Possibilities and limitations for reversal of age-related pigment loss

Abstract

The study of hair aging focuses on the aesthetic problem of aging hair and its management, and on the biological problem of hair aging, in terms of microscopic, biochemical, and molecular changes. With today's increasing life-expectation, the desire to look youthful plays a bigger role than ever. The cosmetic industry has become aware of this, and aims to deliver active products that are directed toward meeting this consumer demand. In the absence of another way to reverse hair graying, so far, hair colorants have remained the mainstay of covering lost hair color. Nevertheless, new insights into the biology of the aging hair follicle could open new strategies for prevention or reversal of the graying process. Prominent among these is a focus on the free radical theory of graying, and an in depth exploration of the maximal potentiality of hair follicle melanocyte populations, their protection and activation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.