Introduction
Hair color develops from tiny cells called melanocytes present within hair follicles. With aging, the function of melanocytes within hair follicles wanes, causing hair graying. Gray hair during childhood is called canities or premature graying. Children of all ages can grow a few strands of gray hair. This article analyzes possible causes for graying hair in children.
What Is Gray Hair in Children?
Gray hair, premature graying, or canities are uncommon in children and caused by hair pigment loss in children. Pigment melanin decreases or becomes absent in hair, causing several hair strands to become white or gray. It could commonly result from the child’s genetically determined maturation schedule, vitamin deficiency, or a sign of an essential internal process.
What Causes Gray Hair in Children?
Graying of a child’s hair occurs in many conditions due to alteration of the preset melanocyte clock, but most of them are rare. Genetics, thyroid conditions, vitamin deficiency, or childhood skin disorders cause gray hair. If the cause lasts for a short time, it causes a few scattered gray hairs, and if the cause persists, the graying continues.
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Genetics: It is a leading cause of gray hair in children. Parents suffering from premature graying of hair may have children with gray hair. Premature hair graying is a heredity condition. However, it is not an indicator of the child’s health.
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Inherited Disorders: Additionally, the gray hair may appear as a patch in pigment disorders like vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin disorder that destroys color-producing parts of hair follicles. Other inheritable conditions like tuberous sclerosis (a genetic disease causing non-cancerous tumors), neurofibromatosis (tumors of the nervous system), and Waardenburg syndrome (a group of genetic disorders) cause hair graying in children. These disorders present with additional symptoms like seizures, hearing loss, and tumors, along with hair greying. Caucasian children have a higher risk of developing a few scattered gray hairs than full graying.
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Deficiency: Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency is frequently associated with pernicious anemia and could cause premature graying of hair in children. Dietary deficiency in the child occurs if they consume a strict vegan diet. Transient deficiency develops in babies breastfed by vitamin B12 deficiency mothers. For some children, the body’s ability to absorb or use vitamin B12 is reduced by stomach or small bowel surgery, diseases of small bowel including regional enteritis (chronic inflammation of digestive tract), necrotizing enterocolitis, tuberculosis, diverticulosis, or fish tapeworms, or congenital absence of enzymes to absorb vitamin B12. Blood tests help diagnose the deficiency. Treatment includes consuming animal products like fish, meat, milk, fortified cereals, or vitamin B12 supplements appropriately. Insufficient intake of zinc, copper, selenium, folic acid, and vitamin D also causes premature hair graying in children.
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Endocrine Disorders: Excess or under-functioning of the thyroid gland causes hypo or hyperthyroidism, which leads to premature hair graying in children. Children with thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto's disease and Grave's disease, for instance. Hyperthyroidism is responsible for reducing melanocyte activity. Blood tests help analyze thyroid function.
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Anemia: The early signs of megaloblastic anemia in children are premature hair graying. Blood tests help detect anemia.
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Childhood Disorders: Vogt-Koyanagi syndrome, a rare disorder in children following a viral illness, produces antibodies that mistakenly attack hair pigments. In some children, alopecia areata occurs, which leads to the loss of hair patches. When the hair grows back, it may become temporarily or permanently gray.
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Stress: According to recent research, genotoxic stress caused by ultraviolet light or radiation exposure leads to a mutation in hair cells and triggers early signs of graying. Harsh shampoo and hair products also cause graying of hair.
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Poor Diet: Children accustomed to chronically poor diet can affect their hair health. Protein deficiency and lack of essential nutrients could cause hypopigmentation of skin and hair.
What Factors Do Not Cause Hair Graying in Children?
There is a lack of evidence that these factors cause premature graying of hair in a child. Gray hair in children is not caused by:
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Growing children do not have high levels of physical and emotional stress to cause premature hair graying.
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Heart conditions.
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Lice.
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Lack of hair oil.
How Are Conditions Inducing Gray Hair Diagnosed in Children?
Children who have few gray hair strands need to have a physician look into them. Children with no family history of premature graying or exhibiting other symptoms must be examined. The healthcare providers take a detailed family history and perform a physical examination. A record of the child’s eating habits can help determine the cause. Laboratory tests for vitamin B12, complete blood count, and thyroid function help identify the cause.
How Is Gray Hair Managed in Children?
Treating gray hair is a difficult task. However, few treatment options are available:
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Treat Health Concerns: If a health condition is causing premature graying in the child, it should be treated by a doctor to promote healthy hair growth. Thyroid disorders are managed with appropriate medications. Additionally, adding specific foods and supplements to the diet, like vitamin B complex, will promote the growth of healthier hair.
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Hair Coloring: Gray hair in children can be masked effectively if desired. Although chemical rinses and dyes are available, their use is not advised for children as they can cause skin cancer in the long term. Temporary, wash-out, and vegetable hair dyes are the best alternative options and are safe for children.
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Leaving the Gray Hairs: Some causes for gray hair are reversible in children and are better left alone. Eventually, this gray hair is shed, and new hair with natural color grows.
How to Help a Child Cope With Gray Hair?
Some measures that parents can follow to cope with gray hair are:
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Encouraging the child to learn about the cause and convey it to their peers.
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Identifying the child’s mood and asking them questions to check for signs of bullying.
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A child’s online presence must be monitored for signs of cyberbullying.
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If the child is bullied, they must be encouraged to walk towards adult or safer peer groups.
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Taking the child to a counselor or therapist can help them build confidence and coping mechanisms.
Conclusion
One or two gray hairs in a child is not of much concern. If a larger part of the child’s hair has turned white, it points to an autoimmune condition or vitamin deficiency. Seeking medical help in such cases may reverse the condition. However, a genetic cause for premature hair graying remains irreversible.
