Why Stress Can Turn Hair Gray
Impact of stress on hair pigmentation: Neurobiological depletion of melanocyte stem cells
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When people are very stressed, their body sends a signal to hair roots that can use up the cells needed to keep hair colored. Once those cells are gone, hair turns gray and can't turn back.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 51 / 5
Evidence Score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When people are very stressed, their body sends a signal to hair roots that can use up the cells needed to keep hair colored. Once those cells are gone, hair turns gray and can't turn back.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 51 / 5
Evidence Score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
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Claims (5)
Stress might be turning your hair gray by messing with your cells, and relaxing could help your hair get its color back.
Your hair color comes from cells in your hair roots, and as you age, those cells slow down — that's why hair turns gray. But new research says things like stress might also play a role.
Stress can turn your hair gray by messing with nerve signals in your hair follicles, which damages the cells that give hair its color — and once they're gone, the graying is permanent.
When stress triggers a chemical called norepinephrine, it can permanently wipe out the stem cells that give hair its color, so once they're gone, your hair can't naturally regain its color.
Hair turns gray too early for a few different reasons, like long-term stress killing off pigment cells, not getting enough certain vitamins, and natural wear-and-tear from getting older. Basically, it's not just one thing causing it, but a mix of stress, diet, and aging.