There is an even more interesting, medical story hidden in this article.
Hyperthyroidism is thought to be affected, even caused, in some cases, by an abundance of stress. Having your beard turn gray and "ultra fine" are literally direct results of having too much thyroid hormones in your bloodstream. There aren't other pathologies that would lead to such a symptom, especially when presented suddenly, and ephemerally.
In other words, this guy might have had a temporary case of hyperthyroidism that could be directly attributed to a period of high stress.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice or advice of any kind, and I'm not a doctor.
> Having your beard turn gray and "ultra fine" are literally direct results of having too much thyroid hormones in your bloodstream.
I'd love to see if this is true via a blood test. I'm 32, and my beard has gone from a dark brown to very much gray in the last 12-18 months due to a highly stressful life. My brother calls it the "Obama Effect" due to how quickly Obama's gone grey over the last ~8 years (supposedly due to how stressful being POTUS is).
Also note, the graying of your hair or beard isn't necessarily related to thyroid hormone levels, unless the hairs themselves are also becoming very fine. Graying, of course, can also be related to stress.
Hyperthyroidism is thought to be affected, even caused, in some cases, by an abundance of stress. Having your beard turn gray and "ultra fine" are literally direct results of having too much thyroid hormones in your bloodstream. There aren't other pathologies that would lead to such a symptom, especially when presented suddenly, and ephemerally.
In other words, this guy might have had a temporary case of hyperthyroidism that could be directly attributed to a period of high stress.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice or advice of any kind, and I'm not a doctor.