• Question: Why do people get grey hairs when we are stressed?

    Asked by Resh@science to Hayley, Jimi on 18 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Jimi Wills

      Jimi Wills answered on 18 Mar 2016:

      Grey hair happens because the cells that give the hair it’s colour stop making the pigment. This is a symptom of the cells being old or damaged. Age can cause it, but stress also causes damage (or premature aging) in some cells.

    • Photo: Hayley Moulding

      Hayley Moulding answered on 18 Mar 2016:

      What is interesting is why ginger people hair goes white instead of grey!!? Well I find it interesting! It is all to do with the pigments which make up the colour of our hear. What happens when we age as there is a little bit of damage to DNA. This is very normal. These conditions makes things break down. It is called ‘stress’. So funnily enough, sometimes when we get stressed, a similar response can happen and the pigment breaks down.

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