When you dread aging: is it possible to reverse the graying of hair?

It is commonly believed that gray hair is one of many signs of aging, along with wrinkles on the face and joint pain. However, it can also appear during adolescence—this doesn't mean that a 16-year-old is already considered "world-weary"!

The color of our hair depends on the presence and concentration of one of two pigments in the hair follicles: eumelanin and pheomelanin. The more eumelanin present, the darker the hair color. Conversely, the more pheomelanin there is, the more the color leans towards red. Complete absence of eumelanin and low concentration of pheomelanin is observed in blondes.

As the years go by, the cells in the hair follicles begin to produce less pigment—this is a completely natural process. As a result, the hair stops being colored and takes on a grayish or even almost completely white hue.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question (yet). Trichologists and dermatologists believe that the processes occurring in hair follicles are irreversible, but much depends on the situation.

If gray hair is caused by increased stress, it is indeed possible to halt the graying process. According to a study conducted in 2021, the simplest way to achieve this is to reduce stress exposure. During the experiment, researchers observed a group of people of various ages with dark hair showing signs of graying. When stress levels were lowered, the authors noted a temporary halt in the graying process among all participants and a restoration of their original hair color. One volunteer even completely restored hair pigmentation within two weeks of stress-free living.

The second method to stop or prevent graying hair involves combating oxidative stress. This stress can be triggered by various factors, from smoking to environmental pollution, and can be mitigated through the consumption of foods rich in antioxidants, such as blueberries, carrots, spinach, cranberries, pomegranates, and other products. Although this area is still being researched, there is some evidence supporting the effectiveness of this approach to combating gray hair.

However, one should not get overly optimistic. More than half of the global population naturally begins to gray by the age of 50, and those with a genetic predisposition may start even earlier. But scientists are not standing still: they are actively searching for ways to utilize medical procedures to stop the age-related decrease of melanin in hair follicles.

In 2023, some researchers discovered that the cells responsible for synthesizing melanin in the follicles, called melanocytes, do not die off with age. They simply "hibernate" and cease pigment production. Thus, by activating these cells, it may be possible to restore color to the hair. However, this issue requires time to resolve.