What makes our hair turn grey with old age? Turns out, a gene is responsible.
Scientists have just identified the grey hair gene, called IRF4 – the same gene that determines blonde hair.
Why does our hair turn grey?
The pigment melanin is responsible for making our hair a luscious healthy shade when we’re young. But as we get older, our bodies produce less melanin. Less melanin means less pigment and, therefore, grey hair (a lack of pigment).
Lead author of the study – which was published in Nature Communications journal – Kaustubh Adhikari from University College London was quoted as saying, "You think about hair graying as the absence of melanin.”
Interestingly, people with blonde and lighter hair colour growing up are more likely to end up with grey hair.
Why?
“You would sort of think of hair graying as an unintended consequence of selecting for this hair color,” Abhikari said.
Interestingly, while people from Asian and African countries also get grey hair, it’s not as prevalent as European people. And scientists are yet to find the grey hair gene in non-Europeans.
What else influences grey hair?
We can’t blame greying on one gene alone. There are a few other influences that come into play – including stress, diet, and other lifestyle and environmental aspects.
Here at ntpages, we say embrace the grey! There’s nothing more beautiful than a man or woman ageing gracefully as nature intended.
