Stress can more than double the chance of your hair turning gray before the age of 30, a study has found.
Anxiety and depression appear to affect follicles more than other factors such as smoking, diet, and exercise.
Figures show half of us will have gray hair by the age of 50, but millions of people, like screen idol George Clooney, go for silver foxes years or even decades earlier. Start the transition.
Research suggests that the stress hormone cortisol and mental health medications can cause harmful scalp inflammation, although it’s not clear why.
A team from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia compared hair graying rates in 1,193 people between the ages of 18 and 29.
Half discovered at least one gray hair in their 20s.
One in eight thought they had more than 100.
Anxiety increased the likelihood by 2.24 times and depression by 2.56 times.
Family history was the biggest factor.
Smoking almost doubled the risk, but a good diet reduced the risk by 32 percent.
Study author Turki Albinhal said: “Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet and managing stress may help reduce risk.”
