Watching hair turn grey

Analysing changes in hair pigmentation may lead to a better understanding of the impacts of ‘life events’ on human biology and aging.

Lamivudine associated hair repigmentation and a comprehensive review on reversal canities

Background and Objective: Hair whitening is among important cosmetic problems in both genders but more annoying between women which necessitates more research about hair repigmenting methods or probable therapeutic drugs. The objective of this research was to review the mechanisms of hair pigmentation as well as the drug-related hair repigmentation. Methods: In this review article, we searched PubMed, Medline and Google scholar databases and reviewed all related articles in this area (hair repigmentation) since the reversal of canities has been an important cosmetic concern many years ago. Results: No reports of changes of hair color have been identified with lamivudine in the present research. Herein can be reported as the first case of hair repigmentation following the use of lamivudine. Conclusion: We reported a case of hair pigmentation with lamivudine for the first time that could be a desirable drug-induced side effect, also review all related articles about hair repigmention or reversal of canities. By research on probable mechanisms of drug-induced hair repigmentation, we may achieve a therapeutic strategy of hair graying as an important and highly prevalent cosmetic concern. Keywords: Lamivudine; hair repigmentation; reversal canities; drug-induced, review

Hair Follicle Melanogenesis Reflected in Hair Pigmentation as a Developmental Factor in Alopecia Areata

The mechanism of alopecia areata (AA) is not well-elucidated, and hair follicle melanogenesis pathways are implicated as possible sources for autoantigens. After a retrospective medical record review at a single tertiary medical center, the hair color of 112 AA patients were identified and compared to a control group of 104 androgenetic alopecia patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the natural hair color prevalence between the 2 groups (<i>p</i> = 0.164), and hair color was not a predictor of the alopecia type. Our results suggest hair pigmentation, determined by the eumelanin-to-pheomelanin ratio, is not a positive risk factor for AA development. We hope that our study will encourage multiple large-scale, collaborative, retrospective medical reviews to determine if our results are reproducible in diverse patient populations.

Global Repigmentation Strategy of Grey Hair Follicles by Targeting Oxidative Stress and Stem Cells Protection

One of the most visible signs of hair ageing is greying of the hair, also known as canities. This hair disorder is mainly caused by oxidative stress. In preliminary work, we designed various models mimicking the impact of oxidative stress on hair pigmentation, showing an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and a decrease in the presence of melanocytes and melanoblasts, resulting in a decrease in hair pigmentation. A proteomic study on skin scalp explants was performed to identify the dysregulated biological pathways related to canities. We developed a smart active ingredient which has been tested on these biological pathways. We demonstrated that these negative effects were rectified in the presence of the ingredient, showing a reduction of ROS, protection of melanocyte reservoirs and reactivation of hair pigmentation. Finally, a clinical study was carried out on a panel of 44 male volunteers with grey hair. After 4 months, we evidenced a reduction in the proportion of grey hair and in the number of grey hairs/cm2 relative to Day 0. In conclusion, we clearly evidenced that oxidative stress is a key factor in triggering a cascade of events leading to a loss of hair pigmentation. We developed this active ingredient which is capable of restoring all the disrupted mechanisms and of providing hair repigmentation within only 4 months.