Marie Antoinette syndrome: White hair overnight

What is Marie Antoinette syndrome?

Marie Antoinette syndrome is a condition in which someone’s hair suddenly turns white. The name of this situation comes from the folklore of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, who was rumored to be executed in 1793 and her hair suddenly turned white.

With age, hair naturally turns white. As you age, you may start to lose the melanin pigment that causes hair color. But this situation has nothing to do with age. It is related to a form of alopecia areata-a sudden hair loss. (It should also be noted that, regardless of whether the story is true or not, Marie Antoinette was only 38 years old when she died.

Although it may turn the hair gray in a relatively short period of time, this is unlikely to happen within a few minutes, which is suggested by hypothetical historical records. Learn more about the research and causes behind Marie Antoinette’s syndrome, and whether you need to see a doctor.

What did the research say about Marie Antoinette syndrome?

Research does not support the theory of sudden whitening. Despite this, legends about historical events continue to spread. According to reports, in addition to the notorious Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette), the hair color of other famous people in history also suddenly changed. A famous example is Thomas More, who is said to have suddenly turned white before being executed in 1535.

In another report, a report was published that recorded the witness of the sudden whitening of the hair of the survivors in the Second World War after the explosion. In literature and science fiction, the sudden change of hair color is usually psychological.

However, as Dr. Murray Feingold wrote in the MetroWest Daily, so far, no research has shown that you can lose your hair color overnight. Indeed, an article published in an article believes that reports of sudden appearance of gray hair in history are likely to be related to alopecia areata or temporary hair dye flushing.

Reasons for similar phenomena

It is generally believed that cases of the so-called Marie Antoinette syndrome are caused by autoimmune diseases. These conditions change the way your body responds to healthy cells in the body, attacking them unintentionally. If you experience symptoms similar to Marie Antoinette’s syndrome, your body will stop normal hair pigmentation. As a result, although your hair will continue to grow, its color will be gray or white.

There are other reasons that may cause the hair to turn white or white prematurely, which may be mistaken for this syndrome. Please consider the following conditions:

Alopecia Areata. 

This is one of the most obvious causes of pattern hair loss. The symptoms of alopecia areata are thought to be caused by underlying inflammation. This causes the hair follicles to stop new hair growth. Conversely, existing hair may also fall out. If you already have some gray or white hair, baldness in this case will make this loss of pigment even more pronounced. This may also give the impression that you have new pigmentation, when in fact it has become more prominent now. After treatment, new hair growth can help cover gray hair, but it does not necessarily prevent the hair from turning white.

Gene. 

If you have a family history of premature hair graying, you are likely to be at risk. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is another gene called IRF4 that can play a role. The genetic predisposition to whiten hair can make it challenging to reverse hair color changes.

Hormonal changes.

These include thyroid disease, menopause, and decreased testosterone levels. Your doctor can prescribe medications that can help you balance your hormone levels and may prevent further premature graying.

Born with dark hair. 

People with naturally dark and light-colored hair are prone to graying. However, if you have black hair, any form of hair whitening will look more compelling. This type of situation is not irreversible, but it can be dealt with with a comprehensive hair coloring and retouching kit. According to the Nemours Foundation (Nemours Foundation), all of the hair turns gray it may require more than a decade, so this is not unexpected events

Insufficient nutrition. 

The lack of vitamin B-12 is particularly to blame. You can help reverse the gray associated with nutrition by getting enough nutrition. Blood tests can help confirm such defects. It is also important to work with your doctor or even a registered dietitian.

Vitiligo. 

This autoimmune disease causes loss of skin pigment, and visible white patches may appear on your skin. This effect may extend to your hair pigment and make your hair gray. Vitiligo is difficult to treat, especially in children. Options include glucocorticoids, surgery, and phototherapy. Once the treatment has stopped the depigmentation process, you may find fewer gray hairs over time.

Can stress be brought?

Marie Antoinette’s syndrome has historically been described as the result of sudden stress. In the case of Marie Antoinette and Thomas More, their hair color changed in the last few days of jail.

However, the root cause of gray hair is much more complicated than a single incident. In fact, the change in your hair color may be related to another underlying cause.

Stress alone does not cause the hair to suddenly turn white. Over time, chronic stress may cause premature gray hair. You may also lose hair due to severe stress.

When to see the doctor

Grey hair is not necessarily a health problem. If you notice a premature gray, you can ask your doctor at the next physical examination. However, if you also experience other symptoms, such as hair loss, baldness, and rash, you may need to make an appointment.

Takeaway

Premature gray hair must be the cause of the investigation. Even if the hair cannot turn white overnight, the story of Marie Antoinette’s hair turning white before death and other similar stories continue. Instead of paying attention to these historical stories, it is important to pay attention to the current understanding of white hair by medical experts and how to deal with it.