Grey hair growing coloured again!

[Wwwdot]

I dye my hair as lots of grey. I have my roots done every six weeks. I started going grey about 20 years ago.

I have been on B12 every other day for 4 months plus folic and Vit D. I was amazed when my hair appointment popped up for next week because whilst my hair has grown there are virtually no grey hairs!!!

I am unsure why this is the case? My hair is thick and shiny so I know in good condition but I hadn’t expected the grey to go. Has anyone else a similar positive experience?

Thank you in advance.

[Nackapan]

Hair is definitely affected .Low ferritin and iron affects if greatly too.

Hair and skin need nutrients too.

I usually hav3 alot of hair but started to get thinner dry and fall out.

Didn't notice for ages as a lesser symptom for me.

Had it cut short after lockdown. At home ,salon too bright and noisy

That's when I realised damage.

Bit of a 'dodgy cut . Showed patches of stubble .

At least easier to nourish with oils and a multitude if different shampoos

Scalp ? 2 yesrs in has gone very dry and itchy. ( may be s side effects of high b12 levels ?) Who knows !!

I have streaks of white grey which have gone back to the light colour rather than 'dirty grey.

Looks like theve been put in by a hairdresser!

Love the streaks

No stubble presently and a much better cut as managed the lights in the hairdresser in a dark corner .

Have never dyed my hair apart from henna powder years ago .

It turns grey hair orange so not an option now ....ha

What a palaver mud on then long hair.

Conker bright and shiny though

How lovely to get 'your colour back '

Save you a fortune.

The wonders of b12 and other vital vitamins and minerals .

[clivealive Forum Support]

Sadly 51 years of injecting B12 for P.A has done nothing for my hair but at least I am still "clivealive" to enjoy my great granddaughter Talia

I wish you well

Grey hairs

[Jillymo in reply to clivealive]

You may not have colour to your hair but my goodness considering your age what a lovely mop of hair you still have.

Your great granddaughter Talia ( lovely name ) is looking up at you so lovingly bless her little heart.

Keep well keep smilling Clive we love seeing your pics.

[Nackapan in reply to clivealive]

How lovely .Children such a tonic to us all.

[Rubyroo10 in reply to clivealive]

What a Beautiful girl..love her name and you have great hair too x

[charks]

I am so envious. My hair is one of the things that isn't getter better. My partner dyes it for me and everytime he does it he tells me more has fallen out. I have to wear my hair scraped back in a ballet style to hide bald patches. There is a plus side. It takes less than five minutes to do and I am saving a fortune on hairdressing. I make sure everyone knows my problem so they don't think I am just very lazy.

[Wwwdot in reply to charks]

I am so sorry to hear that charks. It’s tough dealing with all these changes but good friends see us for who we are. Big hug.

[rogergee in reply to charks]

Years ago I discovered Superdrug wash in/wash out dyes and just use them instead of shampoo. I'm not always the same colour!

[Ipsofacto01]

Yes! My grey hair totally reversed after starting injections. I'm 54 and don't have any grey at all now.

[Lindylou333]

yes, both my son and I self inject twice weekly. And both have lost loads grey hair. My hairdresser is worried about everyone taking b12 Will give up hair dye??!! Hehehe

[MoKayD]

That's great! I was really hoping B12 would reverse my grey hair but, alas, it didn't. To be fair, early graying runs in my family and I started dyeing my hair in my early thirties. I finally stopped dyeing it about 4 years ago and am very happy with the color (or lack of) it is now and I love not having a skunk line running down the middle of my head a couple of weeks after seeing my hair dresser.

[Showgem]

my hair went white long before my PA diagnosis. After a couple of years of b12 injections I had lots of darker hair but sadly not enough to stop it looking grey instead of white.

I believe if my b12 levels had been tested years ago and I had been started on injections back then it wouldn’t have gone prematurely white.

[Cherylclaire Forum Support]

I remember seeing a video on the Pernicious Anaemia Society website, where a woman who had lost a lot of hair at the front found that it grew back when she was treated with B12 injections - but in her original dark colour, not grey like the back. Amazing !

[ACritical]

No, you were lucky. I am totally white from forty onwards. Love it now .

[Budsa]

I had a grey beard for 30 years before I started taking 1mg b12, daily, for the last 3 years. My beard is now 30% ðark again. It was too late for my hair though which has almost all gone.

[Wwwdot]

Hi All

Your comments and observations are amazing. B12 does seem to have a finger in many pies!

Thank you for giving me some perspective!

[Emmers5]

My dark brown locks started turning white at 29 (23 years before diagnosis, wish I’d known it was a symptom) but we all turn white early in my family. Small amount of color came back so I’m streaky and get lots of compliments and requests for my colorist’s info…

[helvella]

You might be interested in an accessible article in yesterday's Guardian:

Scientists may have discovered why hair turns grey

Results of stem cell research could lead to treatment that halts or reverses the process

theguardian.com/science/202...

But they don't look at why melanocyte stem cells "get stuck" in the hair follicle bulge (their proposed mechanism).

I suggest both B12 and thyroid issues can be significant factors which cause greying.

Utter fanciful speculation: Maybe B12 has a role somewhat related to what it does in erythropoiesis? Imagine macro-melanocyte stem cells - just being too large to move as needed...

[ForViolet]

My hair had been turning gray about 10 years ago. I was using a blonde rinse which worked but was a bother. I started reading and following Ray Peat's advice and within 6 months, unexpectedly, I saw that my hair had grown in blonde. (I'd been doing occasional B12 injections for many years when the gray started).

It is such a surprise when this happens.

Peat encouraged a high metabolic and low polyunsaturated fats diet.