Sudden
white hair onset
There are many folk tales from different parts of the world about
people going white overnight, particularly after having a sudden
and extreme shock. Frequently quoted examples of famous people going
white or gray overnight include Sir Thomas More and Marie Antoinette.
There may be some question as to the historical accuracy in the
recording of these events, but people's hair can apparently go white
overnight.
However, it's a visual trick! Going white overnight usually happens
in those who have salt and pepper hair - that is a mixture of pigmented
and white hair. The pigmented hair is selectively shed while the
white hair survives. The hair that is perceived as suddenly whitening
was already white, but the visual illusion makes it look as though
the person has gone white overnight. This sudden white hair development
is most likely due to alopecia areata which can sometimes selectively
target pigmented hair fiber containing hair follicles. Alopecia
areata onset can sometimes be induced by sudden shock.
Sudden
white hair onset references
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AG, Bleehen SS. Alopecia areata: light and electron microscopic
pathology of the regrowing white hair. Br J Dermatol. 1984 Feb;110(2):155-62.
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Kumar V, Petersen BH. Immunofluorescence findings in rapid whitening
of scalp hair. Arch Dermatol. 1981 Sep;117(9):576-8.
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ML. Migratory poliosis: A forme fruste of alopecia areata? J Am
Acad Dermatol. 2000 Jun;42(6):1076-7.
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becoming white]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1995 Sep 15;120(37):1263.
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VD, Westerhof W, Stolz E. [Turning white overnight, is it possible]?
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is it possible?] Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1993 Aug 7;137(32):1628.
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hair first reported in the Talmud. Possible mechanisms of this
intriguing phenomenon. Am J Dermatopathol. 1992 Aug;14(4):367-8.
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changes in alopecia areata. Cleve Clin J Med. 1990 Jun;57(4):354-6.
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JM. The graying phenomenon: an unusual manifestation of alopecia
areata. Int J Dermatol. 1982 Jul-Aug;21(6):344-6.
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fine structure of internal part of a scalp hair which underwent
sudden change from black to gray. Okajimas Folia Anat Jpn. 1981
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PD. Rapid whitening of scalp hair. A manifestation of localized
ageing in a healthy man. Practitioner. 1980 Nov;224(1349):1168-70.
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areata. Arch Dermatol. 1978 Nov;114(11):1716-7.
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to diffuse alopecia. Practitioner. 1970 Nov;205(229):655-6.
- Helm F, Milgrom H. Can scalp hair suddenly
turn white? A case of canities subita. Arch Dermatol. 1970 Jul;102(1):102-3.
- Kostanecki W, Kwiatkowska E. [On the growth
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Klin Exp Dermatol. 1966 Sep 14;226(1):21-32.
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