Prevalence of Premature Hair Greying, its Associated Factors and Impact on Quality of Life in Medical Students from Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Background: Considering the paramount significance of hair in life, greying hair at a young age can be extremely distressing. In addition, an incompletely understood aetiology and scarcity of treatment options make premature hair greying (PHG) noteworthy. Aims: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of PHG in medical college students from Rajasthan, India, and any sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of PHG and to determine its effect on the quality of life (QOL). Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 295 students of a medical college in western Rajasthan, India, under the age of 25 years. A scalp examination was done to count grey hair. All factors were investigated using structured, pre-validated questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of premature greying of hair was 41.4%. Sociodemographic factors such as older age, rural residence and positive family history were significantly associated with PHG. The number of meals, fruit consumption and irregularity of meals were the lifestyle factors associated with PHG. The QoL of 54.1% of students with grey hair was poor; males and rural residents were more affected. Conclusions: Premature greying of hair is a fairly prevalent condition in medical college students affecting their QoL. Factors such as family history, age, residence and eating habits may predispose students to PHG.