Can Stress Turn Your Hair Grey Overnight?

Thinking about hair damage makes us more stressed and worried, but can stress really turn your hair grey overnight? Let’s explore what science says about one of the most beautiful parts of the human body: our hair.

Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. The U.S Department of health and science have discovered a new study which shows that your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. New melanocytes are made from melanocyte stem cells that live in the hair follicle at the base of your hair strand.

As we age, these stem cells gradually disappear. The researchers showed that stress also leads to the loss of these pigment-producing stem cells in mice.




Acute psychological stress does rapidly deplete melanocyte stem cells in mice. But the effect doesn't show up immediately. Instead, grey hair becomes visible as the strand grows – at a rate of about 1 cm per month. Not all hair is in the growing phase at any one time, meaning it can't all go grey at the same time.

Stress or trauma leads to serious hair issues at an early age. This is a serious issue that can affect the condition of hairs and leads to uneven growth or less growth. More stressed people face large numbers of hair follicles in a resting phase. Within a few months, affected hairs might fall out suddenly when simply combing or washing your hair.



Oxidative stress: Psychological and emotional stress can trigger a state of oxidative stress, which is an imbalance of free radicals that can damage hair follicles and lead to a loss of color.

Accelerated hair loss: Stress can cause an increase in hair shedding. Hair that is already grey due to age will be more visible as darker hair falls out, making it seem as though the hair has suddenly turned grey.

The Harvard team also discovered the mystery of how stress causes grey hair and tried solving this problem. This is a myth. The idea of hair turning grey overnight due to stress is a myth; stress cannot change the color of hair that has already grown out.

Existing hair is permanent: The color of a hair strand is set as it grows from the follicle and cannot change color after it emerges from the scalp. Stressful events might cause a person's hair to fall out, but they don't instantly change the color of hair that has already grown.

Gradual change: The effects of stress on hair color happen over time. While a single, sudden stressor won't turn hair white overnight, chronic stress can contribute to the development of grey hair sooner than it would otherwise appear.



Relax. Take a big breath. Reduce overall stress and focus on ways to reduce the stress level by meditating, exercise, and a good sleep routine. Moreover, take a good hand massage on the head before going to bed. Ensure that you take a sufficient amount of vitamins and anti-oxidants. Importantly, consulting a doctor is always more preferable than believing in myth.




Managing stress through techniques like meditation, yoga, and a healthy lifestyle is beneficial for overall health and may help slow down or, in some specific cases, temporarily reverse the graying process, especially for those in middle age who are near the graying threshold. However, it won't reverse gray hair in a person who has been grey for years due to natural aging.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1. Why hair is turning grey at early age?
   The hair condition not only depends on chemical products but more on your mental stability.
2. Does stress affects hair condition?
   Yes, hairs are affected largely due to stress and often leads to greying and hairfall.
3. Can a healthy lifestyle help you recover from grey hair?
   Yes, if the person is trying to balance out emotional and physical health mutually.