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Suggest Treatment For Premature Graying Of Hair
Question: Hello doctor. My age is 25yrs, height 6ft & weight is 74kg. I am facing the problem of premature greying form last 7 years. I have gone through the information & causes of premature greying over the internet & I found that unhealthy scalp, deficiency of vitamins maybe the reason behind this. I checked my vitamin levels 2 years ago & found that my vitamin B12 & vitamin D level were below the minimun mark. Now, after 2 years there is still deficincy of vitamin D & B12 though iron & other are things are normal.
I am using garnier hair color form last 4 years but still 50% of my hair are still black & my hair growth speed is very good. But now a days i am facing the problm of hair fall & dandruff
Is there any way to stop premature greying & reverse that process? Is there any type of hair protein available to apply directly on the scalp to rejuvent the hair color pigments? Please suggest me some treatment.
Thanks in advance
I am using garnier hair color form last 4 years but still 50% of my hair are still black & my hair growth speed is very good. But now a days i am facing the problm of hair fall & dandruff
Is there any way to stop premature greying & reverse that process? Is there any type of hair protein available to apply directly on the scalp to rejuvent the hair color pigments? Please suggest me some treatment.
Thanks in advance
Brief Answer:
Premature graying and Dandruff
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic
I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
You have mentioned two issues: 1) Premature graying of hair and 2) hair fall and dandruff
Your first concern is premature graying. The onset of grey hair and the speed at which people go grey varies from person to person.
"Premature graying" is defined as first onset of grey hair before late teens for Caucasians and before age 30 in Africans and Asians.
The color of hair mainly relies on the presence or absence of melanin pigment. It has been shown that grey hair have greatly reduced active melanocytes in the hair follicle.
Premature graying of hair occurs more commonly without any underlying pathology and is said to be mostly inherited.
A role is postulated for environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, smoking, deficiency of trace elements and nutritional deficiencies in the causation of premature graying.
Studies have also shown a relation between premature graying of hair and low S. Ferritin, S. Calcium and vit D3 levels.
Since low Vit D3 have been documented in your case therefore it would be worthwhile to supplement your Vit D levels.
Currently available treatment options for premature graying are limited but are worth the indication: Para aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and Calcium pantothenate are well known treatments and are known to arrest and even reverse premature graying.
Topical 1% Melitane is a new molecule that has recently become available for premature graying of hair. It is indicated to stop and reverse premature graying of hair.
It is available as a gel and needs to be applied once daily (2ml) at night at the roots. Once response is achieved, maintenance applications will be required to sustain the response.
These are all prescription medicines, I would suggest that you talk to your dermatologist for the needful.
Treatment is long term and it is important to have a fair trial of 3-6 months before deciding on future course of action, whether they are going to be effective or not.
Hope this helps you in getting a solution to your problem of premature graying
Coming to your second concern of dandruff and hair fall. Dandruff is a very common cause of hair fall.
If I was the treating doctor I would have asked you to try a ketoconazole and ZPTO based shampoo, every alternate days. You must lather it well and leave it on the scalp for 5-7 min before rinsing it off.
There are various brands available on prescription of a dermatologist.
Therefore, I would suggest that you visit a dermatologist in your region. Your dermatologist would tell you more about both of these conditions (premature graying and dandruff) and prescribe accordingly.
Regards
Premature graying and Dandruff
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for writing to us at healthcaremagic
I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your query and I have understood it.
You have mentioned two issues: 1) Premature graying of hair and 2) hair fall and dandruff
Your first concern is premature graying. The onset of grey hair and the speed at which people go grey varies from person to person.
"Premature graying" is defined as first onset of grey hair before late teens for Caucasians and before age 30 in Africans and Asians.
The color of hair mainly relies on the presence or absence of melanin pigment. It has been shown that grey hair have greatly reduced active melanocytes in the hair follicle.
Premature graying of hair occurs more commonly without any underlying pathology and is said to be mostly inherited.
A role is postulated for environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, smoking, deficiency of trace elements and nutritional deficiencies in the causation of premature graying.
Studies have also shown a relation between premature graying of hair and low S. Ferritin, S. Calcium and vit D3 levels.
Since low Vit D3 have been documented in your case therefore it would be worthwhile to supplement your Vit D levels.
Currently available treatment options for premature graying are limited but are worth the indication: Para aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and Calcium pantothenate are well known treatments and are known to arrest and even reverse premature graying.
Topical 1% Melitane is a new molecule that has recently become available for premature graying of hair. It is indicated to stop and reverse premature graying of hair.
It is available as a gel and needs to be applied once daily (2ml) at night at the roots. Once response is achieved, maintenance applications will be required to sustain the response.
These are all prescription medicines, I would suggest that you talk to your dermatologist for the needful.
Treatment is long term and it is important to have a fair trial of 3-6 months before deciding on future course of action, whether they are going to be effective or not.
Hope this helps you in getting a solution to your problem of premature graying
Coming to your second concern of dandruff and hair fall. Dandruff is a very common cause of hair fall.
If I was the treating doctor I would have asked you to try a ketoconazole and ZPTO based shampoo, every alternate days. You must lather it well and leave it on the scalp for 5-7 min before rinsing it off.
There are various brands available on prescription of a dermatologist.
Therefore, I would suggest that you visit a dermatologist in your region. Your dermatologist would tell you more about both of these conditions (premature graying and dandruff) and prescribe accordingly.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Hello doctor, thank u for your reply. I will surely visit a Dermatologist in my city. I have gone through ur suggestions & want to give u some additional information which is related to ur suggestion.
I dont hav a habbit of smoking or drinking, even I hav not tried those things.
I told u about the deficiency of vitamin B12 & D but I forgot to tell you that I am taking treatment for that on regular basis from last 1 year as suggested by my family doctor. The treatment is as follows-
For vitamin B12 I am taking Metaspan Tablets, 1 tablet in night.
For vitamin D I am taking Tayo 60K FP Tablets or D-Rise XXXXXXX once in a week.
I am also using Ensure Nutritional Powder as a source for Proteins, Carbohydrate, Vitamin, Minerals etc on daily basis with a glass of milk.
I am taking this treatment from last 1 year for vitamins deficiency & now my body humidity is better than my past. Maybe it worked on my overall body & health. So I think may be there is a specific need to supply proteins or necesary treatment to my hair scalp to increase melanin pigment.
So is there any additional suggestion u would like to give me?
Again thanks in advance :)
I dont hav a habbit of smoking or drinking, even I hav not tried those things.
I told u about the deficiency of vitamin B12 & D but I forgot to tell you that I am taking treatment for that on regular basis from last 1 year as suggested by my family doctor. The treatment is as follows-
For vitamin B12 I am taking Metaspan Tablets, 1 tablet in night.
For vitamin D I am taking Tayo 60K FP Tablets or D-Rise XXXXXXX once in a week.
I am also using Ensure Nutritional Powder as a source for Proteins, Carbohydrate, Vitamin, Minerals etc on daily basis with a glass of milk.
I am taking this treatment from last 1 year for vitamins deficiency & now my body humidity is better than my past. Maybe it worked on my overall body & health. So I think may be there is a specific need to supply proteins or necesary treatment to my hair scalp to increase melanin pigment.
So is there any additional suggestion u would like to give me?
Again thanks in advance :)
Brief Answer:
Premature graying
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Till date, premature graying of hair has not been distinctively ascribed to any particular deficiency whether of proteins, amino acid, vitamins or minerals even though low Vit D, low S. calcium levels have been implicated in a few studies.
Therefore you don't need to supplement anything more than what you are already taking.
The mechanism by which calcium pantothenate and PABA work is also not exactly known. They are being used since many years for this indication.
Melitane has recently become available. Melitane is a peptide which is an Melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) receptor agonist and therefore stimulates melanin synthesis in hair follicles, similar to MSH.
Regards
Premature graying
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Till date, premature graying of hair has not been distinctively ascribed to any particular deficiency whether of proteins, amino acid, vitamins or minerals even though low Vit D, low S. calcium levels have been implicated in a few studies.
Therefore you don't need to supplement anything more than what you are already taking.
The mechanism by which calcium pantothenate and PABA work is also not exactly known. They are being used since many years for this indication.
Melitane has recently become available. Melitane is a peptide which is an Melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) receptor agonist and therefore stimulates melanin synthesis in hair follicles, similar to MSH.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Hello doctor,
As suggested by you, I took appointment of a well reputed dermatologist in my city & vistied his clinic today for treatment.
I told him everything what I have told u previously regarding to deficiencies of vitamins & other proteins in my body. He explained me the details about PABA & Calcium Pantothenate & Melitane.
He suggested me the following treatment -
1) Triatop Shampoo which contains Ketoconazole & Zinc twice in week and Tab. Hyphoral 200 mg for 20 days
I discussed the problem of premature greying with him & he told me to use PABA & Calcium Pantatheonate.
He suggested me Tab TRICHOTON-AT, only one in night for 90 days & Altris Gel to apply on scalp before going to sleep. I am planning to go with this treatment onwards
Is this treatment & dosage of tablets is sufficient for me or would you like to suggest me anything else additionally??
Thanks in advance again :)
As suggested by you, I took appointment of a well reputed dermatologist in my city & vistied his clinic today for treatment.
I told him everything what I have told u previously regarding to deficiencies of vitamins & other proteins in my body. He explained me the details about PABA & Calcium Pantothenate & Melitane.
He suggested me the following treatment -
1) Triatop Shampoo which contains Ketoconazole & Zinc twice in week and Tab. Hyphoral 200 mg for 20 days
I discussed the problem of premature greying with him & he told me to use PABA & Calcium Pantatheonate.
He suggested me Tab TRICHOTON-AT, only one in night for 90 days & Altris Gel to apply on scalp before going to sleep. I am planning to go with this treatment onwards
Is this treatment & dosage of tablets is sufficient for me or would you like to suggest me anything else additionally??
Thanks in advance again :)
Brief Answer:
Premature graying and dandruff treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Instead of 1 tablet daily, I would have suggested 2 tablets daily (one in morning and one in evening) for 4-6 months.
Rest of the treatment is similar to what we have discussed earlier. You should go ahead with this and follow up with your treating doctor at regular intervals
Regards
Premature graying and dandruff treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Instead of 1 tablet daily, I would have suggested 2 tablets daily (one in morning and one in evening) for 4-6 months.
Rest of the treatment is similar to what we have discussed earlier. You should go ahead with this and follow up with your treating doctor at regular intervals
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Thank you very much for your suggestions doctor, I really appreciate that & thankful to you for your immediate response to my queries.
One last query is, should I take that tablets twice in a day? Actully I asked the same thing to my doctor that only one tablet a day is sufficient or not. But he told me that the tablet contains 200mg of PABA & Calcium Pantatheonate each, so it is a sufficient dose.
If you suggest me to take tablets twice a day for better results, I will do that. Please let me know this last thing.
Thanks a lot again :)
One last query is, should I take that tablets twice in a day? Actully I asked the same thing to my doctor that only one tablet a day is sufficient or not. But he told me that the tablet contains 200mg of PABA & Calcium Pantatheonate each, so it is a sufficient dose.
If you suggest me to take tablets twice a day for better results, I will do that. Please let me know this last thing.
Thanks a lot again :)
Brief Answer:
Treatment of premature graying
Detailed Answer:
Hi
In various studies that have been published, PABA has been used as 100 mg, thrice daily dosing (total 300 mg in a day) but it should never exceed 400 mg daily dose. Whereas calcium pantothenate has been used as 200 mg daily dose.
Most of the commonly available brands in the market contain 100 mg each of PABA and Calcium pantothenate (some even contain 50 mg calcium pantothenate), therefore, my dosing suggestion was based on that. However, if a single tablet mentioned in your prescription contains 200 mg each of the active ingredients, a single daily dosing would be good enough.
Regards
take care.
Treatment of premature graying
Detailed Answer:
Hi
In various studies that have been published, PABA has been used as 100 mg, thrice daily dosing (total 300 mg in a day) but it should never exceed 400 mg daily dose. Whereas calcium pantothenate has been used as 200 mg daily dose.
Most of the commonly available brands in the market contain 100 mg each of PABA and Calcium pantothenate (some even contain 50 mg calcium pantothenate), therefore, my dosing suggestion was based on that. However, if a single tablet mentioned in your prescription contains 200 mg each of the active ingredients, a single daily dosing would be good enough.
Regards
take care.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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