Does pulling out one grey hair cause more to grow in its place?

At times, while looking in the mirror, you might notice a lone grey hair sprouting from your crown. It can be tempting to pull it out, but have you ever been warned and stopped right there? So, why is it advised to avoid pulling out grey strands? Although grey hair is a natural part of ageing, it can be tough to accept when those first silver strands start to show. If you're not quite ready to embrace them, yanking them from the roots might seem like a quick fix but in reality, it’s not. Let’s explore the reason behind this.

Why does our hair turn grey in the first place?

Let’s start with the most basic understanding of what leads to grey hair. The amount of melanin, which is a hair pigment found in the hair follicles, naturally decreases with age, and it is when our hair colour starts turning grey, white, or silver. Once this process begins, there’s no reversing, as it’s clearly natural. You can surely hide it by dyeing your hair or applying mehendi colour, but the original colour will never stop haunting you.


Usually, people witness their first grey hair around their late 30s, but you might see one or two silver strands sprouting early. But if you’re witnessing a lot of grey hair in your late 20s and early 30s, then it won’t hurt to schedule a visit with your doctor.

Should I pluck the grey hair ?

The answer to this simple question is ‘No’. Pulling out your first grey hair is an impulsive decision that must be avoided. Though plucking white hair may seem a quick and easy solution, repeated plucking can damage the hair follicle and potentially lead to hair thinning. So, if you’re not thrilled about carrying the silver strand, then either avoid looking at it in the mirror or simply dye your hair.


Plucking one can lead to more?

As we know, hair gets its colour from melanin, which is a pigment found in our hair, eyes, and skin. As we age, this amount of melanin starts decreasing. Once these pigment-producing cells in the strands die, it leaves our hair with no colour, which we interpret to be grey. Thus, plucking one grey hair does not impact the hair follicles around it, because the surrounding cells are still alive and maintain our natural hair colour.


But remember that each time you pluck your grey hair, it grows out to be thinner, not black, but weak and thin.

Parting thoughts

So, it may seem like plucking grey hair leads to others, but it’s just a fallen myth. Plucking a grey hair does not affect the other hair follicles, but it surely does damage that one follicle, leading to weak regrowth. Therefore, embrace your grey strands, or choose to dye your hair with age, but do not fret about plucking your silver strands ever again.