Gray hair and its premature appearance can be a reason for insecurity or shame. Stress seems to have a direct link with them; In this article we go into depth about the topic.
We tend to associate gray hair with old age and understand this as its only cause In addition to genetics, questions have increased about whether the speed at which hair turns gray may be related to stress and the ways in which we experience it over time.
Legends and myths have talked about the influence of stress on the appearance of gray hair for centuries. It is said that, during the French Revolution, when Marie Antoinette was seized to be guillotined, her hair gradually began to turn white, until the night before her death, she had lost its color completely.
How are gray hair and stress related? Does it accelerate the appearance of gray hair? In this article we will discuss the way in which stress influences the appearance of gray hair, whether this process is reversible or not and how it can be prevented.
Without yet going into whether there are gray hairs caused by stress, we are going to briefly comment on the appearance of gray hair in general. At birth, the color of our hair is determined, in addition to genetics, by menina ; pigments that occur naturally in our skin. There are two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin, and depending on the proportions in which they occur in our skin, one color or another will be determined in our hair.
When, normally over time, the cells of our skin and head follicles stop producing melanin, the color of our hair changes and becomes gray; gray hair comes out. As mentioned, this process usually occurs when we get older. However, many people can start to go gray before an advanced age, and there are a whole host of factors involved to consider.
Some factors that can cause or accelerate gray hair to appear are:
1. Genetics
Genetics always has an effect on every physical characteristic of our body. Therefore, it plays an important role in determining the appearance of premature gray hair. If you have family members who experienced premature gray hair, we advise you to take it as an indicator that increases the likelihood that it will also happen to you.
2. Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle, with poor eating habits and habitual consumption of tobacco, alcohol or other addictive substances, can accelerate aging, leading to the premature appearance of gray hair. There are different studies that show that gray hair appears two to three times more likely in smokers than in non-smokers.
3. Diseases
Different diseases or medical conditions can cause the premature appearance of gray hair. Between them, the most common are diseases related to immunodeficiency, lack of vitamin B12 (closely related to maintaining a balanced diet) and thyroid dysfunctions. In these cases, we always recommend that you put yourself in the hands of professionals and that you always focus on solving your health problems and not so much on the appearance of gray hair.
4. Stress
Finally, the factor we will focus on is stress. Experiencing too much stress over a prolonged period of time can lead to the appearance of gray hair at an earlier age than is considered normal. As we will analyze below, stress is directly related to the acceleration of the aging process.
Why do gray hair appear due to stress?
With studies more focused on the physiology of stress and its effects on our body, it has been discovered that stress is closely related to fight or flight responses. These are physiological responses, in most cases with an unconscious and uncontrollable onset, resulting from the activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System in the presence of stimuli that generate stress or that pose a danger to individuals.
The activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System produces physiological reactions such as increased heart rate and dilation of the pulmonary bronchi and pupils, among others. In relation to gray hair, in stressful situations, the reactions of this system produce an overstimulation of the cells that create melanocytes, the melanin-producing cells. This overstimulation ends up causing the melanin-producing stem cells to disappear with which, its functions end, among which are coloring.
Another stress-related process is the secretion of the hormone norepinephrine as a result of fight or flight responses. The action of this hormone on the body has also been associated with the loss and disappearance of melanin-releasing stem cells. Therefore, the secretion of norepinephrine has been directly related to the appearance of premature gray hair due to stress.
Furthermore, these studies suggest that gray hair generated by stress is permanent, it does not disappear over time. As the cells that secrete melanin are reduced or disappear, the pigments that give color to our hair can no longer be regenerated.
Can gray hair be prevented?
Yes, there are different things we can do to prevent the appearance of premature gray hair and delay it. Basically, the ability to manage stress and adopt healthy lifestyles are the main ways to go. Here we propose some attitudes that you can take for this prevention.
1. Maintain a balanced and healthy diet
It is important to include a large amount of fruits and vegetables in our diet, and reduce the appearance of saturated fats and ultra-processed foods. This usually cannot have a positive effect on delaying the appearance of gray hair, but rather on improving the general physical and emotional state of our body. A correct diet is synonymous with the proper functioning of our body, maximizing its functions and influences on our general well-being.
2. Adopt healthy habits
Playing sports regularly, avoiding the consumption of tobacco, alcohol or other substances and establishing healthy routines for yourself are solutions to many problems. Finding ourselves in situations in which our health and well-being always benefit It will help reduce our stress and manage emotions in a better way
3. Sun protection
The sun is one of the great enemies of our skin, and over time, the possibility of ultraviolet radiation can cause very serious problems such as skin melanoma. As for hair and hair follicles, unprotected exposure to the sun can cause hair loss and decrease skin pigmentation. Therefore, we recommend the use of hats and sun protection, in addition to always seeking limits on sun exposure time.
Social support is considered one of the main influencing factors in people’s emotional and general well-being. Therefore, maintaining contact and relationships with family and friends that are positive for us will always benefit our mental health and reduce the negative consequences that stress may have, such as, for example, the development of gray hair.
5. Acceptance of old age
If what is causing you the stress that worsens the generation of gray hair is the aging process itself, we advise you to start accepting old age. It is counterproductive to feel so much concern about the passage of time and life, because this is something that is beyond our control. Try to find ways to not focus so much on your appearance or the physical effects of old age and try accept the transformation and focus on the good memories that the passage of time leaves behind. If all goes well, we are all going to be old at some point, and we will most likely have our heads completely covered in gray by then.
If there is stress, there may be gray hair
In conclusion: yes, gray hair can appear prematurely when we experience stress over a long period of time. To avoid its appearance, the only thing we can do is take care of ourselves from the harmful effects of stress; looking for a healthier lifestyle that promotes our emotional, physical and psychological well-being as much as possible, to try to reduce the speed of our aging and the action of emotions such as stress on our body.
Another option that we will always have on hand is to hide gray hair with dye. If gray hair causes you a lot of discomfort or insecurity, the first thing we can recommend is that you accept yourself and accept old age as a normal process of our life cycle If you still feel more comfortable using a dye, go ahead! Everyone is free to do what makes them feel better, but be aware that having gray hair should in no way be a reason for shame; The day will come to all of us.
