Age-Related Hair Pigment Loss

January 2015 in “ Current problems in dermatology ”

Desmond J. Tobin

Studysummary This paper reviews recent research on hair graying, suggesting that an imbalance in oxidative stress handling may affect melanocyte stem cells and melanin production with age, and calls for exploring strategies to prolong melanin production.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

Age-related hair pigment loss, or graying, served as a visible indicator of aging and was influenced by the hair growth cycle, which regulated follicular melanocytes. Research on mice suggested that melanocyte stem cell depletion contributed to graying, but caution was advised when applying these findings to humans. Both species likely experienced an age-related imbalance in oxidative stress management, affecting melanogenesis and melanocyte health. Emerging evidence indicated that the hair follicle pigmentary unit might have regenerative potential, suggesting possible strategies to prolong melanin production and delay graying.

View this study on bradscholars.brad.ac.uk →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

13 / 13 results

research The Human Hair Follicle, A Bistable Organ?

45 citations , January 2012 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This study reveals that human hair follicles transition between active and dormant states stochastically, challenging the idea of a cyclical automaton controlling hair growth.

research Coordinated Activation of Wnt in Epithelial and Melanocyte Stem Cells Initiates Pigmented Hair Regeneration

260 citations , June 2011 in “Cell”

This study found that Wnt signaling in the hair follicle is crucial for coordinating the behavior of epithelial and melanocyte stem cells, which drives hair regeneration and melanocyte differentiation in mice.

research The Cell Biology of Human Hair Follicle Pigmentation

127 citations , November 2010 in “Pigment cell & melanoma research”

This article discusses the challenges in hair follicle pigmentation research compared to epidermal melanocytes and highlights the limitations of relying on mouse models, but reports no new experimental findings.

research Ex Vivo Organ Culture of Human Hair Follicles: A Model Epithelial–Neuroectodermal–Mesenchymal Interaction System

13 citations , October 2010 in “Methods in molecular biology”

This article discusses the development and research applications of human hair follicle organ culture techniques, highlighting its potential to explore biological processes beyond dermatology.

research Chronological Aging of Human Hair Keratin Fibers

49 citations , April 2010 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science”

This study details how very long human hair naturally ages, showing cuticle wear and internal fiber changes that may inform new hair care product designs.

research Senile Hair Graying: H2O2-Mediated Oxidative Stress Affects Human Hair Color by Blunting Methionine Sulfoxide Repair

217 citations , February 2009 in “The FASEB Journal”

This study found that hydrogen peroxide accumulation and reduced methionine sulfoxide repair play a significant role in the oxidative damage linked to senile hair graying.

research Aging of the Hair Follicle Pigmentation System

75 citations , January 2009 in “International journal of trichology”

This review examines the differential aging of melanocytes in hair follicles and skin, and reports no new findings; the authors suggest further research is needed to understand these processes.

research Towards A Free Radical Theory Of Graying: Melanocyte Apoptosis In The Aging Human Hair Follicle As An Indicator Of Oxidative Stress Induced Tissue Damage

210 citations , May 2006 in “The FASEB journal”

This study found that oxidative stress in hair follicle melanocytes contributes to premature aging and apoptosis, providing insights into graying as a model for studying aging and testing antiaging therapies.

research Hair Melanocytes as Neuro-Endocrine Sensors—Pigments for Our Imagination

43 citations , October 2005 in “Molecular and cellular endocrinology”

This review discusses how the CRH/POMC systems may regulate human hair follicle pigmentation and highlights the concept of "self-similarity" in melanocortin systems at both local and systemic levels, without presenting new experimental results.

research Hair Follicle Pigmentation: Mechanisms and Factors Influencing Melanin Production

450 citations , January 2005 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This article reviews follicular melanogenesis, detailing how melanin synthesis and its regulation in hair follicles depend on a complex interplay of cellular and molecular mechanisms, but reports no new clinical findings.

research Melanocyte Subpopulation Turnover During the Human Hair Cycle: An Immunohistochemical Study

86 citations , August 2000 in “Pigment cell research”

This study observed that melanogenesis in human hair follicles is linked to anagen phases, with melanocyte activity and enzyme expression being region-specific to the nascent bulb.

research Do Hair Bulb Melanocytes Undergo Apoptosis During Hair Follicle Regression (Catagen)?

130 citations , December 1998 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

In this study, different types of catagen in the C57BL/6 mouse model exhibited varying effects on hair follicle melanocytes and melanin distribution, with spontaneous and dexamethasone-induced catagen showing pigment incontinence, while cyclophosphamide-induced catagen retained dendritic melanocytes but increased ectopic melanin.

research Melanogenesis During the Anagen-Catagen-Telogen Transformation of the Murine Hair Cycle

161 citations , June 1994 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This study found that the switch-off of melanogenesis during the hair cycle in C57 BL-6 mice is a gradual and stochastic process starting in mid anagen VI, with specific biochemical markers indicating the transition to catagen.