Why Hair Turns Gray Is No Longer A Gray Area
Our Hair Bleaches Itself As We Grow Older
Going gray is induced by a large build up of hydrogen peroxide caused by wear and tear of our hair follicles. The peroxide ends up preventing the typical synthesis of melanin, our hair's normal pigment.
"Not only blondes change their hair color with hydrogen peroxide, All of our hair cells make a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide, but as we get older, this little bit becomes a lot. We bleach our hair pigment from within, and our hair turns gray and then white. This research, however, is an important first step to get at the root of the problem, so to speak." Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.The scientists made this finding by analyzing cell cultures of human hair follicles. They discovered that the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was prompted by a decrease of an enzyme that breaks up hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen (catalase). They also observed that hair follicles could not fix the damage triggered by the hydrogen peroxide because of reduced levels of enzymes that generally offer this function .
Additionally complicating issues, the high levels of hydrogen peroxide affects the development of an enzyme (tyrosinase) that leads to the creation of melanin in hair follicles. Melanin is the pigment responsible for hair color, skin color, and eye color. The scientists predict that an identical breakdown in the skin could be the main cause of vitiligo.
"As any blue-haired lady will attest, sometimes hair dyes don't quite work as anticipated, This study is a prime example of how basic research in biology can benefit us in ways never imagined."
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