As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color — like gray, silver, or white — as it grows.
Once your hair follicles lose melanin, they can't produce it on their own. As melanin production slows, your hair turns gray, and then white when melanin production has completely stopped.
A new study shows that stress really can give you gray hair. Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. Your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
Although the primary cause of premature hair graying (PHG) is considered to be genetic, certain environmental factors also play a role. Trace element deficiencies such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, and calcium may also be associated with PHG.
Despite the claims made online and by product marketers, it's not possible to reverse white hair if the cause is genetic. Once your hair follicles lose melanin, they can't produce it on their own. As melanin production slows, your hair turns gray, and then white when melanin production has completely stopped.
B-6 may help restore hair to its original color following an illness or deficiency. Para-Amino benzoic Acid (PABA) and Pantothenic Acid are part of the family of B-complex vitamins. Both of these vitamins are available at health food stores and pharmacies. Use them to postpone the onset of graying.
Dr. Kraleti doesn't recommend plucking or pulling the hairs out. “If there is a gray hair you must get rid of, very carefully cut it off. Plucking can traumatize the hair follicle, and repeated trauma to any follicle can cause infection, scar formation or possibly lead to bald patches.”
Harvard researchers have found that acute stress hyper-activates the sympathetic nervous system, which rapidly depletes the stem cells and leads to hair graying. (Image: Hsu Laboratory, Harvard University.)
Most people start noticing their first gray hairs in their 30s—although some may find them in their late 20s.
Stress can cause hair to gray prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment.
Does lack of sleep send my hair grey or white? Lack of sleep can have a negative effect on many aspects of the body, not only can it lead to tiredness and lack of concentration, but longer term effects such as your immune system and stress. Stress has been proven to cause grey hair as mentioned above.
The pigment in our hair is caused by melanin— the same pigment that is also responsible for our skin color. Gray hair is caused by a loss in melanin, whereas white hair does not have any melanin at all. As you age, your hair produces less and less melanin that leads your hair to appear gray, and then eventually white.
Certain superfoods can help reduce premature greying of hair. Green leafy vegetables refer to the cruciferous vegetable group. This group includes spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, and so on. These vegetables are very rich in iron, folate, vitamins, calcium, and other nutrients that improve hair health.
"It's a myth that grey hairs will grow back thicker or that there will be more of them. The pace of greying is multi-factorial and genetically determined." "Grey hair will just regrow the same way from that follicle (that's where the lack of pigment originates).
Does gray hair from stress go away? Research from 2020 suggests that graying hair is a permanent effect of stress. Once the melanocyte stem cells are lost, you can't regenerate pigments anymore.
The hair can't actually turn white overnight, because all the hair is "dead", and the only way you can make its colour change is with dyes. Hair gets its colour from a chemical called melanin, which is pumped in by cells at the base of the hair follicle.
Stress itself doesn't cause sudden hair whitening. Over time, chronic stress may lead to premature gray hairs, though. You may also experience hair loss from severe stress.
For men having white hair was a sign of distinction, hinted at nobility, and was even a sign of virility. It couldn't have been more different for women. It was a sign of their deterioration with age, and the end of their fertility.
Takeaway. If your child has one or two gray hairs, it's probably not a cause for concern, but true premature graying in children and young adults might point to an underlying cause, like an autoimmune condition or vitamin deficiency.
Vitamins B6 and B12 have also been proven to boost melanin production. Goddard says that vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, has been found to trigger the production of enzymes and chemical reactions that boost the metabolism of the hair proteins (keratin and melanin) in the hair follicles.
While vitamins cannot reverse gray hair, they can slow down the process. Eating a diet rich in vitamins D, B5, and B12, iron, and calcium can prevent your existing hair from turning gray.
Vitamin B-12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of prematurely graying hair. Researchers have noted that vitamin B-12 deficiencies are often concurrent with folic acid and biotin deficiencies in people whose hair has started to turn gray early.
Biotin has many benefits. It triggers hair growth, it treats hair loss related disorders, and it thickens and strengthens the hair. One of our favorite beneficial effects of Biotin is that is can reverse premature greying of hair.
Iron deficiency can also lead to grey hair. Iron is a vital mineral that helps create haemoglobin – the substance found in RBCs. Lacking an adequate amount of iron means lesser blood cells, which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to your scalp. Naturally, this causes grey hair at a young age.