Premature Graying: The Real Causes Revealed

Geriatrician Rokhaya Diakité explains that white hair results when melanocytes in the hair bulb become exhausted and stop producing melanin. In an interview with Seneweb, she identifies genetics, smoking and chronic stress among the factors associated with graying. The average onset varies by ethnic background: 30 to 35 among Caucasians, 35 to 40 among Asians, and 40 to 45 among people of African origin. These are statistical averages, and white hair does not necessarily indicate functional old age.