Exploring Premature Greying of Hair: A Cross-Sectional Study on Prevalence, Psychological Effects, and Contributing Factors

Introduction: Premature greying of hair (PGH) is a cosmetic issue affecting youths, and limited research has been conducted on its prevalence and impact in the Thai population. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, psychological impact, and associated factors of PGH. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with volunteering students aged 25 or younger from a Thai university. Participants completed a self-administered survey that included questions on PGH status, psychological effects, and associated factors, which include psychological stress, alcohol and cigarette consumption, body mass index, paternal and maternal history of PGH, exercise frequency, and diet. Results: A total of 441 participants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of PGH was 47.17%, with an average (sd) onset age of 16.29 (3.08) years. Self-assessment revealed hair greying <25% in 89.42% of all PGH cases. Of those with PGH, 67.31% reported no psychological impact, whilst 25.00% reported self-confidence loss, and 7.69% were bullied. PGH is found to be significantly associated with maternal and paternal history of the condition (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results showed a high prevalence of PGH, with the majority of cases involving less than 25% hair greying and no psychological impact. PGH was found to be significantly associated with both maternal and paternal history.