Can Gray Hair Appear Due To Stress? 4 Reasons And How To Deal With It
How are gray hair and stress related? Can stress accelerate the appearance of gray hair? Discover what causes premature gray hair to appear and how we can deal with it.
Stress can affect our body in many different ways. One of the ways in which our body can show that we are experiencing excessive stress is precisely with the appearance of premature gray hair. Even so, not only do they arise gray hair due to stress but this change in our hair is usually a combination of genetics, aging and hormones.
When we are born, our hair color is determined by natural pigments in our skin, called melanin. All hair follicles in our body contain two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. In fact, the wide variety of colors that our hair can have comes from the proportions of these two types of melanin.
The appearance of gray hair It arises precisely when melanocytes, which are the cells found in the skin and hair follicles, stop producing melanin, which means that our hair color turns gray. This happens as we age, which is why gray hair is very common in older people. Even so, many people can start to have gray hair around the age of 35.
Some of the factors that can accelerate the appearance of gray hair are the following:
Genetics: Genetics plays a crucial role in determining when our hair starts to turn grey. In fact, if you have family members with premature gray hair, it is very likely that this will end up being an indicator of when they may begin to appear.
Smoking and lifestyle: A lifestyle that involves a sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits or smoking can accelerate the aging process, which results in the appearance of gray hair. Different research shows that smokers are two to three times more likely to develop gray hair than non-smokers.
Stress: Having too much stress can also end up causing people to start graying hair prematurely. The reason is that stress is related to the acceleration of aging.
Diseases: There are different diseases that can also cause gray hair to appear at an early age. Some of the most common are autoimmune diseases, vitamin B12 deficiency (which can be due to a poor diet) and thyroid dysfunction (closely related to the control of our metabolism).
Why do gray hairs occur due to stress?
According to research, stress can cause the hormone norepinephrine to be released in hair follicles. This event can cause a noticeable loss of stem cells, which can result in new hair turning gray or white. Furthermore, the norepinephrine that is released with stress ends up affecting the melanocyte stem cells that are responsible for generating the pigments in the follicles. That is to say, the more norepinephrine, the fewer melanocytes and therefore gray hair appears.
Studies indicate that the gray hair caused by stress They are permanent. That is, when we lose stem cells, pigments can no longer be regenerated. Still, more research is needed to understand the interactions that exist in the nervous system and stem cells in different tissues and organs.
Can anxiety cause gray hair?
In the same way as stress, anxiety can also promote appearance of premature gray hair This is because anxious behavior activates our body’s stress response. Therefore, our body secretes hormones such as cortisol into the bloodstream, causing physiological, psychological and emotional changes to deal with a threat, whether it is fight or flight.
Due to these changes, the responses make our body more tense and accelerate the aging process, making premature graying more likely.
How to prevent premature gray hair?
Manage stress and have a lifestyle healthier can delay the appearance of premature gray hair. Additionally, we recommend that you take the following into account:
Maintain a balanced diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low in saturated fats and processed foods can guarantee a better physical and emotional state. This is because by eating correctly, our body functions more optimally.
Exercise regularly: Exercise, practiced constantly, will help you reduce both stress and better manage emotions.
Protect yourself from the sun: Ultraviolet radiation can cause hair loss and decreased pigmentation. Therefore, it may be a good measure to wear hats, cover up, apply sunscreen, or limit your time in the sun.
Spend more time with your loved ones : Regular contact with friends and family can help you improve your emotional and mental well-being. As a result, it will also allow you to delay the effects of aging.
Accept aging: It is counterproductive to worry about the passage of time, since it is something we cannot control. Furthermore, worrying too much also causes greater stress and that leads to the appearance of premature gray hair Instead of focusing on your appearance, learn to accept this transformation and focus on the beauty of the passage of time (experiences, greater knowledge and wisdom, etc.).
If your hair color is negatively affecting you and diminishing your self-confidence, you can always dye it. Even so, it is important to learn to love yourself despite this, so if you feel that your lack of self-esteem limits you, it is advisable to go to a professional psychologist. You should not let changes due to age affect you negatively.
