Rumor: Washing your hair with white vinegar and onions can treat gray hair.

Refusing rumors: Hair is extremely important to a person. It reflects a person’s life course. The ancients said: "Youth cannot be retained, gray hair occurs naturally." Sadness has always been accompanied by gray hair. When hair comes, patients often face huge psychological pressure when their hair turns gray early. This has given rise to various so-called folk remedies for treating gray hair, such as the rumor mentioned in this article that "washing hair with white vinegar and onions can treat gray hair."

If you want to find a way to treat gray hair, you should first understand how gray hair occurs.

Where does gray hair come from?

Vitiligo, also known as premature gray hair in Western medicine, is the so-called "less white head" in traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the premature graying of hair in teenagers and the appearance of gray hair. The occurrence of gray hair is due to the obstruction of melanin production. The reasons for the obstruction include reduced tyrosinase activity and reduction of melanocytes. Genes related to tyrosinase activity play a major regulatory role in the synthesis of melanin, and melanocytes are regulated by a specific transcription factor (MITF) in the body. This transcription factor is a basic element for the growth and survival of melanocytes. Known as the "master regulator of melanocytes." In layman's terms, it means that the gene that regulates melanin synthesis in the human body is abnormal, which causes hair to turn white. This also explains why white hair is often inherited in families.

It should be noted here that premature graying of hair may be caused by congenital inheritance or acquired body function problems. Traditional Chinese medicine divides gray hair into qi stagnation and blood stasis, spleen deficiency and dampness. , liver and kidney deficiency, liver qi stagnation, heart and liver blood deficiency and other syndromes, a person's excessive gray hair is often related to his or her physiological discomfort. Life in today's society is highly stressful, and young people's gray hair has suddenly increased in a short period of time. It may also be affected by external mental pressure such as fear, anxiety, tension and other emotions.

Is it possible to wash your hair with white vinegar and onions?

From the chemical composition analysis, hair is mainly composed of keratin, and the most suitable acidity for its growth is 4.5-5.5. The main components of white vinegar are acetic acid and water, and its pH is about 2.9. Onions contain a variety of biologically active ingredients, such as sulfur compounds, which are onion volatile oils that have a strong tear-inducing stimulating effect; in addition, they also contain steroidal saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides and some small molecule components. There is currently no evidence that these ingredients can increase tyrosinase activity and increase the number of melanocytes.

On the contrary, the strong irritating ingredients in onions will stimulate the hair follicles to a certain extent. Not only will they not have any effect on treating gray hair, but you will also feel uncomfortable when washing your hair. Therefore, it is undoubtedly wrong to say that washing hair with white vinegar and onions can treat gray hair.

Replenishing qi and blood, nourishing hair

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the growth of hair comes from the nourishment of qi and blood. If qi and blood are sufficient, the hair will be thick; if qi and blood are weak, it will easily lead to hair loss. Hair turns gray. At present, there are no clinically effective chemical drugs for the treatment of gray hair in Western medicine, but we can still prevent acquired premature graying of hair by reducing staying up late and avoiding mental stress such as anxiety and tension.

Although white vinegar and onions will not solve the sorrow of gray hair, I still hope that everyone can maintain good living habits and have beautiful black hair!

References

[1] Qu Zhenyi, Liu Ying. Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gray hair and hair loss [J]. Clinical Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017 (05): 148-152.

[2] Si Fuchun, Meng Xianpei. Analysis of TCM syndromes and prescriptions for hair loss and gray hair [J]. Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2016(9): 3785-3788.

[3] Wang Wenliang, Wang Shiqing, Li Xiaoling, et al. Review of pharmacological effects and product development of active ingredients in onions [J]. Chinese Food and Nutrition, 2013, 19(11): 37- 39.

[4] Qiao Lijie. Replenishing qi and blood to nourish hair[N]. China Medical News, 2019-06-27(007).

Rumor-refuting expert:

Dr. Yao Hui of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Dr. Wu Yibo, Peking University School of Medicine, leader of the Youth Study Group of the Medical Science Creation Special Committee of the Chinese Science Writers Association

Review expert:

Researcher Tang Qin of the Chinese Medical Association