Stress Sparks Change: The Science of Hair Color Shift

Stress can induce changes in hair color due to the relationship between stress hormones and the production of melanin. Specifically, stress leads to the release of cortisol, which decreases the production of POMC. POMC is a precursor to ACTH, a hormone that stimulates cortisol release and encodes a protein important for melanin synthesis. Consequently, high stress levels may result in the conversion of dark hair to white due to the disruption in melanin production. Understanding this connection highlights a biological pathway linking stress to visible physical changes in hair color.