# Why does hair turn gray comment **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 16, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184 "2010-02-16T09:09:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xxxFishxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/db5fbb/32.png) [@xxxFishxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xxxFishxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/1 "2010-02-16T09:09:08Z")
Your answer to the Why does hair turn gray? question leads me to another question. If hair graying is due to melanin decreases over time, shouldn’t the same happen with skin color as well? By that same train of thought, it seems as if as skin sheds over the years, the next layer of skin would be lighter due to decreased melanin levels. What prevents skin melanin from decreasing but allows hair melanin to decrease? ---
**Author:** ![xxxFishxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/db5fbb/32.png) [@xxxFishxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xxxFishxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/2 "2010-02-16T09:12:14Z")
on second thought, maybe the difference is the air bubbles that form on hair but not on skin… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/3 "2010-02-16T12:58:48Z")
Here is a [link](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/232/why-does-hair-turn-gray)to the column. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/4 "2010-02-16T16:09:03Z")
I believe Cecil may have overlooked one cause… I didn’t have any gray until I got married at which point they started cropping up all over!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/5 "2010-02-19T21:41:03Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > I believe Cecil may have overlooked one cause… I didn’t have any gray until I got married at which point they started cropping up all over!😃 Did you also happen to be getting older at the time? Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![mathews78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@mathews78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mathews78)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/6 "2010-02-19T23:15:19Z")
Scientists have now identified the cause of gray hair - [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090223131123.htm](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090223131123.htm) and [http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/140602.php](http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/140602.php) A quick breakdown from the ScienceDaily site - ‘They found that the build up of hydrogen peroxide was caused by a reduction of an enzyme that breaks up hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen (catalase). They also discovered that hair follicles could not repair the damage caused by the hydrogen peroxide because of low levels of enzymes that normally serve this function (MSR A and B). Further complicating matters, the high levels of hydrogen peroxide and low levels of MSR A and B, disrupt the formation of an enzyme (tyrosinase) that leads to the production of melanin in hair follicles.’ In regards to the Op’s first post the following was also mentioned in the article - ‘Melanin is the pigment responsible for hair color, skin color, and eye color. The researchers speculate that a similar breakdown in the skin could be the root cause of vitiligo.’ ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/7 "2010-02-22T04:31:38Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Did you also happen to be getting older at the time? > Powers &8^] No, I haven’t had a birthday party in years. ---
**Author:** ![xxxFishxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/db5fbb/32.png) [@xxxFishxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xxxFishxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/8 "2010-02-25T10:39:38Z")
> [@mathews78](#): > > Scientists have now identified the cause of gray hair - > > [Why Hair Turns Gray Is No Longer A Gray Area: Our Hair Bleaches Itself As We Grow Older | ScienceDaily](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090223131123.htm) > > and > > [http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/140602.php](http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/140602.php) > > A quick breakdown from the ScienceDaily site - > > ‘They found that the build up of hydrogen peroxide was caused by a reduction of an enzyme that breaks up hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen (catalase). They also discovered that hair follicles could not repair the damage caused by the hydrogen peroxide because of low levels of enzymes that normally serve this function (MSR A and B). Further complicating matters, the high levels of hydrogen peroxide and low levels of MSR A and B, disrupt the formation of an enzyme (tyrosinase) that leads to the production of melanin in hair follicles.’ > > In regards to the Op’s first post the following was also mentioned in the article - > > ‘Melanin is the pigment responsible for hair color, skin color, and eye color. The researchers speculate that a similar breakdown in the skin could be the root cause of vitiligo.’ Thanks for the article link. That definitely gives a clearer understanding of how this works. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/9 "2010-02-25T17:20:02Z")
Grey hair is hereditary. You get it from your children. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/10 "2010-03-06T23:17:06Z")
> [@xxxFishxxx](#): > > Your answer to the Why does hair turn gray? question leads me to another question. If hair graying is due to melanin decreases over time, shouldn’t the same happen with skin color as well? By that same train of thought, it seems as if as skin sheds over the years, the next layer of skin would be lighter due to decreased melanin levels. What prevents skin melanin from decreasing but allows hair melanin to decrease? I will chime in on this with my purely anectdotal experience. I have very dark hair which began turning white (isolated strands) in my early 20’s. I am now in my mid-40’s and, when I let the dye grow out, it is full of white/grey. I also have fairly dark skin, “olive complextion” as they say…seldom if ever burn, but when I was younger I would get VERY dark in summer (as my daughter does). But I have noticed over the last few years that despite being at the pool/sunning most summer days, I do NOT tan like I used to…took me all of last summer to develop a tan line, much less say a deep tan like my daughter had after a few weeks (even WITH the sunscreen I slathered on her and which I avoid except for my face/throat/hands/longer periods). So perhaps there is some plausibility to the idea that malanin function overall changes with age. So far, mine has kept me wrinkle free and hated by many women a decade younger when they find out how old I actually am. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-turn-gray-comment/529184/11 "2010-03-06T23:18:09Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Grey hair is hereditary. You get it from your children. Just like insanity. 😛