Poliosis is a disease that causes one or more white spots to appear on a person's hair. Looking in the bathroom mirror and noticing streaks of white hair that weren't there before can be a disturbing experience. Like many other things in life, poliosis is less scary when understood. Here is an overview of what poliosis is, what it means to the person who has it, and how they can deal with it. What is poliosis? Poliosis occurs when a person is born or develops a patch of white or gray hair while retaining their natural hair color. It can affect children and adults. People with poliosis have a reduced level or a complete lack of melanin in the roots of the affected hair, also called hair follicles. Poliosis alone cannot seriously harm your health and can be covered with hair dye, hats, or scarves if you are not comfortable with them. But poliosis can sometimes coexist with serious illnesses. What Causes Poliosis? Some people say that psychological trauma, physical shock, or oth