If your hair has turned grey, can you turn it back to black? Here comes the truth

Have you ever had a similar experience?

One day when you look in the mirror inadvertently, you suddenly find that, wow, you actually have white hair!

A wave of melancholy welled up in your heart, so you aimed at the mirror for a long time, took a deep breath, and quickly pulled it out.

"Shh, it hurts so much..." But when you take a closer look, you realize that only the middle part of the hair you pulled out has turned white.

I felt a little annoyed for a moment. Should I not pull out the hair that is not completely white? Is it possible for the hair that is only partially white to turn black?

Image source: Life Times

In this issue, we will take an in-depth look at this much-discussed issue and uncover the secrets behind gray hair.

How does gray hair come about?

The color of hair is mainly determined by the pigments inside the hair , among which "melanin" plays a key role.

This is easy to understand. Hair that appears black and shiny contains more melanin, while white hair contains very little or no melanin, and gray hair is in a transitional state between the two.

When hair turns white, it means that the pigment stem cells in the corresponding hair follicles can no longer function and there is not enough ink for coloring.

Image source: Dingxiang Doctor

The change of hair color is like a complex production process, which is affected by many factors.

Genetics plays an important role in this, and different people have different hair colors due to differences in genetic genes. For example, mutations in certain genes may cause hair color to become lighter or change.

Age is also an important factor that affects hair color. As we age, hair follicles gradually age, melanin production gradually decreases, and hair color gradually changes from black to gray or white. Generally speaking, Asians begin to have gray hair around the age of 40, and by the age of 50, 50% of Asians will have gray hair.

Health conditions can also affect hair color. Long-term mental stress and anxiety may cause hair color change. Lack of certain vitamins or minerals, such as vitamin B12 and folic acid, may affect the synthesis of pigments and cause hair color to lighten. Some chronic diseases or taking specific medications may also affect hair color.

Environmental factors cannot be ignored either. Long-term exposure to the sun, the ultraviolet rays in the sun will destroy the pigment in the hair, making the hair lighter or discolored. Especially for people whose hair is often exposed to the sun, the possibility of hair turning brown or white will become greater.

In addition, frequent hair dyeing or perming, which exposes hair to chemicals for a long time, may also cause hair damage and discoloration.

Can a section of white hair turn black again?

The graying of hair is a gradual process. Usually, hair starts to gray from the "roots". This is because if the melanin content of the newly grown hair in the hair follicle is reduced, this section of hair will turn grayish white; while the color of the already grown hair has long been fixed and still retains the original dark brown.

Generally speaking, the white hair that has grown out will maintain a relatively stable state and color. If a person's white hair is mainly "white at the roots", this is often a natural phenomenon of aging. (Such white hair basically has no possibility of spontaneously turning black again)

But there are some exceptions. For example, the roots of previously white hair suddenly "turn black" and grow black hair again, making a hair appear a strange combination of black at both ends and white in the middle.

Source: Xiao🍠 Platform

How regretful you would be if you discovered this after you pulled it out!

The above situation may be caused by some acquired factors, in addition to heredity and natural aging, which can cause pigment stem cells to be over-consumed in a short period of time or unable to be effectively transmitted. For example, if there is a huge mental load in a short period of time, this acute stress of the human body will cause the pigment stem cells to proliferate, differentiate, migrate, and overdraw, causing the newly grown hair to turn white.

When the body returns to a good condition, the melanin in our body begins to enter a normal working state again, so the roots of the original white hair begin to grow black hair again, presenting a white and black appearance.

So, some white hair still has hope of turning black again , but if you pull it out, it’s gone for good!

Don’t pull out your gray hair, take care of your hair scientifically!

Friends who can’t resist pulling out their gray hair may think: Just pull it out, out of sight, out of mind, at least it won’t be visible for a while.

Wait a minute!

If the hair follicle that previously grew white hair was active, it will receive the signal and enter a new growth cycle when you pull it out. During the growth period, one hair follicle will grow 2 to 4 hairs. The hair follicle stem cells work hard, while the pigment stem cells continue to rest. As a result , two or three white hairs (not 10) grow in the place where one white hair used to be.

Image source: Dingxiang Doctor

In addition , forcibly pulling out white hair can easily cause damage to the hair follicles , which may cause folliculitis, leading to local swelling, pain and other phenomena.

In more serious cases, it may lead to atrophy of hair follicles , local hair malnutrition, hair loss, alopecia areata , etc.

Image source: social platform

It is important to remind you that when you find yourself growing clumps of white hair, you need to check the cause in time. If it is caused by genetic or aging factors, you can cover it up with hair dye; if it is caused by a disease, you need to use symptomatic medication to treat the disease.

To sum up: when white hair grows, don't let them be plucked out without knowing why, or give them a chance. If you really can't help it, you can cut them off with scissors (just don't pull them out) .

If you want to maintain your hair and keep it darker for a few more years, just remember these key points :

Try to avoid staying up late and get enough sleep. Lack of sleep will disrupt the sympathetic nerves and cell metabolism, affect the secretion of melanin, and accelerate the graying of hair. Therefore, it is particularly important to have a regular schedule and get enough sleep for 7-8 hours every day.

Do some exercise and reduce stress. Stress is an important factor that causes gray hair, so you should learn to relax yourself and find a stress-relief method that suits you. Exercise can promote blood circulation, enhance the body's immunity, and is also good for the health of your hair.

Eat a healthy diet and avoid malnutrition. Diet is also very important for the health of hair. Make sure you take in enough nutrients and eat more foods rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. At the same time, avoid excessive dieting and picky eating. If the body lacks necessary nutrients, it will not only affect the health of the hair, but also cause damage to other organs of the body.

Finally, I hope everyone can have black and shiny hair and stay young and beautiful forever!