Hair color comes from pigments called melanin. There is dark melanin, which is called eumelanin and there is light melanin, which is called pheomelanin. Both of these pigments blend together to form the many shades of human hair color.
There are special pigment stem cells, called melanocytes that inject his pigment into keratin-containing cells. Keratin is a protein that makes up your hair. As you age, the melanin isn't produced as much, which is why your hair turns gray.
Scientists Discover Gene Linked to Graying Hair:
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What exactly causes melanin to stop being produced and hair to turn gray was a mystery, until now. An international team of researchers has discovered the first gene linked to gray hair.
The study scanned more than 6,000 Latin Americans to look for genes related to features of scalp hair and facial hair. The study looked at graying, balding, beard thickness, monobrow, eyebrow thickness and more.
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A gene that has previously been linked to blonde hair in Europeans turned out to be connected to gray hair as well and accounted for about 30% of hair graying among the study participants. The other 70% is likely due to factors such as age, environment, stress and more.
The researchers plan to look for ways to manipulate this genetic pathways, as well as drugs that would prevent hair from turning gray. This may lead to side effects that isn't in my opinion worth it for vanity.
Other factors that influence gray hair:
1. Hair cells produce increased hydrogen peroxide with age, which can bleach out your hair pigment.
2. Smoking is also linked to premature hair graying, with the onset of gray hair.
3. Oxidative Stress, which is an increased number of free radicals.
4. A vitamin B12 deficiency is also linked to premature gray hair.
5. Obesity is also associated with premature graying.
6. Low bone density could also be a contributing factor to graying hair.
7. Thyroid disorders, anemia and vitiligo have also been linked to premature graying.
8. Increased levels of stress can also increased graying of hair.