Can stress make your hair turn gray? 👩‍🦳

By Theresa Larkin - Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong

Many ideas circulate about gray hair. Does plucking it make more grow back? Is it true that redheads don't get any? Here are the answers.

The first gray hairs generally appear between the ages of thirty and fifty, but the age at which our hair starts to gray depends a lot on our genetic background. For men, the temples and sideburns are typically the first areas to change color, while for women, graying tends to start along the hairline. This process accelerates between the ages of 50 and 60.


There are many myths surrounding gray hair: stress supposedly causes it, redheads allegedly don't get gray hair, plucking gray hairs makes things worse, as does coloring them... Can some of our behaviors really increase the number of gray hairs? On the flip side, can we slow down the graying of our hair? Let's take a look at what science has to say.

What gives hair its color?

Each hair is produced by a hair follicle. Located under the skin, these structures consist of a root and a bulb. Hair follicles contain various types of cells, including two main types of stem cells:
- keratinocytes, which produce keratin, the protein that makes up hair;
- melanocytes, which produce melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color (melanin also pigments the skin).

The color of hair is determined by two main types of melanin: eumelanin, a brown-black pigment, and pheomelanin, a yellow-red pigment.

Depending on the proportion of these pigments, hair color varies: brown or black hair contains primarily eumelanin, while red hair has the highest concentration of pheomelanin. Blond hair contains only small amounts of both pigments.

Why does hair turn gray?

As we age, our cells function less effectively. In hair follicles, this results in a reduction in melanin production as well as less keratin production—leading to color change and hair thinning.

The decrease in melanin content in hair leads to graying: less pigmented hairs appear gray, silver, or even white (when they completely lack melanin) because light reflects off the keratin, which is a pale yellow.

A reduction in pigment content also leads to changes in hair structure. Gray hair is less uniform and stiffer than hair that contains more pigments. This is because the shape of the hair follicle changes as we age, becoming irregular. It's also worth noting that gray hairs grow faster than more pigmented ones, but the process also requires more energy.

Can stress make your hair go gray?

Yes, stress can make hair turn gray. This phenomenon occurs when a type of cellular stress called oxidative stress happens. It damages hair follicles and their stem cells, temporarily preventing them from producing melanin.

Oxidative stress can be triggered by emotional or psychological stress and results from an imbalance in cells: free radicals, chemical substances capable of damaging cellular components, become excessive, while antioxidant substances that combat them are insufficient.

Environmental factors like UV exposure, pollution, smoking, or using certain drugs can also play a role.

Melanocytes are more sensitive to damage than keratinocytes because melanin production requires more complex steps than that of keratin. That's why aging and stress usually cause hair to gray before leading to hair loss.


Studies have shown that the least pigmented sections of a hair strand can be linked to stressful events in a person's life. These also revealed that in younger individuals, whose stem cells still produced melanin, pigmentation returned once the stressful event had passed.

Does plucking a gray hair make several grow back?

No. If you look closely at a plucked hair, you'll notice a little bulb at the end: this is the part that was attached to the scalp. This root grows from the hair follicle. While plucking a hair does indeed remove the root, the follicle remains in the skin. Each follicle can only produce a single hair. Therefore, only one gray hair will grow back.

It's possible that frequently plucking hairs could cause them to gray earlier if the cells that produce melanin are damaged (or exhausted due to repeated regrowth).

Can hair turn gray overnight?

Legend has it that Marie-Antoinette's hair turned entirely white the night before her execution. However, this is a myth. The melanin in hair is chemically stable: it cannot change instantly.

Mouse studies have shown that acute psychological stress quickly depletes melanocyte stem cells. However, even in such a situation, the consequences would not be immediately visible: gray hairs would only appear as they grow, which occurs at a rate of about 0.4 inches (1 cm) per month.

Finally, not all hair is in the growth phase at the same time, meaning they cannot all turn gray simultaneously.

Does coloring my hair make it gray faster?

That depends on the dye used.

Temporary and semi-permanent dyes should not cause premature graying, as they only coat the hair strand without altering its structure. However, permanent products trigger a chemical reaction with the hair, involving an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide (bleach).

The buildup of hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals in the hair follicle can damage melanocytes and keratinocytes, which may lead to graying or even hair loss.

Is it true that redheads don't turn gray?

People with red hair also lose melanin as they age, but this process does not happen the same way as it does in people with black or brown hair because the yellow-red and brown-black pigments are chemically different.

The production of the brown-black pigment, eumelanin, is more complex and requires more energy, making it more vulnerable to damage.

The production of the yellow-red pigment, pheomelanin, is simpler and generates less oxidative stress. The stem cells of red-haired people find it easier to continue producing pheomelanin as they age, although their activity also decreases with time.

As redheads age, their hair tends to turn blond or silvery white rather than gray, as this color is due to a reduced eumelanin content, the pigment found in people with brown or black hair.

Can we fight against graying?

The age at which your hair begins to gray is determined by your genes. However, to some extent, it is possible to avoid premature graying by following some lifestyle guidelines: avoid excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, overexposure to ultraviolet light, limit sources of stress, and as much as possible, keep healthy.

Eating a healthy diet can also help, as vitamins B12, copper, iron, calcium, and zinc are all nutrients and trace elements that affect melanin production and hair pigmentation.