Most people just accept the fact that as we get older our hair will inevitably start turning gray. But is this really a scientific fact? According to an article in Scientific American (June 22, 2021) “Although [it] may seem like a permanent change, new research reveals that the graying process can be undone—at least temporarily.”

In one paper (1972), Stanley Comaish reported a case of a 38-year-old man who had three strands of hair that were light near the ends but dark near the roots, although the vast majority of the individual’s hairs were either all black or all white. This signaled a reversal in the normal graying process, which begins at the root.

In a study published in eLife (2021), a group of researchers provided evidence of this phenomenon in hair from around a dozen people of various ages, ethnicities and sexes. “It also aligns patterns of graying and reversal to periods of stress, which implies that this aging-related process is closely associated with our psychological well-being.” These findings suggest “that there is a window of opportunity during which graying is probably much more reversible than had been thought for a long time,” according to study co-author Ralf Paus, a dermatologist at the University of Miami.

These studies suggest two things: one, is that graying is reversible and two, stress may play a bigger factor in the graying process than one might think. Gray hair is one of the most visible signs of aging. Can we reverse graying by reducing our stress levels? I know from personal experience that this could be possible.

I made a decision to change professions after a period of extreme stress and anxiety. I have found stress much easier to manage in my new career. Over the same time period, I have noticed that I have very few gray hairs for someone in his early fifties—possibly even less than I had twenty years ago. If you are concerned about a growing number of grays, maybe look for ways to reduce stress in your life. Also, at least as importantly, start believing that it is possible to halt or reverse the graying process.