Evaluation of oxidative stress and psychoemotional status in premature hair graying.

Background: Hair graying is a natural process in aging and is not usually associated with a medical problem. It sometimes may occur at early age and is called premature hair graying (PHG). Pathogenesis of PHG is not clear but it was associated with various systemic diseases such as coronary artery diseases, osteopenia, and hypothyroidism.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oxidative stress and psychoemotional status in individuals with PHG.

Methods: Sixty participants with PHG and 60 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 20 years were included in the study. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) levels measured in serum, and oxidative stress index (OSI) were calculated. Participants were asked to complete Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Beck Anxiety Index (BAI).

Results: Total oxidant status, OSI, and PSS scores were significantly higher in the PHG group (P < .001). There was no significant difference between severity of PHG and TAS, TOS, and OSI (P > .05). There was a significant relationship between BAI scores and TOS and OSI in PHG group (P = .03, P = .049, respectively).

Conclusion: Oxidative and emotional stress may play a role in pathogenesis of PHG. Our study showed that serum oxidative stress and emotional stress were high in PHG. In other words, there was high systemic oxidative stress in PHG.