my grandad always said seeing something terrible in the war made his hair go white overnight, is this possible?
2007-10-25 01:55:19 · 23 answers · asked by ANDREA 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
No, it can't. Hair turns white starting at the follicles in your scalp and grows outward at whatever rate your hair grows. If you have ever seen people who are going gray, you'll notice that their hair starts to turn white at the roots and then grows outward.
This is also the way that the duration of long-term arsenic poisoning is determined. Arsenic-laden hair grows outward from the scalp, as well, and the length of its presence in the hair can be matched to the length of time it took for the hair to grow that long.
2007-10-25 02:01:36 · answer #1 · answered by Chantal G 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've heard similar stories from family about hair turning white overnight during the war years from shock but I've since read that it's impossible; so I don't know what to believe.
2007-10-25 09:15:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think ones body has a way of reacting to things and that is one of them. Yes a war could have some very bad effects on a person. As a kid I knew a man who was(as i was told)about 18 when he fell into a well. It was full of snakes to which he could here them under all the trash. They were rattlers an his name was blacky but his hair was as white as snow. Word was when they found him about a day later his hair had turned that way. How true I don't know but it sure made me think a lot as a kid to look were I was walking.
2007-10-25 09:01:49 · answer #3 · answered by Yogi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they say it's possible when you have a large amount of grey and you suffer from alopecia areata, in a few days all your pigmented hair can fall out leaving just the grey which makes it appear like it's gone grey overnight. maybe trauma causes this condition too, they say it's hereditary but can be caused by an immune system problem. in the war they were exposed to chemicals, lack of nutrients, and bad conditions that could have caused immunity problems.
2007-10-25 09:26:45 · answer #4 · answered by hamylett 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I imagine that the existing hair cannot change unless it is immersed in a chemical. But the human body can change at any time and subsequent hair growth can certainly be of any color. It seems that emotions, as the mind, seem to rule our bodies.
And would your Grandad lie to you?
WK
2007-10-25 09:01:16 · answer #5 · answered by olin1963 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Not literally overnight, but new hairs growing all will be grey. With severe shock it is possible.
2007-10-25 08:58:24 · answer #6 · answered by Ginny Jin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Aaaagggghh! Remember Leland Palmer ??
2007-10-25 08:58:20 · answer #7 · answered by Lorenzo Steed 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Goodness, the thought of it has just given me such a shock that my hair has gone white. Guess that proves it
2007-10-25 08:57:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Who is saying Yes???
No obviously it can't.... think Grandad is having fun with you
2007-10-25 09:24:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
According to medical reference books.....no that's not possible.
Although some people claim it happened to them....funny thing though this doesn't happen anymore.
2007-10-25 08:58:58 · answer #10 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋