Can stress really turn your hair grey? Here's what the research says

Grey hairs have been associated with stress for as long as I can remember. I'd see adults pointing out grey strands of hair, then quickly associating it with a person, place or life event. I also noted their tone, almost making light of the situation. This got me thinking: is it just something we say? That stress is turning us grey. Or does our psychological well-being actually affect the pigment in our hair?

Of course, I'm not the first person to ask this question. Scientists have found that stress is indeed linked to the loss of pigment in hair follicles. Not only that, but a recent study suggests that, in some circumstances, the greying of a hair strand can actually be reversed.

Stress and grey hair in mice