Premature greying of hair

It is a complex multi-factorial process mainly considered to be an interplay of nutritional, genetic and environmental factors.

Stress causing over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system increases noradrenaline release in hair follicles.

This overproduction causes depletion of the melanocyte stem cells which are required to produce melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color.

Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is characterized by features of accelerated aging including premature greying of hair and deficient DNA repair.

Smoking results in generation of huge amount of reactive oxygen species leading to increased oxidative stress culminating into damage to melanin producing cells, melanocytes.