The human scalp has different types of pigment cells in hair follicles with varying abilities to produce pigment.
Surgical repigmentation can permanently restore color to white hair in vitiligo patients.
2 citations
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November 2024 in “JAAD reviews.” Certain drugs can change hair color, either lightening or darkening it.
6 citations
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December 2019 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” White hair has weaker tryptophan fluorescence than other unpigmented fibers, possibly due to UV exposure or unknown substances.
43 citations
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October 2005 in “Molecular and cellular endocrinology” Hair melanocytes help the skin respond to stress and regulate hair pigmentation.
9 citations
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June 1959 in “Archives of dermatology” Hair can darken after inflammation and then return to its original color.
5 citations
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January 2015 in “Skin appendage disorders” Colored hair-thickening fibers can help hide hair loss in some people with Epidermolysis Bullosa but may cause scalp irritation.
7 citations
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May 1988 in “International Journal of Dermatology” The patient's hair has unique structural differences with alternating bright and dark bands.
16 citations
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February 2008 in “PubMed” Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause skin darkening and white hair, but it's reversible.
January 1990 in “Springer eBooks” Some chemicals can permanently or temporarily remove color from skin and hair, which can be distressing and is not well-regulated in cosmetics.
4 citations
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July 2019 in “Clinics in Dermatology” The document concludes that while white skin, nail, and mucosa diseases increase skin cancer risk, they are generally harmless, especially compared to darker pigmentation conditions.
7 citations
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January 1992 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology” Minoxidil binds to hair pigment but doesn't affect hair growth.
13 citations
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January 2001 in “Pediatric dermatology” A dark-haired Chinese girl had hair that looked banded under certain light but was normal under a microscope.
1 citations
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May 2012 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Iron can be present in hair color changes without overall iron deficiency.
38 citations
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June 2005 in “Acta Biochimica Polonica” Splenic eumelanin in C57BL/6 mice is different from hair eumelanin.
9 citations
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July 2022 in “Cell reports” Sox2 controls hair color by affecting pigment production in hair follicles.
1 citations
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July 2018 in “JAMA dermatology” Poliosis causes white hair patches due to lack of melanin.
27 citations
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January 1995 Melanin in black hair protects it from sun damage better than light-brown hair.
81 citations
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October 2014 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Certain genes control the color of human hair by affecting pigment production.
August 2023 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”
Daily hair care may cause holes in hair fibers.
15 citations
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January 2017 in “Pigment International” Early hair graying is often inherited and influenced by genetics, environment, and lifestyle, but treatment options are limited.
73 citations
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October 2003 in “Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics” Hair color loss can indicate the effectiveness of a drug targeting the KIT protein in mice and humans.
46 citations
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April 2014 in “PLOS ONE” Gray hair may be caused by lower antioxidant activity in hair cells.
November 2022 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” The study found markers indicating that cells responsible for hair color are differentiating in specific areas of the hair follicle.
60 citations
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January 2004 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Applying a specific inhibitor lightens skin and hair color.
16 citations
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August 2000 in “Il Farmaco” Men have more tryptophan in their hair than women, and it increases with age and is higher in darker and grey or white hair.
11 citations
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August 1987 in “Archives of Dermatology” Langerhans' cells are not involved in hair depigmentation in these mice.
October 2019 in “European Journal of Dermatology” The boy's hair and skin color differences are due to a pigmentation disorder.
April 2017 in “Journal of Dermatological Science” Certain flavonoids can improve the growth of pigmented hair in mice.