Why do Women go Grey?
Emotional stress and other environmental factors are not as important as once thought in determining why women’s hair goes grey, according to groundbreaking new research into ageing conducted by Unilever scientists.
An extensive study of identical and non-identical Danish twins has found that a woman’s genetic make-up is the over-riding factor in determining whether or not her hair will lose its colour.
The research, which will be published on 1 December 2009 in the US-based PLoS ONE scientific journal, challenges the notion that hair-greying is primarily a result of a woman’s lifestyle –such as what she eats, whether she smokes, and how much stress she is under.
As part of the study, Unilever’s research team also discovered that hair-recession (from the top of the forehead) in women is also predominantly due to genetic reasons. However, hair-thinning on-top of the head was found to be connected to environmental and lifestyle factors.
The results were discovered during a study by Unilever’s research and development team of more than 200 identical and non-identical twins between the ages of 59 and 81. The study found that there was little difference between the greyness of identical twin sisters, and that 90 per cent of any difference which did exist between twins was down to genetic factors. This indicates the amount of grey hair the twins had was generally irrespective of their upbringing or lifestyle.
Similarly, identical twins were found to recede to a similar extent from the forehead, while non-identical twins were less similar, again indicating that genetic factors are primarily behind hair recession in women.
Meanwhile, there was little correlation between the amount of hair-thinning each pair of twins experienced – suggesting that women who suffer from this type of hair loss do so due to environmental and lifestyle factors.
“This study offers us a fascinating insight into the reason why women go grey and it certainly suggests that environmental factors are not as important as we once thought,” said Dr David Gunn, senior scientist at Unilever’s R&D laboratories.
“Indeed, the research indicates that irrespective of how stressful a woman’s life is, there are greater forces at play which are more likely to cause her hair to grey.
“It is also interesting that genetic factors were found to have a strong influence on female hair recession from the forehead whereas, in contrast, environmental and lifestyle factors were the predominant causes of female hair thinning on top of the head. Of course, the challenge for us now is to find out what environmental and lifestyle factors are causing this to happen.”
Please note, since this study was conducted on female twins only, it is not possible to use this research to make assumptions about the causes behind male hair greying.
An extensive study of identical and non-identical Danish twins has found that a woman’s genetic make-up is the over-riding factor in determining whether or not her hair will lose its colour.
The research, which will be published on 1 December 2009 in the US-based PLoS ONE scientific journal, challenges the notion that hair-greying is primarily a result of a woman’s lifestyle –such as what she eats, whether she smokes, and how much stress she is under.
As part of the study, Unilever’s research team also discovered that hair-recession (from the top of the forehead) in women is also predominantly due to genetic reasons. However, hair-thinning on-top of the head was found to be connected to environmental and lifestyle factors.
The results were discovered during a study by Unilever’s research and development team of more than 200 identical and non-identical twins between the ages of 59 and 81. The study found that there was little difference between the greyness of identical twin sisters, and that 90 per cent of any difference which did exist between twins was down to genetic factors. This indicates the amount of grey hair the twins had was generally irrespective of their upbringing or lifestyle.
Similarly, identical twins were found to recede to a similar extent from the forehead, while non-identical twins were less similar, again indicating that genetic factors are primarily behind hair recession in women.
Meanwhile, there was little correlation between the amount of hair-thinning each pair of twins experienced – suggesting that women who suffer from this type of hair loss do so due to environmental and lifestyle factors.
“This study offers us a fascinating insight into the reason why women go grey and it certainly suggests that environmental factors are not as important as we once thought,” said Dr David Gunn, senior scientist at Unilever’s R&D laboratories.
“Indeed, the research indicates that irrespective of how stressful a woman’s life is, there are greater forces at play which are more likely to cause her hair to grey.
“It is also interesting that genetic factors were found to have a strong influence on female hair recession from the forehead whereas, in contrast, environmental and lifestyle factors were the predominant causes of female hair thinning on top of the head. Of course, the challenge for us now is to find out what environmental and lifestyle factors are causing this to happen.”
Please note, since this study was conducted on female twins only, it is not possible to use this research to make assumptions about the causes behind male hair greying.
