small grey circular patch in beard, appeared after a couple days!!

Hi all, please help.
Im 29 year old healthy male, play sports etc but i am quite stressed due to university exams (and general life worries,haren't we all?) I have long brown hair on my head no grey hair anywhere and none at all in my full beard either.

HOWEVER, last week i noticed about 6 grey/white hairs when i shaved all bunched together. looking at it from a distance when it was stubble it looked like i had a patch in my beard. I believe it is NOT alopeica barbae, as there IS hair here, but it is pure white/grey. I thought if it was going grey normally one,maybe two strands/stubble scattered around my face would start to go grey,.. but this is a small patch, the size of my baby finger thumbnail jsut up from my chin, It just came on over a couple days. Very strange.my father is 63 and his hair on his head is only starting to go grey recently.

I dont know what it is. Will the pigmentation grow back? Is it from stress? Is it medically cured?

Please someone help,
Thanking you so much.
Jon

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
The various causes for premature graying of hair are genetics or hereditary factors, malnutrition and a diet deficient in vit B , smoking ,thyroid disease, stress and anxiety, unclean condition of the scalp, drying it with an electric dryer and use of hair dyes. Take a healthy nutritious diet and some vitamin B supplements for some days. If the symptoms persist then please get it evaluated from a dermatologist.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[jon1982]

Hi,
Thanks very much for your reply, very kind of you.
Out of the options that you said the only one that id be able to relate to is maybe the stress factor. My diet is fine, i do use hair dryer but i have used that for years now with no problems. I might start taking Vit B multi-vitamen to see if that helps.

Its just a really small area,by my chin that has suddenly turned grey/white. a whole bunch of hairs, about 6 of them. From a distance when the hair is shaved it looks like a patch, but i dont know what on earth this could be. It must be some auto-immune deficiency.

I really really hope that the problem goes away, if it doesnt go away or if it gets worse i will go to the doctor. I will keep you posted.

Thanks very much
Jon