Stress can bring different types of adverse effects to the body of a person. There is a widespread belief that acute stress can cause them to turn hair grew. But this was not proven scientifically until now.
Hair color is generally determined by the cell named melanocytes. It leads to the production of a pigment called melanin. New melanocytes usually are being made from melanocyte stem cells. It is found in the base of the hair strand within the hair follicle. With the passing of age, these stem cells gradually disappear. So the hair that grows later on in that area doesn’t have melanocyte stem cells which appear to be gray.
The researchers had conducted a study to determine if stress is also a reason for turning the hair grey. Dr. Ya Chieh Hsu led the research team from Harvard University. They used mice to find out if stress is responsible for turning the hair into a grey color. The mice were exposed to stress levels such as mild stress, short-term stress, and psychological stress. All of these showed the loss of melanocyte stem cells and also lead to greying of the hair.
It clearly showed that stress could be a valid reason for greyish hair. The scientist tried to find out the possible causes of hair turning into a greyish color. They first tried to determine whether the immune attack is a probable cause of the depletion of the melanocyte stem cells. It was seen that the mice with stress and weak immune system are very prone to greyish hair.
The scientists then used neurotransmitters and noradrenaline alongside corticosterone which was elevated within the stressed mice. They were able to find that noradrenaline, which was known as norepinephrine, was the key factor for hair turning into greyish color.
To better understand how stress results in causing grey hair, the researchers now measured the amount of protein present within the hair to seek out how the protein level in the hair affected the length of a person’s hair. Changes occurred in about 300 proteins when the hair color changed. The researchers also designed a mathematical model that suggested changes in the hair induced by stress.
Hair Pigmentation is only possible for a few people. Reduction in a person’s stress level is a perfect thing, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to turning the hair into its standard color. Especially in middle-aged persons, the hair is generally near the threshold before turning to a grey color. It happens due to various biological factors in a person. Stress in a person leads to pushing the hair above the threshold limit, turning it gray.
Is it Possible To Treat Grey Hair?
It is always said that stress can permanently turn the hair into a prematurely grey color. There are various reasons for hair turning into a grey color. But it’s also possible for the hair to return to its natural color in certain conditions. Following are some of the primary medical reasons for hair turning into grey other than stress and ways to treat those:
- A balanced diet is essential for keeping the hair in its standard color and position. If a person lacks certain nutrients, it may be one of the reasons for their hair turning into a grey color. Including Vitamin B12, folate, copper, and fiber in their diet may help turn the hair into a normal condition.
- Premature hair turning into a grey color may also happen due to certain medical conditions such as thyroid, alopecia, and many others. Another reason may be due to hormonal changes in a person. Treatment of these factors may help to turn the grey hair into its normal position.
Ways To Slow Down Greying of Hair
There are specific ways to slow down greying of human hair. Some of them are as follows:
- Proper management of stress and stress hormones can lead to the slowing down of melanin production.
- Proper weight management can also help in slowing down the greying of the hair.
- Exposure to chemicals and population can turn the hair into a grey color. Prevention from that can help in slowing down the process of greying down the hair.
- Direct exposure to sunlight for an extended period is another reason for hair turning into a grey color. Avoiding direct sunlight for an extended period can help turn the hair into a grey color.
