An Unhealthy Lifestyle Can Lead to Premature Graying

Digital Vision/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — If you’re not convinced yet that smoking and obesity are bad for you, maybe this will make you think twice: those unhealthy habits could be making you prematurely gray.

That’s the finding of a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Although genetics have more to do with graying early than any other factor, dermatologist Dr. Nicole Rogers says that smoking and carrying too much weight may be responsible for oxidative stress, which is an imbalance in chemicals that repair and protect cells as well as damage them.

As a result, this condition may also cause people to lose hair pigment earlier, which is what makes the hair go gray.

For obvious reasons, the best thing to do is refrain from smoking and maintain a healthy BMI. But if you’re well on your way to turning silver, Rogers says forget about using herbal vitamins or supplements because they won’t reverse graying.

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