Adults begin to grow some gray hair between the ages of 30 and 60. Each individual hair follicle contains melanin. It is the melanin in the hair follicle that will determine what color the hair will appear once it has grown. As a person gets older, the melanin within the hair follicles will slowly decrease. This slow decrease of melanin is the reason that it is not possible for a person’s hair to turn gray overnight. Hair from follicles containing little melanin will appear salt-and-pepper in color, whereas hair with no melanin will appear either gray or white in color. The appearance of gray hair and the timing of their appearance is genetic. Some young children even have gray hairs, because there is a genetic predisposition to premature graying of the hair. Smoking, use of echinacea, and vitamin E have all been linked to premature graying. Stress as a cause for premature graying is somewhat controversial in the medical world, as only some doctors believe stress is a cause of premature graying.
Some physicians do believe that people experiencing extreme levels of stress undergo a more rapid decrease of melanin production as compared to a person under less stress. However, because it is difficult to measure the level of stress in a single person, and each person begins growing gray hair at a different time (even within the same family), it is a very difficult theory to conclusively prove. Many physicians have relied on the idea that stress can’t be good for melanin production, so if you are worried about premature graying, try to avoid stressful situations, cigarette smoking, and refrain from using excessive amounts of echinacea and vitamin E.
Because it has never been conclusively proven that stress causes a decrease in melanin production or melanin loss, and because melanin can’t be regained by removing stress form one’s life, there is no way to eradicate gray hair, except to dye it. Removing stress from your life will likely not protect you from gray hair, but it may protect you from high blood pressure and risk of heart attack. Excessive stress is never healthy for any person to experience. If you have a great deal of stress in your life, you should seek help from a therapist or counselor, to learn how to manage your stress levels in a healthier range.
