US investment immigration focuses on current US affairs: It is often said that one can "worry oneself gray," and a US study shows that excessive stress does indeed cause premature graying. However, do not think that going to the beach to sunbathe and relax will save your hair, as excessive ultraviolet rays can also cause hair to turn white. The results of this study were published in the British monthly journal Nature Medicine.
New Discovery
Researchers at New York University found in experiments on mice that when the skin of mice is damaged by ultraviolet radiation, the melanocyte stem cells in their hair follicles "migrate" to the skin. Melanocyte stem cells can produce melanin, which is the source of skin and hair color and can protect the skin from sun damage.
Researchers say that the "transfer" of melanocyte stem cells to the skin is to help the skin compensate for damage caused by ultraviolet radiation. The researchers also found that mice with high levels of stress hormones had a greater number of melanocyte stem cells "transferring" from hair follicles to the skin.
The British Daily Mail reported on the 12th, citing study leader Mayumi Ito, that people believe stress causes gray hair. The study shows that stress does indeed cause melanocyte stem cells in hair follicles to "run" into the skin; the greater the stress, the more melanocyte stem cells "migrate."
Difficult to Replace
"Our findings may reveal the relationship between stress hormones and hair graying," said Mayumi Ito. This explains why people under high stress have more skin pigmentation and also explains why, in extreme cases, some people can "turn gray overnight."
When people are exposed to sunlight, their skin produces more melanin. Mayumi Ito's research shows that when people are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the darkening of the skin may not only be the result of new melanin production, but it is very likely that melanocyte stem cells in the hair follicles are also playing a role. In other words, the skin "steals" the melanocyte stem cells hidden in the hair follicles.
What is frustrating is that after these melanocyte stem cells in the hair disappear, there are no new stem cells to replace them.
Preserving Youth
Most people start to see their first gray hair at age 25. Genetics, alcohol, smoking, and living environment all have a certain impact on hair graying. Researchers hope that these results can help them develop drugs to target stress-induced gray hair.
France's L'Oréal company has developed a new technology to prevent hair from turning gray. This technology mimics the action of an enzyme to prevent the depletion of melanocyte stem cells. However, to be effective, it must be used several years before the hair turns gray.
Procter & Gamble researcher Frauke Neuser said that for most people, the best way to deal with gray hair is still dyeing. Life stress is one of the main reasons for hair graying. "It is almost impossible to solve this problem with beauty products alone; medical intervention is required."
She suggests that people try to avoid lifestyles that lead to gray hair so that their hair can maintain its youthful color for as long as possible.
