Why does hair turn grey?

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

You know that feeling when someone shows up for you just when you need it most? That's what Uber is all about. Not just a ride or dinner at your door, it's how Uber helps you show up for the moments that matter. Because showing up can turn a tough day around, or make a good one even better. Whatever it is, big or small, Uber is on the way, so you can be on yours. Uber, on our way.

SPEAKER_2 (0:28)

Your burger is served, and this is our finest Pepsi Zero Sugar. Its sweet profile perfectly balances the savory notes of your burger.

Amber Minogue (0:37)

That is one perfect combination.

SPEAKER_1 (0:41)

Burgers deserve Pepsi.

Amber Minogue (0:47)

Why does hair turn gray?

Thanks for asking. Graying hair can be triggered for a number of reasons. Genetics, some people's hair turns gray earlier than others. Stress, a recent study in mice, showed that stress can cause stem cells to leave the hair follicle and migrate to other parts of the body, leaving no cells to produce melanin. Some illnesses like thyroid disease, and of course, aging. But could the days of gray hair be over? Possibly. A new study conducted by scientists from New York University Grossman School of Medicine have discovered why hair turns gray and how to stop it happening. Well, at least in mice. What are the cells that produce hair colour and how do they work? Cells that produce hair colour are called melanchite stem cells, MCSCs. They produce melanin, the pigment that gives hair its natural colour. Hair colour is controlled by whether MSCs within hair follicles get the signal to become mature cells that make melanin and give our hair its natural colour. So why is hair going gray? The researchers found that during normal hair growth, MCSCs continually move between different compartments of the hair follicle, where they are exposed to signals that influence their maturity. However, as hair ages, sheds and grows back, some MCSCs get stuck in a compartment called the hair follicle bulge, where they remain immature and unable to produce melanin. This results in gray, white or silver hair.

What are the implications of this finding for humans and hair graying? The lead investigator of the study, Quinn Sun, said, The newfound mechanisms raise the possibility that the same fixed positioning of the melanchite stem cells may exist in humans. If so, it presents a potential pathway for the reversing or preventing the graying of human hair by helping jam cells to move between developing hair follicle compartments. Which is exciting news. If we can just get those MCSCs moving, we need never be gray. At least in theory.

More research is still needed to confirm if the same mechanism applies to humans and how often it plays a role in hair graying. What can we do in the meantime? If you have gray hair already, there's not much you can really do. You can color it or you can accept it and learn to love it. To stave it off as long as possible, a healthy balanced diet is a good idea. Keep in mind that some nutrients are important for melanin production and melanokite health, such as vitamin B12, copper, iron and antioxidants. But until more research is carried out, then the gray is here to stay. There you have it.

Now you know why hair turns gray. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you really will know for sure.

Ba ba ba.