Gray hair can be unsightly and a source of distress for many individuals. Consequently, many people, upon noticing gray strands, immediately pluck them out. But does this practice harm your scalp?
Hair begins to turn gray when hair follicles decrease the production of melanin cells (the cells that provide pigment to hair and skin). Rohit Kakar, the director of Orchard Lake Dermatology & Cosmetics in Orchard Lake, states that this is a completely normal phenomenon of aging, and whether gray hair appears early or late depends on genetic factors.
So, what are the drawbacks of this habit?
1. You are wasting your time
In reality, plucking gray hair is only a temporary solution, as the regrown hair will still be gray (even if you consume plenty of fruits and vegetables).
Jeffrey Hsu, the director of Oak Dermatology in Chicago, explains: “Once the pigment cells in the hair follicle have died, the hair cannot return to its original color.” Therefore, no matter how many gray hairs you pluck, they will eventually come back.
Many believe that plucking gray hair will cause more gray strands to grow. Fortunately, this is just an unfounded rumor.
Dr. Kakar states: “Plucking one gray hair will not cause more gray hairs to grow. Plucking hair does not affect neighboring strands, as each hair follicle has its own genetic makeup.”
2. You risk infection or scarring
Plucking gray hair is not a great idea, especially if it has become a habit. Dr. Hsu notes that repeated plucking can damage hair follicles and lead to infection or scarring.
Over time, this can even harm the hair follicles to the extent that they stop growing altogether. If you continuously pluck gray hair, it could result in baldness.
Is there a safe way to remove gray hair?
There is no way to reduce the risk of infection, scarring, or hair loss when plucking gray hair.
If you absolutely cannot tolerate the unsightly gray strands, consider trimming them instead.
Dr. Hsu advises: <em“If you must remove gray hair, the best way is to use a small pair of scissors to carefully cut them. This will help avoid damaging the hair follicles.”
So, how harmful is plucking gray hair?
The answer depends on how often you pluck your hair.
Dr. Kakar mentions: “If you pluck once, it’s not a problem. However, if done repeatedly, it can lead to baldness due to permanent hair loss.”
Therefore, if those gray strands truly bother you, it might be time to consider hair dye as an option.
