Health - Wellness
Here's What It Really Means When Hair
Turns Gray
By MARIA SCINTO
One reason often cited by people dismayed at how early their hair has turned gray is stress, but science does not back up that claim. The worst thing stress can do to your hair is to induce a condition called telogen effluvium, which will cause it to fall out at three times its normal rate — which, okay, is not great either, but the good news is that the hair will usually grow back.
While the Harvard Health blog says that the vast majority of people will only go gray once their genetics determine that they've reached "that time," there are a few health conditions that may trigger an earlier loss of hair pigmentation. One of those is a deficiency in vitamin B12, which can also trigger hair thinning or loss.
B12 is one of the nutrients essential to your diet and can be found in meat, shellfish, and dairy, so if you're a vegan who wants to keep your hair color, you may need to consider B12 supplements or injections. Other less-common conditions that can lead to loss of hair coloring include neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, thyroid disease, vitiligo, and alopecia areata.