Premature Graying as a Consequence of Compromised Antioxidant Activity in Hair Bulb Melanocytes and Their Precursors

    April 2014 in “ PLOS ONE ”
    Ying Shi, Long-Fei Luo, Xiaoming Liu, Qiong Zhou, Shang‐Zhong Xu, Tiechi Lei
    Image of study
    TLDR Gray hair may be caused by lower antioxidant activity in hair cells.
    The 2014 study on 9 Chinese patients under 25 with premature gray hair found that compromised antioxidant activity in gray hair follicles affects both mature hair bulb melanocytes and their immature precursor cells. There was a significant down-regulation of melanogenesis-related genes in unpigmented hair bulbs and of marker genes typical for melanocyte precursor cells in unpigmented mid-segments. The study also found that catalase protein expression and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities were strongly repressed in unpigmented hair follicles. These findings suggest that reduced levels of catalase protein and activity could be contributing to the graying of hair.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    12 / 12 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 114 results

      community Quit vaping/smoking = 80% less loss

      in Research/Science  235 upvotes 8 months ago
      Quitting vaping significantly reduced hair loss for a user who was a heavy vaper and also taking finasteride. Some participants suggest nicotine's vasoconstrictive properties may worsen hair loss, while others share personal anecdotes of hair improvement after quitting smoking or vaping.

      community Min + fin oral for eight months

      in Progress Pictures  342 upvotes 7 months ago
      The user shared progress pictures after using Minoxidil and oral Finasteride for eight months to treat hair loss. They experienced significant hair regrowth, and the discussion includes various opinions on the necessity and effectiveness of these treatments.

      community Fighting Hair loss AND Grey Hair

      in Treatment  18 upvotes 2 years ago
      The user is treating hair loss with topical Minoxidil, Finasteride, RU58841, microneedling, and Ketoconazole. For grey hair, they use L-Cysteine, L-Methionine, and PABA, and have noticed some re-pigmentation.

      community I was scared of Fin. I now love it

      in Update  19 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 25-year-old male switched from multiple topicals to finasteride and minoxidil for hair loss, experiencing maintenance and increased confidence despite minor side effects. He now styles his hair freely and appreciates the positive impact of finasteride.

    Related Research

    1 / 1 results