What is the medical term for hair grayness or whiteness?

The medical term for hair grayness or whiteness is canities. This term specifically refers to the loss of pigment in hair, which results in a gray or white appearance. Canities occurs as a natural part of aging when the melanocytes in hair follicles slow down or stop producing melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color.

Understanding canities helps in the broader context of hair health and coloring practices, as it signifies changes in hair that stylists may need to address when dealing with clients seeking color treatments. Other medical terms provided, like melanoma, are related to skin conditions or cancers, while hypopigmentation refers to a decrease in pigmentation on the skin or hair, and leucoderma relates to skin lightening, but do not specifically describe the greying of hair.