$Unique_ID{BRK01189}
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$Title{What Causes Hair Color to Change?}
$Subject{hair gray stress skin subcutaneous tissue color melanin pheo-melanin
white pigment follicle genes inherited genetic inherit grayness colors
pigments follicles}
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$Log{
Anatomy of the Skin*0006701.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Causes Hair Color to Change?


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QUESTION:  My husband's hair is just beginning to turn gray.  I think it gives
him a rather distinctive look.  He says it is from all the worry he has had,
but I remind him that his Dad also turned gray at an early age.  Can you
explain what causes hair color to change this way, and if it really can have
anything to do with stress and worry?

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ANSWER:  The color in hair is the result of the presence of a pigment called
"melanin".  The wide range in colors from blonde to black reflects the
different amounts of the pigment contained in the shaft of the hair.  Redheads
can also vary in the intensity of hair color, but their hair contains a
different pigment called "pheo-melanin".  Hair color turns gray (or white)
gradually as the amount of pigment produced by the hair follicle reduces with
age.  Although this follows the general rule that many body functions slow
down a bit as we age, the pattern of hair color follows the influence of the
genes we have inherited from our folks.  Your father in law's early graying
may certainly be the indication of his gene actions and the source of the
early changes your husband is experiencing.  However these patterns can vary
from individual to individual, and while some begin to show signs of gray as
early as the teens and twenties, others may retain a full colored head of hair
into their 60's and 70's.  A temporary graying of the hair can be due to
severe disease or malnutrition, which when corrected allows normally colored
hair to grow once again.  But this does include the normal stresses of daily
living.  Thus the tales of someone turning gray "overnight" following a shock
or severe fright are just another one of the many myths that revolve about
hair growth and color.  It sounds as if your husband is experiencing a normal
transition without cause for undue anxiety.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.