Researchers from New York University conducted a series of experiments on mice, which helped them establish that stress hormones remove melanocytic stem from the hair. These cells are responsible for hair color, and that’s the reason why grey hair appears.
The human body is naturally programmed to grey hair. With age, the supply of melanocytic stem cells that produce pigment in the skin and hair gets exhausted practically with all the people. Scientists note that the process can be initiated by stressful experiences, only under this condition it can occur several times faster.
The head of the research Mayumi Ito says stress hormones contribute to the migration of melanocytes from hair follicles to damaged skin areas.
Grey hair, which appears after stress is a bad sign indicating the anomalous behavior of melanocytic stem cells, which actually leads to greying. Stress hormones destroy melanocytes, which are not only responsible for hair color, but also heal damaged skin. The lack of melanocytes makes the body very vulnerable.
Stem cells in normal condition produce melanocyte, which, heading towards the injured area, remains at the base of hair follicles. However, stress disrupts their normal functioning, and the cells gradually leave their “safe haven.”
