Marie Antoinette syndrome is a sudden whitening of the hair. The event that named the syndrome was the observation that the hair of Queen Marie Antoinette of France turned stark white after her capture following the ill-fated Flight to Varennes during the French Revolution. Witnesses have alleged that Antoinette's hair suddenly turned white on three separate occasions. In the novel 'One hundred and One Dalmatians', by Dodie Smith, after the Dalmatians destroy Cruella de Vil's stock of furs, the shock renders her black hair white (and her white hair green). In Victor Hugo's novel 'Les Miserables' Jean Valjean's hair also goes pure white after the trauma of appearing in court in Arras. Other examples can be found in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, where the character Theon Greyjoy's hair turns white and brittle from extended brutal torture. Another example is in the anime Tokyo Ghoul when Ken Kaneki's hair turns white after brutal torture.
Video Marie Antoinette syndrome
Documented cases
The first actual documented case in history is represented in the Talmud by a story of a Jewish scholar who, at the age of 17 years, developed white hair locks due to overwork. Recent cases have also been noted in Fleetwood Mount Vernon, where Chris has white spots in his hair, and marks on his skin notifying the disease.
Now and again, contemporary cases have been documented, as in bombing victims in the second world war or in a recently published case.
Maps Marie Antoinette syndrome
Causes
The syndrome is thought to be a variant of alopecia areata diffusa or autoimmune non-scarring hair loss that affects selectively all pigmented hairs, leaving only the white hair behind.
Triggers activating the autoimmune mechanisms have been postulated, including sorrow and fear, but also fits of rage, extreme amounts of stress, unwelcome, unexpected news.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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