In the show C to you, the actress returned to the appearance of her lock of white hair. She would be linked to the death of her father, whom she helped to die.
- Achromotrichia comes from the Greek khrômatos (color) and trikhos (hair).
- This designates the appearance of a lock of white hair, unlike canities where all the hair is concerned.
- Achromotrichia can appear from childhood, or later.
Some trials in life leave traces, and they are not always the ones we think of. In the show It’s up to youbroadcast Wednesday, December 1 on France 5the actress Françoise Fabian, revealed in particular by the film My night at Maud’s of Éric Rohmer, confided in the death of his father, Marcel Cortés. Affected by a disease, the latter was no longer able to speak or move, he could only move his hands. The 88-year-old actress says she was in a “state of total despair“in the face of her father’s pain. She explained to the nurses that she wanted to take care of him.”I gave him no more medicine, she explained on television. (…) I took the meds off. He was given medication to endure the medication that made him last.” Three days after this difficult decision, her father died. The day after her death, the white streak appeared in the actress’ hair.
What is achromotrichia?
This phenomenon has a name: achromotrichia. This means the appearance of a white or gray streak in the hair, even though the rest of the hair retains its natural color. This peculiarity is the consequence of a defect in the production of melanin, a pigment which gives color to the skin and hair. As we age, it is normal for melanin production to decline and white hair to appear. In other cases, it may be a sign of an illness. In some cancers, in thyroid diseases, in Waardenburg syndrome, a set of congenital malformations, achromotrichia may appear. Sometimes, the arrival of this white hair is linked to taking a drug. Chloroquine is one of the treatments associated with achromotrichia.
How to fight against achromotrichia?
Psychology can also be an explanation for this phenomenon, and this corresponds to the case of Françoise Fabian. The phrase “to make gray hair” means to worry, but chronic stress or illness can generate white hair. According to various studies, this would be linked to melanocytes. These cells produce melanin, but their number decreases in periods of stress, which explains the appearance of these white locks.There is no treatment for achromotrichia.If it is the result of an illness, acting on the cause can help slow its progression.When this is not possible, alternatives cosmetics can mask white hair, such as dyes or accessories. France 2last May, Françoise Fabian explained that she had tinted her locks white for a long time, before finally assuming it.
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