How to Get Rid of Gray Hair Naturally, Permanently with Home Remedies

How can you get rid of gray hair naturally and permanently? Other than dyeing your white hair, you can get rid it with treatments and other home remedies. Here’s a guide on cures for gray hair that you can try at home for permanent results.

Human hair originates from the hair follicles found on the scalp. Every hair that sprouts out is usually white in colour. In the course of growth, it encounters melanocytes, which produce melanin that adds colour to it making it black. In the course of aging, the amount of melanin reduces and your hair turns white yet again.

• Gray hair a clear indicator of the normal physiological aging process in human beings.
• It is however not liked by many people as they would not want to look old.
• Apart from normal aging, grey hair is also common among some young people as well.
• Premature gray hair is seen in young people under medical conditions like vitiligo or thyroid.

From time to time, many people try to device ways on how to get rid of gray hair. Most of the technologies found could only provide a short term solution. The regular visits to the salon is somehow tiresome and resource consuming. It is quite unfortunate that some of the used products in the treatment of gray hair are reactive with the skin among some people

Can you get rid of gray hair without dye?

Even though there are many dyes on the market formulated specifically to cover gray hair, the harsh and toxic chemicals in these products make them undesirable to those with an eye for maintaining optimal health.

The first sight of gray hair is reason enough to provoke endless possibilities in trying to reverse and prevent more graying. Since the world is going green most people are looking for how to get rid of gray hair without dye or chemical colorants.

The better alternative to stop premature graying of hair issue is to use natural home remedies. The home remedies are far more effective to get rid of grey hair and make the hair follicle healthier too.

Nature is very resourceful and therefore provides everything that we need for our livelihoods. There are so many options that are available to help do away with gray hair seeking services of very harmful chemicals.

While there are advantages to using hair dye to cover grays, there are also a whole lot of disadvantages that call for your commitment. Therefore it is very prudent that you factor in all likelihoods of uncertainties before considering dyeing your hair.

How to get rid of gray hair naturally

There are very many options that you can choose from. This gives a wide base from which you can select the best and most efficient natural dye fit for you. The beauty of it is that most of the available dye materials are made from locally available materials. The process is also very simple and straight forward

The process of getting rid ranges from use of prepared remedies to the use of techniques like plucking of the individual hairs.

1. Coffee home remedy for gray hair

Coffee works great if you want to look darker, cover gray hairs, or add dimension to dark tresses. This option is very helpful if salon and store-bought dyes contain harsh chemicals that might weaken your hair or cause skin irritation. In the event that you are sensitive to these dyes, try using coffee as a more natural alternative. Brewed ground beans and instant coffee granules may temporarily stain your hair a dark brown. Here’s  how to use coffee to get rid of gray hair at home.

• Apply on clean hair and allow to sit for about an hour.
• If you use apple cider vinegar to rinse, it will help the color last longer.
• In order to get very accurate results you may need to repeat the process a couple times.

2. Get rid of gray hair at home with shampoo

It is not thick as thick or lathering as the commercial varieties. However, it is still effective in cleaning the hair with nourishing ingredients and botanicals. What you can be expecting at the end of it all is a squeaky-clean feel of hair after washing with the shampoo. This is because it is much gentler to the hair compared with the industrial made products.

What do you need?

• 3 ounces of liquid castile soap
• 8 ounces of water
• 2 table spoons of dried organic herbs of choice
• 50 drops of an essential oil
• ¼ teaspoon of organic jojoba or olive oil

Directions on making the shampoo

• Make a herbal infusion by pouring boiling water over the herbs
• Cover the herbs and allow them to steep for at least four hours
• Strain the herbs out and pour the reserved liquid into a bottle
• Add castile soap and oils
• The shampoo is ready.

Directions on using the shampoo

• Pour the little oil into your palm
• Massage on the scalp and hair and add as much as needed making sure you coat the scalp as much as possible
• Leave it to interact with your hair and scalp for about 30 minutes
• Wrap your hair back into a bun and leave the oil all day
• You could do this repeatedly for better results

What precautions should you take while using this shampoo?

• Do not use castile soap directly on your hair as it is too concentrated and strong for your scalp
• Do not use castile soap on dyed hair. This is because it is too alkaline and will strip hair color
• Do not add vinegar directly to the castile soap. This is because one is a strong acid and the other is a strong base. The combination of the two forms a product that is uselessly inert. 

Another type is the honey and hemp shampoo.

Ingredients

• 15 ounces of olive oil
• 5 ounces of coconut oil
• 5 ounces of hemp oil
• 2 ounces of castor oil
• 10 ounces of distilled water
• 1 ounces of castor oil
• 10 ounces of distilled water
• 1 ounces of lye

How to get rid of gray hair permanently using shampoo

1. Put on proper safety gear e.g. gloves, goggles or long sleeves
2. Weigh 10 ounces of distilled water into a heat proof or stainless container
3. Weigh 4.1 ounces of sodium hydroxide (lye) into a small container and pour water into it
4. Stir with a heavy duty rubber or silicon spatula until dissolved
5. The mixture will turn hot and therefore turn your ahead away to avoid inhaling the fumes
6. Allow the lye to cool t around 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
7. Weigh out your oils in an enamel or stainless steel pot
8. Once the lye and the oils are somewhere around the same range, pour some lye into the oil
9. Use an immersion stick to start combining the two mixtures
10. Once the soap thickens, stir the 5 ounces of jojoba oil and 1 tablespoon of honey
11. Pour your raw soap batter into your prepared mold
12. Leave the mold uncovered because honey overheats when insulated
13. After the soap has been in the mold for 24 to 48 hours, unmold and slice into bars

3. Using hair dye to hide gray hair

You can use hair dye to hide gray hair fast or instantly. There are both natural and chemical dyes to help out. For natural dyes, several brands have come on market and are very efficient in doing away with grey hair permanently or temporarily as deemed fit.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) states that over 5,000 different chemicals are used in hair dye products, some of which are reported to be carcinogenic in animals. From this disclaimer, it is therefore prudent to avoid as far as possible chemical hair dyes to limit the associated risks.

You should be aware that in order to dye gray hair, you need to consider your hair color. Follow the following depending on your hair color:

Red hair:

For this hair, you will require:  calendula, marigold, rosehips, and hibiscus to deepen the red shade or add a few red highlights.

The effects are cumulative if you keep using the dye regularly, you will notice more color.

Directions:

1. Simmer the flowers in water for about 30 minutes, strain, cool
2. Then spray or pour on hair
3. Allow to dry in the sun if possible.

Brunette/dark hair

What you need: Rosemary, nettle, and sage are all great herbs for dark hair.

Direction

1. Simmer all three with water for 30 minutes,
2. Cool, strain, and spray or brush through hair.
3. Allow to sit about an hour.
4. You can also use the rinse daily after your shower.
5. Be patient as it may take several days to notice a difference.

Blonde hair

You will need:  chamomile tea, but you can also try calendula, marigold, saffron, and sunflower petals. To hide grays, try rhubarb root in two cups of water, simmer, strain, and pour over hair.

4. Onion juice cure for gray hair

This is a remedy that has been used for quite a long time now mainly to cure hair loss and hair thinning problems. It is similarly a remedy for premature gray hair. Sufficient research point out that deficiency of catalase and deposition of hydrogen peroxide in the hair roots are the main reasons for premature gray hair.

Onion juice helps to boost the catalase and therefore restores the levels of natural color of the hair strands. Apart from that, it adds a healthy shine to the hair and prevents excessive oiliness of hair. The onion stands out from the other ingredients as it contains sulphur that can adequately nourish the hair follicles thus preventing gray hair

What do you need to make a hair product out of onion? There are various methods of making juice out of an onion to be used for hair. Some of the available techniques include:

First you could use a juicer that produces fine juice of the onion within a short time. Still, you can use of a blender where you peel and cut the onions then blend them well in a small jar. Strain the mixture later on to make the juice. You could also use a grater where peel and cut the onions, grate them well then grate them to make the juice.

How do you apply the onion juice on gray hair?

• You will need 3 teaspoons of onion juice and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
• Mix the onion and lemon juice in a glass bowl
• Apply on the scalp and hair evenly
• Leave it for 30 minutes and wash off with a mild herbal shampoo.

5. Vitamin B12 as a natural remedy for greying hair

It is true to point out that natural hair that loses its original pigmentation indicates aging. It is also good to note that it might not entirely be true because diet can also contribute to this. Vitamin B12 which is an essential vitamin contribute s greatly in helping the problem of gray hair

For those intending to turn their hair color from gray to black, vitamin B12 could offer some solution. Not only it do that but also prevents further graying. It is often found that in spite of consuming enough vitamin B12, there might be deficiency of the vitamin. It is due to that fact that it is absorbed excessively and can’t be stored.

Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency are very common. It is very high in the strict vegetarians or vegan diet or having any weight loss surgery. The vitamin is not manufactured by plants but available in eggs, meat, poultry and dairy products. Strict vegetarians are more prone to develop the deficiency of this vitamin.

Those who have undergone any kind of weight loss related surgery, might face the shortage of the vitamin. This is because after the surgery, the stomach becomes less active to take vitamin B12 out of food.

In order to use this vitamin, there is no specially prepared products to achieve this but rather, there are foods that when eaten could supplement. They include beef, calm, turkey, oysters, crab, chicken, salmon, herring and trout.

Other home remedies for gray hair

You can also try to cover gray hair at home with the following home treatments for white hair.

1. Indian Gooseberry

Indian gooseberry, or amla, is excellent for a variety of hair problems including premature graying, dull hair, and hair loss. Being rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, it has anti-aging benefits. In addition to consuming this fruit, you can also apply amla oil or amla pulp on your hair. Here’s how to get rid of gray hair naturally using Indian gooseberry home remedy.

• Put some coconut oil in a pan.
• Boil a few dried Indian gooseberry pieces (if you do not have dried amla, then use amla powder) in the oil until they become charred.
• Let the oil cool.
• Apply the oil on your hair and scalp.
• Leave it on overnight, or at least for an hour, before rinsing it out.
• Do this at least once or twice a week for desirable results

Better still, you can mix together one tablespoon each of Indian gooseberry pulp and lemon juice. Massage your scalp with it at night before going to bed and wash it out the next morning. You can also apply a combination of equal amounts of amla juice and almond oil. You can add a little lime juice, too. Apart from reducing grey hair, this also facilitates healthy hair growth.

2. Curry Leaves

The leaves help increase darker pigmentation in your hair. When combined with coconut oil, it works as a great hair tonic.

 

Directions

• Boil a handful of fresh curry leaves in a tablespoon of coconut oil until they become charred. Strain the oil.
• Massage it into your hair. Leave it on for 30 to 45 minutes before rinsing it out.
• Follow this treatment at least once or twice a week.

3. Henna

Henna works as a wonderful natural hair colorant. Besides making your hair darker, it will strengthen and condition your lustrous locks.

Directions

• Grind a handful of henna leaves into a paste.
• Add three teaspoons of Indian gooseberry powder, one teaspoon of coffee powder, and a little plain yogurt.
• Spread it evenly on your hair.
• After it dries, rinse it out and then shampoo your hair as usual.
• Repeat the process once every two to four weeks.

4. Amaranth for Grey Hair

Amaranth is a nutrient packed vegetable that looks similar to spinach. It works a treat on reversing grey hair by restoring the hairs natural color.

 

Directions

• Apply the juice from some fresh amaranth leaves onto your scalp and gently massage in.
• Leave on for 30 minutes before washing off.

5. Black Seed Oil and Olive Oil

They have been used for many years to treat and cure gray hair. The major benefit of using black seed and olive oil is they make your hair look shiny and healthy and also promote the growth of new hair follicles.

Directions

• Simply mix up an equal amount of olive oil and black seed oil and massage into the scalp.
• Wash out with warm water after an hour.
• Repeat daily.
• You can also take black seed oil internally for extra benefit. A teaspoon twice a day will do the trick.

6. Tea

The use of tea also offers great help in curing gray hair. Black teas work best for darker hues, chamomile for blondes, and rooibos for redheads. Here’s how to get rid of gray hair permanently using tea.

• Once weekly, steep 3 to 5 teabags in two cups of boiling water and allow it to cool before applying it to your clean, wetted hair.
• For easier application, try mixing it with conditioner.
• Leave it in for a least one hour, and remember that the longer it is in your hair, the more intense the color will be.
• When your gray hair has absorbed the color of the tea, the mixture can be rinsed out.

Rinse your hair in cool water. This is because hot water will leach color from hair faster than colder water

How to get rid of gray hair permanently (for good)

Most of the treatments that can be done at home as seen above call for repeat use and it takes long to see the actual results. If the problem is not treated from the inside, you still will soon see gray hairs sprouting from the roots.

There is so much expectation to get the permanent solution to gray hair. Scientists have been tasked with this and it has been a hefty task to accomplish. The initially used dyes were hard to use as they resulted into unexpected havoc.

The remedies to overcome the gray hair could both be natural products or even at times synthetic products. One of the natural products is potato peel. It is rich in catalase and therefore helps the body to handle and manage the hydrogen peroxide that is responsible for gray hair.

Potato peel

The starch in potato peels acts as a natural colorant that helps slowly cover your grays for quite a long period of time.

Ingredients

• Five to six medium to large potatoes
• Large cooking pot
• Colander
• Large bowl
• Old shampoo bottle
• Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
• Towel

Directions:

• Remove the peels for five or six medium to large potatoes. Set the flesh aside and place the peels inside a large cooking pot. Fill the pot with 1/2 gallon water. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Allow the peels to boil for 20 to 30 minutes. Offer a boil. Reduce the warmth and also simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour the potato peels through a colander over a large bowl. Save the water and toss out the potato peels. Allow the potato peel-infused water to cool completely before pouring it into an old, clean shampoo bottle. Strain the liquid out as well as save the fluid.
• Wash and condition your hair with moisturizing products. Because gray hair is drier and more brittle, it’s important to nourish your tresses with extra moisture. Allow the conditioner to sit for one to two minutes before rinsing it out.
• Pour the potato peel water over your hair in the shower, and do not rinse it out. Emerge from the shower and towel dry and style your hair as usual.
• Repeat pouring the potato-peel infused water over your washed and conditioned hair daily, or two to three times per week if it’s more convenient, for several weeks or months, or until you are satisfied with the results.
• Dry normally finally and check out the end result.

Use of pseudo-catalase treatment

It acts to disproportionate hydrogen peroxide, or turn it into oxygen and water. According to some scientists from Germany and UK, ‘the massive buildup of hydrogen peroxide can be reversed with a UVB-activated compound called PC-KUS, a modified pseudo catalase.’

How does pseudo catalase work?

It has been shown to lower levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the skin, as well as improve defense by supplementing catalase. Catalase, through activation by UV light, will break down H2O2 to oxygen and water. PC-KUS, once activated by exposure to sun, adds new catalase enzymes and converts hydrogen peroxide in the follicle to harmless water and oxygen, thereby blocking it from accumulating in the follicle and skin.

How do you use the cream for grey hair?

• Apply to scalp or other skin region containing gray hair, and massage shampoo into the skin containing the hair follicles.
• Allow to sit for five minutes.
• Then you may follow with your normal hair cleaning/conditioning program.
• Apply at least once per day

How frequent should the cream be used?

Hair tends to go gray slowly, over many months, in most people, and it also tends to re-pigment slowly. Use of once per day should continue to achieve the same effects.

You should however note that the use of pseudo catalase for hair is not yet conclusively agreed. This is because so many studies are still going on with regards to its usefulness for this condition. Similarly, only use the product if you are completely sure that it will not lead to complications in the long run. Apart from that, it is always desirable to be in touch with your personal doctor for advice before you go ahead to make a decision.

The use of pseudo catalase without all considerations being made is likely to lead to very dangerous side effects that could even be life threatening.

Sources and references

1. http://www.life-saving-naturalcures-and-naturalremedies.com/grey-hair-natural-remedies.html
2. http://www.naturallivingideas.com/home-remedies-for-gray-hair/
3. http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-premature-graying-of-hair.html