Canities Subita: Sudden Blanching of the Hair in History and Literature

The document from 2016 examines the phenomenon of "canities subita," where hair reportedly turns white suddenly, often linked to intense stress or trauma, with historical examples dating from AD 83 to the 20th century, including figures like Marie Antoinette. Despite skepticism from the scientific community and lack of conclusive evidence from microscopy, one suggested cause is acute and diffuse alopecia areata, which may target pigmented hair and give the illusion of sudden whitening. A review of 196 cases since 1800, some observed by physicians without noted alopecia, shows that the true cause of canities subita is still unknown, and further research is encouraged.