Why Is My Hair Turning Grey So Young? What to Do Instead of Plucking It?

Early grey hair can be influenced by genetics, stress and changes in hair-follicle pigment cells. Learn why plucking does not help, when colour may return, and how to choose hair dye more safely.

When it comes to looking older, grey hair can have a surprisingly powerful effect—especially when it appears in obvious places such as the temples or crown. It can feel as though your head is carrying an ‘age warning sign’, making you worry that everyone is looking at it.

Looking at those conspicuous grey strands, it is natural to wonder:

• I am not old—so why is my hair turning grey?
• Can grey hair turn dark again?
• Does pulling out one grey hair make ten more grow?
• If I want to cover grey hair with dye, what should I look out for?

Let’s go through these questions together.

Why Does Hair Turn Grey, and Can It Turn Dark Again?

Hair colour depends on melanocytes in the hair follicle, which produce melanin. You can think of them as tiny ‘dye workshops’ that continuously make pigment and deliver it into the hair shaft.

With ageing, major stress and other influences, these ‘dye workshops’ can begin to fail. As melanocyte stem cells in the hair follicle are gradually depleted and can no longer differentiate into new melanocytes, newly growing hair becomes grey or white.

Genetics are an important contributor to premature greying. If your parents developed grey hair early, you may be more likely to experience it early too.