks to its antioxidants abundance.

How to use coconut oil for gray hair reversal:

  • Massage pure coconut oil (preferably unrefined and extra-virgin coconut oil) onto your scalp every day before retiring for the night and wash it off the next morning.
  • Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut oil with 3 teaspoons of freshly prepared lemon juice. Apply the mixture to your hair and massage it gently. Allow it to stay on for 1 hour and then finish off by shampooing your hair as you normally do. Repeat this process once every week until you have attained the desired results.
  • You can also change the color of hair naturally using a mixture of coconut oil and Indian gooseberry as subsequently outlined.

Use Indian Gooseberry to stop gray hair from growing

Otherwise known as amla, Indian gooseberry is known to be a great remedy for hair loss and hair dullness. But did you know that you can well use Indian gooseberry for gray hair reversal, thanks to its abundance of vitamin C and antioxidants?

Here is how to use this remedy to lose gray hair:

  1. Chop gooseberry into small pieces and allow them time to dry in the sun. You may want to grind the gooseberry pieces in a pestle although that is not necessary for this remedy to work.
  2. Now pour the gooseberry pieces or powder into a pan containing some coconut oil and heat the mixture until it boils. Stop heating once the gooseberry powder gets charred.
  3. Allow the mixture to cool down and then work it through your hair and scalp.
  4. Leave the mixture on for at least one hour, preferably overnight, and then rinse it off with water.
  5. Repeat the 2 to 3 times each week until you have achieved the desires results.

Alternatively,

  • Mix gooseberry powder with water to make a paste. Mix one tablespoon each of the paste and lemon juice and then apply the mixture into your hair and scalp at night. Leave it overnight and then wash out with water in the morning. Repeat this process 2-3 times each week till graying of hair has gone.
  • Mix gooseberry pulp and almond oil n equal proportions e.g. 1 tablespoon: 1 tablespoon. Slather the mixture onto your scalp and allow it to stay on for 2 hours before washing it off. Adding a little amount of lime juice to the mix may also help to make the remedy more effective.

Pantothenic acid reverse gray hair fast

According to Mayo Clinic, the non-prescription vitamin pantothenic acid is claimed to be able to stop gray hair naturally but it has not been proven to be true. However, many people praise it to have the ability to reduce graying of hair in a relatively faster way.

Massage with Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves

Premature grey hair also responds well to treatment with a coconut oil-curry leaves mixture. On one hand, curry leaves is rich in nutrients that are essential to the restoration of hair follicles. Coconut oil on the other hand has rich hair nourishing properties which makes a mixture of these two ingredients a superb choice for gray hair reversal.

In addition to including curry leaves in food recipes, you may also want to use in the following way:

  1. Pour some coconut oil into a pot and then add in a handful of fresh curry leaves.
  2. Heat the mixture until the curry leaves turn dark (get charred) and then strain the oil.
  3. Massage the oil gently into your scalp and hair and allow it to stay on for 30 to 45 minutes. Finish by rinsing it off with warm water
  4. Repeat this process every other day over a period of about 3 months for best results.

Stain with Henna to cover grey hair

As a rich hair colorant, henna can also help to restore color to gray hair naturally and is particularly good for individuals with extensive graying. An added benefit of henna is that it also conditions and strengthens your hair.

Henna natural gray hair reversal before and after pictures

Henna natural gray hair reversal before and after pictures

Below are different approaches to using henna as a remedy for graying hair:

  • Add some coconut or mustard oil into a small pot. Drop a few henna leaves into the oil and heat until the leaves get charred and the oil has turned brownish in color. Stain the hair with the oil once it has cooled down and rinse it off after 45 minutes or so. Repeat frequently for best results.
  • Make a paste by grinding a handful of henna leaves. To the paste, add a little amount of plain yoghurt, 1 tablespoon of coffee powder, and 3 teaspoons of Indian gooseberry powder. Apply the mixture thoroughly into your hair and allow it to dry before rinsing it off with water. Finish by shampooing your hair. Repeat the process at 1-2 week intervals.
  • Prepare a cup of black coffee. When still hot, add enough henna powder to attain thick syrup (yoghurt-consistency). Cover the pot for a couple hours and then slather on the mixture all over your scalp. Leave it on for 3 hours or so and finish off by shampooing your hair.

Wash with Amaranth Extract

In addition to curbing hair loss, amaranth can also help to reverse graying hair naturally and stop premature graying.

Here is how to use amaranth to restore your natural hair color:

  1. Blend fresh amaranth leaves. You may also boil the amaranth leaves and then strain the solution.
  2. Apply the extract obtained onto your hair and scalp
  3. Wash it off with water.

Rinse with onion juice to stop gray hair

According to Naturalnews.com, recent studies have linked gray hair to buildup of hydrogen peroxide at the base of hair follicles as a result of decreased levels of catalase, a natural antioxidant.

Try the onion juice remedy to reverse greying hair

Try the onion juice remedy to reverse greying hair naturally.

Onion juice helps to stem graying of hair by increasing the production of catalase. It is in fact touted that the use of onion juice for gray hair reversal dates back prior to the advent of hair dyes.

While onion juice is effective in curbing graying of hair, it is not a permanent solution as new research has shown. You may still want to use it as follows if you don’t mind having the pungent onion smell on your scalp:

  1. Rub onion slices or apply onion juice onto your hair and scalp and massage gently to have it spread all over your head of hair.
  2. Allow it to set in for 30-60 minutes and then rinse your hair with water
  3. Repeat this process once a day for a few weeks to achieve the desired results.

Rinse With Black Tea

Who said that black tea is only good for breakfast? It is also a great remedy to reverse gray hair naturally. It not only helps to darken the hair, thanks to its richness in tannins, but also helps to soften and give a lustrous shine to your hair.

  1. Prepare a cup of tea by boiling 2 teaspoons of black tea in a pot containing 1 cup of water.
  2. Pour in a teaspoon of salt and stir to dissolve it in.
  3. Once the solution has cooled down, soak your hair with it.
  4. Finish by washing your hair with cold water and then shampooing s you normally do after 20 minutes or so.
  5. Repeat the process 1-2 weeks each week to achieve the desired results.

Use Rosemary and Sage

Rosemary and sage are amazing natural remedies for gray hair. They both help to darken the hair and eliminate the graying naturally.  To use these herbal remedies, follow the following steps:

  1. Add ½ cup each of dried rosemary and sage into a small pot to which a couple cups of water has been added.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil and then allow it to cool before straining the solution.
  3. Shampoo your hair and then apply the solution.
  4. Allow it to stay on for about 20 minutes before rinsing it off with water.
  5. Repeat the process once weekly.

Apply Ginger Essential Oil, Lavender Oil, and Sesame Oil Mixture

A mixture of lavender oil, sesame oil, and  ginger essential oil can help to reverse graying of hair as Colleen Kaye Dodt, author of “The Essential Oils Book: Creating Personal Blends for Mind & Body,” says. Here is how to use this natural remedy to change back the color of your hair:

  1. To a small basin, add ½ teaspoon each of ginger essential oil and lavender essential oil, and 10 teaspoons of sesame oil.
  2. Mix the ingredients thoroughly to attain a finely blended oil mixture.
  3. Apply the mixture thoroughly into your hair and scalp and then allow it 20 minutes to set in.
  4. Finish by rinsing your hair with a mild shampoo and conditioner.
  5. Repeat the treatment frequently for best results.

Take Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds have a long history in Chinese medicine and one of its uses is elimination of gray hair. It is touted to enhance melanocyte activity and thus promote the production of melanin. This is turn helps to eliminate grey hair.

To use sesame seeds for reversal of gray hair naturally, all you have to do is take a teaspoon of the seeds every day for a period of 3 months or more. Applying sesame oil onto your hair and scalp may also help you lose gray hair.

Reverse grey hair with diet or foods that get rid of greying

Diet modification may play a role in reversing certain cases of gray hair. An ideal diet for people looking to restore the dark color hair should contain sufficient quantities of copper, iron, iodine, and vitamin B (B12 in particular).

Among the foods to eliminate grey hair in this perspective are whole grains, soy, nuts, lean fish and milk, low-fat dairy products, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits. For vegetables, dark leafy greens, asparagus, beets, root vegetables, and turnips are especially great sources of folic acid and other essential vitamins for proper hair growth.

Manage Stress

Although this is subject to debate, stress is attributed to early graying of hair. You may find stress management techniques such as yoga, exercise etc helpful in your bid to get your dark hair.

What about bee pollen to restore gray hair to black?

A talk about using bee pollen for gray hair elimination has been making rounds on the internet for a while.

Although there is currently no scientific evidence that taking bee pollen can reverse or prevent graying of hair, some people think that it indeed does help.

One contributor (Mary) on Earth Clinic reports that she and her husband (both in their 50s) have been using bee pollen for over two decades. Mary claims that they still have their full head of hair in their natural color unlike most of their friends – including some 12 years younger than them.

If you are open to the idea of trying this super food on your hair, you may to check with your local health food store for your supply of bee pollen.

Supplements to Reverse Gray Hair

Improper diet and nutrition is one likely cause of premature gray hair. This means that taking mineral supplements may help to restore the natural hair color in some individuals. These supplements usually contain minerals that are essential for optimum body functioning in highly absorbable form.

Among the best supplements for those seeking to reverse gray hair are:

Vitamin Supplements for grey reversal (B12 vitamin)

Vitamin B complex supplements come first among the supplement options for reversing gray hair. You can either go for one of the many multivitamin products available on the market that feature the B complex vitamins or take pills that contains the B complex vitamins only.

A word about taking folic acid for gray hair as a supplement

Although folic acid (vitamin B9) is important in treatment and prevention of hair graying, taking too much of it in supplement form can mask vitamin B-12 deficiency, it is advisable to take the whole vitamin B-complex together either on its own, or mixed with other vitamins.

Blackstrap Molasses to reduce gray hair fast

Blackstrap molasses is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals. It is in particular a rich source of copper which is essential for efficient production of the pigment responsible for natural hair color. Blackstrap molasses provide about 14% of the daily recommended dose of copper.

Couple that with traces of other mineral elements such as iron, magnesium, and selenium, blackstrap molasses and you have the making for one of the best herbal remedies for gray hair reversal.

Take a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses in the morning every day for a few months to achieve the desired results.

Fo-ti herbal supplement

This Chinese herbal supplement is touted to help reverse graying of hair in record time. The name “Fo-ti” is actually Chinese for “black-haired Mr. He” which essentially means “Black hair Man.

Fo-ti is widely available in supplement form, but you may as well take the herb in the form of tea. The internet is a great place to start your search. Your local health food store may also stock this herbal supplement.

Cereal Grasses

Cereal grasses the likes of wheat grass, barley grass, etc. are as well great sources of vitamin A and B complex vitamins that are essential for proper hair growth. They are also rich in copper, iron, zinc, and copper. Consider taking thee as daily supplements and you could be a step closer to losing that gray hair. Check with your local health food store.

There are as well supplement formulated specifically for restoration of gray hair to its natural color.

Such supplement features ingredients such as catalase, biotin, and other important minerals to nourish the hair follicles and stimulate healthy hair growth.

Among other gray hair supplement products we came across online as we conducted this research are Forefront Nutra GrayHair Rx, Rise-n-Shine Go Away Gray, Invite® Catalase Hx, and PureNaturals Anti-Gray Hair Pure Dietary Supplement.

NB: Mentioning these products here doesn’t amount to our recommendation. Consult with your doctor and read online reviews before using any of these products.

References and Sources

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1 comment

venkata kantam Aug 30, 2016 - 8:55 pm

Excellent and exhaustive survey of research into hair problems.Thanks.

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