Can Stress Affect Graying of Hair?

Can Stress Affect Graying of Hair?

Stress can produce a number of negative effects on your body like aging and a weak immune system.

It is also a popular belief that stress can cause your hair to turn gray.

This has not been scientifically proven before, but in January 2020, a group of researchers established a link between stress and graying hair.

When we are stressed, humans and nearly all animals produce a number of chemicals in response to it. One is the neurotransmitter called Noradrenaline which is produced mostly by the adrenal glands. It is the chemical responsible for our “fight-or-flight” reaction in response to stress.

When stressed, nerves can release noradrenaline into various parts of our body including our hair follicles.

Our hair follicles contain melanocytes and their stem cells. These are cells responsible for the production of our hair and skin's pigment.

Normally, the melanocyte stem cells found in our hair follicles are dormant until a new hair is grown. When released into the hair follicles, noradrenaline causes the stem cells to activate but they tend to migrate away from the hair follicles.

With no remaining stem cells, no new pigment cells can be made. This results in the growing hair becoming gray and then white when all pigment is gone.

Normally, the melanocyte stem cells found in our hair follicles are dormant until a new hair is grown. When released into the hair follicles, noradrenaline causes the stem cells to activate but they tend to migrate away from the hair follicles. With no remaining stem cells, ***no new pigment cells can be made***. This results in the growing hair becoming gray and then white when all pigment is gone.


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