You should actually avoid pulling or plucking out a gray hair altogether. Hair turns gray as we age because the pigment cells in our hair follicles age, too. The cells either die off or begin losing their ability to make the color that transfers to the shaft of hair. This process results in gray or white hair.
As a side note, the timing of this process is genetic, which is why some people go gray earlier than others [source: Rope ]. When you pull out a hair, it comes out of its follicle. A follicle can only produce one hair, and since pigment cells affect only the follicle in which they're located, they can't turn any surrounding hairs gray. The reason it might appear that more gray hairs grow in, though, is that hair turns gray very slowly. Because the graying starts deep in the follicle, the hair follicles around that first gray hair may have already started turning.
You just didn't know it yet. And by the time the hair you plucked grows back, the hairs around it have become visibly gray.
The old wives' tale actually appears to be true, but it's simply an illusion. However tempting it may be, try to refrain from plucking out any gray hairs you might notice. So you will not get any new hair on that spot and it will lead to a bald patch on your scalp. Or resort to other means like using hair colours to cover it up. Repeated plucking of that white hair hurts the cells in your scalp and may cause scarring or even infection. If you keep on plucking at the same spot, the hair follicles will shrink or die out.
So there will be no new hair on that spot, leading ultimately to thinning of your hair. What would you prefer, a few grey hair or less hair altogether? Plucking can alter the natural texture of your hair. The new hair that grows after plucking may be wiry and coarse. Greying is an irreversible process. So hair which have already lost their natural color cannot be reverted back to their normal coloration.
But you can certainly take some steps to prevent certain forms of premature greying. Deficiencies of certain vitamins such as vitamin B12, B6, vitamin D and E can be responsible for premature greying of your hair [ 3 ]. Also, low levels of iron and the good cholesterol HDL-C are seen to be associated with premature greying. So if you are under 30 and have already started noticing the greys it may be a good idea to consult your doctor and start on nutritional supplements to prevent premature greying.
Mental stress can be a major contributing factor to premature greying. Life will throw curveballs and you may not be able to dodge them altogether. But you can definitely do some self care like getting enough sleep at night and a few minutes of meditation everyday to enhance your mental health. External factors such as sunlight and pollution can hasten the aging of your hair making them loose color faster. Wear a scarf or hat when outdoors to save your precious tresses from losing their color.
What about stress? The less common causes of greying are thyroid disease and autoimmune conditions such as vitiligo and alopecia areata, said Dr Tan. According to her, alopecia areata tends to attack pigmented hairs and cause them to shed. Once the follicle switches off its melanin production, the hairs it produces will henceforth be grey. And you can't switch back on the melanin.
For instance, eating a diet rich in Vitamins B6, B12 both B vitamins can be found in meat, fish and dairy products and D spinach, kale, sardine, salmon may help your hair to preserve its existing pigmentation and delay overall greying, said Dr Tan. We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.
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