Gray hair is one of the most common signs of aging. Older people have gray or white strands in their hair, while younger people tend to have a patchy appearance. When your gray hair turns yellow, it can be difficult to hide. The best way to prevent your gray hair from turning yellow is by maintaining a healthy scalp and follicles. This way you will be able to prevent any damage caused by external factors like pollution and sun exposure which may lead to discoloration of your natural locks.
What is Gray Hair?
Gray hair, like most other natural and chemical occurrences in the world, is a result of a chemical reaction. Gray hair occurs when excess hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reacts with either copper or iron in your scalp and causes oxidation. This oxidation causes compounds called porphyrins to be produced, which will alter the color of your hair from its original hue.
As you age, it’s normal for your body to produce less melanin than you did when you were younger. Melanin plays an essential role in determining the color of your skin and hair—so as this pigment decreases over time, it’s only natural that some people will experience graying at an earlier age than others.
What is the cause of gray hair turning yellow?
The main cause of gray hair turning yellow is an enzyme called catalase, which breaks down hydrogen peroxide in your body. Hydrogen peroxide is produced naturally as part of the human metabolism, so it’s present in every cell in your body. If you’ve ever gotten a cut or scrape, you’ll notice that it starts to scab over as if it’s healing faster than it should. That’s because hydrogen peroxide is also used by the body to kill off bacteria and clean wounds (hence why some people put hydrogen peroxide on their cuts).
When catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen gas (a process called oxidation), free radicals are produced in large amounts. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells by stealing electrons from other molecules within those cells. This damage can lead to premature aging and cancerous growths such as melanomas.
Because hair follicles contain both catalase and oxygen, they’re more susceptible than other parts of our bodies when we’re exposed to high levels of free radicals for extended periods of time.
Tips to prevent gray hair from turning yellow
Eat a healthy diet
It’s important to eat a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. A healthy diet can help your hair stay healthy.
Fruits and vegetables are good for your hair because they contain antioxidants that protect your body from the damaging effects of free radicals. You can also get antioxidants by drinking green tea or taking supplements such as vitamin C or fish oil capsules. Nuts and seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids which help keep skin cells healthy so they don’t break down prematurely, causing hair loss or dryness (source).
Use clarifying shampoo
- Shampooing your hair regularly can help prevent gray hair from turning yellow.
- Use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove buildup from your hair and scalp. This will help keep any unwanted color from dulling your locks, which may be caused by products like conditioner or gel. If you’re not sure what type of shampoo to use, ask your stylist for their recommendation based on the color of gray hairs you want to hide.
Add silver highlights
Silver highlights are a great way to maintain your gray hair and add some dimension to your hairstyle. This look can be worn by anyone, but it’s especially popular among older women and men with gray hair. Silver highlights work well on almost any color of hair, so they’re perfect for people who want to keep their dark tresses or dye their locks a lighter shade than their natural color.
To get this look at home, use a foiling kit—a type of highlighting kit that uses powder instead of the traditional liquid dye approach. To do this technique properly, you’ll need:
- A tube of silver highlighter
- A foil applicator (available at most beauty supply stores)
- Straightening irons or curling irons (depending on whether you want straightened or curled ends)
Checks your hair color regularly
Checking your hair color regularly is the best way to prevent gray hair from turning yellow. You should check your gray hair color every 3-6 months and before you go for any hair appointment, whether it’s a haircut or coloring.
Make sure that you always check the condition of your scalp and its health before going for any coloring procedure.
Switch to purple products that are sulfate free
- Sulfate-free products are usually better for your hair. Sulfates are detergents that help remove dirt from your hair, but they can also strip color pigments out of the strands and cause your color to fade more quickly.
- Sulfate-free products are often better for the environment. These shampoos and conditioners usually contain less harsh chemicals that can cause damage to ecosystems or harm marine life in lakes and rivers when they’re washed down the drain.
- They’re not as effective at cleaning your hair, though: sulfates are excellent at removing oil and product buildup from the scalp, but vegan cleansers don’t have quite as much oomph when it comes to deep-cleaning grease off strands (and if you have oily roots, this is definitely a problem).
Wear hat outside
Wear a hat outside. Hats are the most commonly used method to protect your hair from the sun. When you wear a hat, it will help to protect your hair from turning yellow or gray and also helps in keeping your scalp healthy as well.
Some of the best types of hats are wide-brimmed hats and baseball caps because they cover more surface area around the head, therefore protecting you better against UV rays than other types of headgear like berets or visors.
It’s important that you choose one that fits well so it doesn’t put pressure on any part of your scalp when worn for long periods at a time.
Conclusion
While there are many ways to prevent gray hair from turning yellow, the best way is to use a color-safe shampoo that will not cause any damage to your hair or scalp. A good dye will last longer than one that isn’t designed for coloring your hair, so look for a product that’s made specifically with this goal in mind: keeping the color vibrant while giving it just enough hydration without weighing down strands.
