Does Stress Cause Grey or White Hair?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Makes Your Hair Grey or White?How Does Stress Affect Your Hair Color?Are Grey and White Hairs Permanent?How to Prevent Grey Hair

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Makes Your Hair Grey or White?

How Does Stress Affect Your Hair Color?

Are Grey and White Hairs Permanent?

How to Prevent Grey Hair

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Is your age to blame for those pesky frosted strands? Or is something else going on? Simply put, stress can potentially cause grey or white hair.

This article discusses the causes of grey and white hair, how stress plays a role in this, whether it is permanent and some tips to help prevent those premature greys.

Genetics Play a RoleGenetics plays an important role in determining when your hair starts turning grey. Looking at how early it happened to your parents and/or grandparents is a good indicator of when it will happen to you.

Genetics Play a Role

Genetics plays an important role in determining when your hair starts turning grey. Looking at how early it happened to your parents and/or grandparents is a good indicator of when it will happen to you.

Smoking

Smoking has been shown to be a cause of premature grey hair.A 2013 study showed that smokers were two and half times more likely to develop premature hair greying than non-smokers.

The study explained that smoking is associated with increased oxidative stress which can lead to pigment cell damage and an earlier reduction of melanin in hair follicles.

Illnesses

There are several illnesses that can also cause grey hair at a young age. These include:

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A study published inNaturein 2020 provides a potential explanation of how stress affects the color of people’s hair.(Please note that this study is an animal study rather than a human study.)

The researchers used mice to determine if stress could cause hair to turn grey. They had three groups, each exposed to a different level of stress. All the mice showed hair loss and increased hair greying. The study determined that noradrenaline (norepinephrine) was the reason for this occurrence.

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However, noradrenaline activates these stem cells too early and causes them to move away from the hair follicle’s color reserves. With fewer stem cells to turn into pigment cells or melanocytes, less melanin can be produced. Any hair that grows afterward will lack color.

The study was conducted with mice; therefore, the relationship between stress and premature hair greying still needs to be further investigated.

Yes—for the most part. When there are no more pigment cells in a hair follicle, melanin cannot be produced and the effect is permanent.

Tips for Preventing Premature Grey Hair

Here are some tips to prevent premature greying:

You Can Always Dye Your Hair If You’d LikeAt the end of the day, if the color of your hair is negatively affecting your self-confidence and how you feel about yourself, you may want to consider dyeing it.

You Can Always Dye Your Hair If You’d Like

At the end of the day, if the color of your hair is negatively affecting your self-confidence and how you feel about yourself, you may want to consider dyeing it.

If you notice your hair is greying significantly without any major changes in your lifestyle or routine, please consult with your doctor to rule out potential medical issues.

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11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH.How stress causes gray hair.Harvard Medical School:“Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”Zayed AA, Shahait AD, Ayoub MN, Yousef AM.Smokers’ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013;4(2):90–92. doi:10.4103/2229–5178.110586Daulatabad D, Singal A, Grover C, Chhillar N.Prospective analytical controlled study evaluating serum biotin, vitamin b12, and folic acid in patients with premature canities.Int J Trichology. 2017;9(1):19–24.van Beek N, Bodó E, Kromminga A, et al.Thyroid hormones directly alter human hair follicle functions: anagen prolongation and stimulation of both hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair pigmentation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;93(11):4381–4388.Zhang B, Ma S, Rachmin I, et al.Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells.Nature. 2020;577(7792):676–681.Ribarič S.Diet and aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:741468Bremner JD, Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, et al.Diet, stress and mental health.Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2428.Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD.Exercise for mental health.Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208aSebetić K, Sjerobabski Masnec I, Cavka V, Biljan D, Krolo I.UV damage of the hair.Coll Antropol. 2008;32 Suppl 2:163–165.Saeri AK, Cruwys T, Barlow FK, Stronge S, Sibley CG.Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2018;52(4):365–374

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIH.How stress causes gray hair.Harvard Medical School:“Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”Zayed AA, Shahait AD, Ayoub MN, Yousef AM.Smokers’ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013;4(2):90–92. doi:10.4103/2229–5178.110586Daulatabad D, Singal A, Grover C, Chhillar N.Prospective analytical controlled study evaluating serum biotin, vitamin b12, and folic acid in patients with premature canities.Int J Trichology. 2017;9(1):19–24.van Beek N, Bodó E, Kromminga A, et al.Thyroid hormones directly alter human hair follicle functions: anagen prolongation and stimulation of both hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair pigmentation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;93(11):4381–4388.Zhang B, Ma S, Rachmin I, et al.Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells.Nature. 2020;577(7792):676–681.Ribarič S.Diet and aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:741468Bremner JD, Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, et al.Diet, stress and mental health.Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2428.Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD.Exercise for mental health.Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208aSebetić K, Sjerobabski Masnec I, Cavka V, Biljan D, Krolo I.UV damage of the hair.Coll Antropol. 2008;32 Suppl 2:163–165.Saeri AK, Cruwys T, Barlow FK, Stronge S, Sibley CG.Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2018;52(4):365–374

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

NIH.How stress causes gray hair.Harvard Medical School:“Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”Zayed AA, Shahait AD, Ayoub MN, Yousef AM.Smokers’ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013;4(2):90–92. doi:10.4103/2229–5178.110586Daulatabad D, Singal A, Grover C, Chhillar N.Prospective analytical controlled study evaluating serum biotin, vitamin b12, and folic acid in patients with premature canities.Int J Trichology. 2017;9(1):19–24.van Beek N, Bodó E, Kromminga A, et al.Thyroid hormones directly alter human hair follicle functions: anagen prolongation and stimulation of both hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair pigmentation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;93(11):4381–4388.Zhang B, Ma S, Rachmin I, et al.Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells.Nature. 2020;577(7792):676–681.Ribarič S.Diet and aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:741468Bremner JD, Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, et al.Diet, stress and mental health.Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2428.Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD.Exercise for mental health.Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208aSebetić K, Sjerobabski Masnec I, Cavka V, Biljan D, Krolo I.UV damage of the hair.Coll Antropol. 2008;32 Suppl 2:163–165.Saeri AK, Cruwys T, Barlow FK, Stronge S, Sibley CG.Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2018;52(4):365–374

NIH.How stress causes gray hair.

Harvard Medical School:“Why Does Hair Turn Gray?”

Zayed AA, Shahait AD, Ayoub MN, Yousef AM.Smokers’ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2013;4(2):90–92. doi:10.4103/2229–5178.110586

Daulatabad D, Singal A, Grover C, Chhillar N.Prospective analytical controlled study evaluating serum biotin, vitamin b12, and folic acid in patients with premature canities.Int J Trichology. 2017;9(1):19–24.

van Beek N, Bodó E, Kromminga A, et al.Thyroid hormones directly alter human hair follicle functions: anagen prolongation and stimulation of both hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation and hair pigmentation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;93(11):4381–4388.

Zhang B, Ma S, Rachmin I, et al.Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells.Nature. 2020;577(7792):676–681.

Ribarič S.Diet and aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:741468

Bremner JD, Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, et al.Diet, stress and mental health.Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2428.

Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD.Exercise for mental health.Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi:10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

Sebetić K, Sjerobabski Masnec I, Cavka V, Biljan D, Krolo I.UV damage of the hair.Coll Antropol. 2008;32 Suppl 2:163–165.

Saeri AK, Cruwys T, Barlow FK, Stronge S, Sibley CG.Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2018;52(4):365–374

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