Who has not heard someone say that the work is leaving him bald or that the appearance of gray hair has increased? We all run away from gray hair over the years (although some wear it better than others, like the case of George Clooney); but stress seems to be one of the causes of this hair color.
You just have to look at political figures who spend several legislatures in power: is it the passage of time or the pressure of work? Scientists at Harvard University (USA) have wanted to resolve this doubt, and have discovered exactly how this hair phenomenon occurs. Yes folks, stress can make hair gray by depleting the pigment-forming stem cells in hair follicles.
How does stress influence hair health?
Previous research has shown that loss of pigment in hair is linked to depletion of melanocyte stem cells. This study was done in mice, but may be similar to the effect in humans. It appears to be driven by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is involved in automatic responses to danger or stress.
It really is the first time that there is definitive evidence of the relationship between stress and gray hair. Furthermore, they have been able to identify how it occurs.
The rodents that were exposed to physical or psychological stress showed a decrease in the number of melanocyte stem cells in a matter of days, in addition to faster graying of the hair. The researchers think that stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, inducing the release of a neurotransmitter (norepinephrine) that causes melanocyte stem cells to become excessively activated.
So all the stem cells become pigment-producing cells, prematurely depleting the reserves. The experts showed that when blocked, it prevented the loss of melanocyte stem cells and graying of hair in mice.
Is there a remedy?
The scientists ruled out the hypothesis that gray hair was caused by immune attacks or stress-related hormones. Obviously, stress is bad for the body, but they were surprised at the negative impacts. After only a few days, all the stem cells responsible for regenerating pigments were lost. And, once they are lost, there is no way to recover the pigment.
These data can help to understand the effects of stress on other parts of the body, but above all to understand how our tissues change under that pressure. Without a doubt, it is the first step to seek therapeutic help to help stop or reverse that negative impact.
Still, much work remains to be done to find out how that cell loss could be blocked. Perhaps in a few years we will experience a treatment similar to hair grafting, but with the gray hair brake.