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Why Do Elderly People's Hair Turn White?

Among the physical changes most visible with age is the whitening of hair. This has been known for a while and studied. But rarely people know the inner working, this article will tell you why.

Why Do Elderly People's Hair Turn White?

First of all, we need to know why our hair is black at first. Hair takes its color from a pigment known as melanin. The two primary types of melanin include eumelanin (black or brown hair) and pheomelanin (red or blonde hair). In the hair follicles of youthful individuals, melanocytes releases melanin, which is taken up into the expanding hair shaft and colors it. That’s why our hair is black at first when we were young. But as people age, a number of factors result in those hair follicles producing less melanin. There are several reasons for this, the first being a natural aging process in the body. Gradually, the melanocytes in hair follicles stops functioning. They can be damaged by free radicals (unstable molecules that occur due to normal metabolic processes in the body). They can lead to oxidative stress, where the cells is exposed to an overwhelming amount of free radicals that can cause damage to the melanocytes DNA and other cell parts, suppressing the normal production of melanin. Then, the hair turns white gradually, which is one the the most visible feature of old people.


Second, hormonal changes are also associated with the whitening of hair in old age. Hormones, signaling molecules whose levels change with age, are key regulators of many functions maintained by the body. When hormone levels drop (as they do in older age) some hormones such as the two sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone could impact on melanocyte function to balance melanin production. There fore, the hair will turn white step and step.


What is more, the timing and degree of hair whitening are also genetically determined. Some people genetically are more prone to white hair early on so they may have inherited the genes that make them prone to white hair (this kind of inheritance is yet be explained), others might carry the other type of gene, they remain in black for a long time. Thus, if your family members are white haired too early, you may have the huge possibility to get white hair early or fully.


Aside from these internal issues, external things like stress and environment can also play a role. Long-term stress at a high level can interrupt the normal physiological functions of the body, including those consisting identification healthy melanin synthesis. Environmental influences such as contact with specific substances or toxins may also play a role in the destruction of melanocytes. Old people, especially those who care or worry too much about there kids, are more likely to have white hair early, thereby, if you want to keep your hair black, do not work so late and remember to relax some time.


In summary, it can be a complicated path to beard with that hair turns white, find the elderly, which is the result of a combination of processes ranging from factories materials such as glass and car that his pure nature, formation dynamo production; dollars; combined with aging organs such as sex glands; as genetics complements essential commercial activates happiness. Even though this is really part of the aging process, knowing these things helps us understand human biology and health.

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