Journal de dermatologie et des maladies dermatologiques

Overnight Graying? Phenomenon: A case of Widespread Non-Pigmented Hair Regrowth in Diffuse Alopecia Areata

Abstract

Caroline Romanelli

The rapid whitening of hair in a short period of time characterizes the phenomenon called "overnight graying". Diffuse alopecia areata is considered the most likely cause to explain this phenomenon, since there is predominant involvement of the dark pigmented hair and, subsequently, its fall. Thus, the patient who already has a few white hairs, when suffering the fall of dark pigmented hair, has the feeling that his/her hair became totally white "overnight". It is believed that this is an immune-mediated disease, although other factors may be involved: stress, neurological factors, infectious agents and intrinsic abnormalities of keratinocytes and melanocytes. We report a case of "overnight graying" phenomenon in a 56-year-old patient, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.