what causes white/gray hair?
79772
Hair color comes from melanin (say: meh-luh-nun), the substance that gives hair and skin its pigment. The lighter someone's hair, the less melanin there is. A person with brown or black hair has much more melanin than someone with blond or red hair. Older people lose the melanin pigment in their hair as they age, making their hair look gray or white.
467491
The hair below may not be as light as the hair that is atop our heads because the hair on our heads is exposed to the effects of sun. \n\nMy hair is fairly light all over, something you may not know is that when you get older and the hair on your head begins to turn gray your hair "down under" may also turn gray!  \n\nMy great grandmother told me once after it turned gray that all the hair fell out, but I don't know if that was the truth, (I never looked to see) if I live that long I am sure I will find out though! :D\nruthie~
469294
Hair is an interesting biological structure. What we usually think of as 'hair' is really just the part we see... that's the hair shaft, which contains pigment (a chemical that gives color to things). There is also a hair follicle, which is a multi-cellular structure inside the skin of our scalp that creates the hair strand (making it grow), and also is responsible for the pigmentation. Some of the cells in the follicle make the chemical melanin, which is a skin and hair pigment in many species on our planet. \n\nHair turns grey when the pigment cells in the hair follicle stop making melanin. When this happens due to aging, it's mostly under the control of the genes we inherit. Long periods of constant stress may also contribute, but a big shock won't turn hair grey overnight.
908007
Could be for several reasons - first thing to do is check out your relatives. It could run in the family.\nThen you should check how the hair falls out. If there are circle shaped spots where the hair is gone - then you should see a doc about it.
437469
My loved one had that for about a year. It is caused by two reasons: a lot of stress, emotional distress or nervousness, \nor bad food and lack of vitamins. \n\nDO NOT scratch it off, since it will take out even more of your hair. There exists a special shampoo to cure just this condition. I don't know it's name, but I could ask my dear. Contact me if you want, I'll ask. \n\nsecond, make sure you stabilise your lifestyle, eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, have enough rest, avoid stress.. if that doesn't help, get some vitamin pills. Ask doctor which vitamins is good for hair and skin. I think D, but I'm not sure, please ask. \n\nthird, a GENTLE scalp massage with your fingertips and some scalp oil (again, ask a doc or contact me and I'll ask my dear), can help. Do not scratch or use fingertips, just massage it lightly so you speed up the blood circulation and healing.\n\nEdit: I asked, the first thing you have to massage the scalp with Cocois oil (some sort of coconut jelly)\nThen wash it out using Nizoral shampoo OR Polytar shampoo\n\nYou use the Cocois oil for about a week, then just continue using the shampoo. The oil is the thing that cleans the flakes, but it's really strong, so don't use it for longer periods of time together. \n\nHope this helps.
689792
many factors can be causing it.\n\n1. the hair length is too long. get it cut if necessary\n2. scalp is too oily.\n3. lack of sleep.\n4. stress\n5. wrong shampoo used. change to another brand/type
52319
No, it shouldnt cause you to grow more white hairs. If you continually dye your hair, you just might not realize how much white hair you have until you grow it out. But it doesnt mean your hair dye caused it.\nTrust me...I dye my hair ALL the time! :) \nYou should be safe unless you have any allergies etc.\nCheers Girl! :)
316263
sometimes people can get it from not getting all the soap out or some people just have dry scalps, could be caused by using products with alcohol in them such as hairspray, mousses and styling gels they are real bad for your hair.then there are just some people that have that disease scorisis or however that is spelled. i hope i have been some help, good luck!!
467615
When my brother was younger, he had the exact same thing happen to him.  Your hair loss could be "Alopecia Areata".  It's a type of hair loss that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, which where hair growth begins.  Experts don't know why this happens.  Alopecia is most common in people younger than 20, but can occur in children and adults of all ages.
39927
I'm white as a flavorless snow cone, but a couple of thoughts. First, make sure your scalp is wet when you cut it. Second, don't repeat cutting/shaving the same spot: do it once. Third, \nif this is a continual problem, see a dermatologist: they can hook you up with a mild topical antibiotic that will help.
114953
From what I've heard, yes, too much stress can lead to your hair turning gray.
978906
I started to get the gray/silver hair at 14 I am now 43 and my hair is totally gray /silver, so yes they exist
684294
The hair fall increases due to one of these. Change in water, Change in shampoo, Deficiency of Vitamin K,etc... Were you ill recently?.. Check out the following link\nhttp://familydoctor.org/081.xml
835052
Research shows that there are, in fact, two distinct types of aging. Aging caused by the genes we inherit is called intrinsic (internal) aging. The other type of aging is known as extrinsic (external) aging and is caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun's rays.\nIntrinsic aging, also known as the natural aging process, is a continuous process that normally begins in our mid-20s. Within the skin, collagen production slows, and elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, has a bit less spring. Dead skin cells do not shed as quickly and turnover of new skin cells may decrease slightly. While these changes usually begin in our 20s, the signs of intrinsic aging are typically not visible for decades. The signs of intrinsic aging are: Fine wrinkles Thin and transparent skin Loss of underlying fat, leading to hollowed cheeks and eye sockets as well as noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and neck Bones shrink away from the skin due to bone loss, which causes sagging skin,Dry skin that may itch Inability to sweat sufficiently to cool the skin,Graying hair that eventually turns white,Hair loss\nUnwanted hair Nail plate thins, the half moons disappear, and ridges develops Genes control how quickly the normal aging process unfolds. Some notice those first gray hairs in their 20s; others do not see graying until their 40s\n\nPumpkin. I know this sounds crazy but it's absolutely true! Now there are sites which promote application directly on the skin, however, you'll be amazed if you eat pumpkin on a regular basis just how nice your skin will look.
189234
These are few causes of Hair loss.\n\nIllnesses or medical conditions\nMedications\nAlopecia areata\nTrichotillomania\nHair treatments and styling\nPoor nutrition\nDisruption of the hair growth cycle\nMale-pattern baldness
597746
"What causes alopecia areata?\nAlopecia areata is classified as an autoimmune disease, but the cause is unknown. People who develop this type of baldness are generally in good health. Some scientists believe that some people are genetically predisposed to develop alopecia areata and that a trigger, such as a virus or something else in the environment, sets off the condition. A family history of alopecia areata makes you more likely to develop it. With alopecia areata, your hair generally grows back, but you may lose and regrow your hair a number of times.\n\nOther causes of temporary hair loss include:\n\n    * Disease. Diabetes, lupus and thyroid disorders can cause hair loss.\n    * Poor nutrition. Having inadequate protein or iron in your diet or poor nourishment in other ways can cause you to experience hair loss. Fad diets, crash diets and certain illnesses, such as eating disorders, can cause poor nutrition.\n    * Medications. Certain drugs used to treat gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure may cause hair loss in some people. Taking birth control pills also may result in hair loss for some women.\n    * Medical treatments. Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy may cause you to develop alopecia. After your treatment ends, your hair typically begins to regrow.\n    * Recent high fever, severe flu or surgery. You may notice you have less hair three to four months after events such as an illness or surgery. These conditions cause hair to shift rapidly into a resting phase (telogen effluvium), meaning you'll see less new hair growth. A normal amount of hair typically will appear after the growth phase resumes.\n    * Infancy. Newborns often lose hair during the first several months of life. This baby hair (vellus) is eventually replaced by more permanent hair. It's also common for babies to lose a patch of hair on the back of their heads from rubbing against mattresses, playpens and car seats. Hair will grow back once a baby begins to spend more time sitting up.\n    * Childbirth. Some women experience an increase in hair loss several months after delivering a baby. This is because during pregnancy the hair is shifted into an active growth state that then goes back to baseline soon after delivery. This increased hair loss usually corrects itself.\n    * Hair treatments. Chemicals used for dying, tinting, bleaching, straightening or perming can cause hair to become damaged and break off if they are overused or used incorrectly. Excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair too tightly also can cause some hair loss. This is known as traction alopecia.\n    * Scalp infection. Infections such as ringworm can invade the hair and skin of your scalp, leading to hair loss. Once infections are treated, hair generally regrows. Ringworm, a fungal infection, can usually be treated with a topical or oral antifungal medication."
581410
In general, most things that happen that signify age, from infanthood to old age, are genetically regulated development processes.  At some point, in those who carry the genetic predisposition, certain proteins will start to be expressed, and others will be decreased-Though it's unclear the exact genetic cause of gray hair, this is likely the cause.  Support for this hypothesis comes from the fact that not all people turn gray, that it has no clear relationship with health or longevity, and that some people turn gray quite young- All these point to a genetically controlled developmental change.