We’ve all heard the wives’ tale about pulling out grey hair to gain two in their place but is it TRUE? You’d be surprised!
It’s going to happen to all of us one day and some of us may be lucky enough to resemble suave icons such as Sean Connery or George Clooney but commonly, we will all go down kicking and screaming at the idea.
Since the beginning of my time in this industry I have heard the excitable regurgitation of an old wives’ tale that refers to the pulling out of grey hair creating more grey hair.
“No don’t pull it out, two more will grow!”
So is there any truth to the tale?
The short answer is – No.
Imagine. Every balding man worldwide would be plucking their hair daily in a mad rush to return a pelt reminiscent of that of a grizzly bear.
Plucking a grey hair out will not make more greys grow. Think about it – If this was the case and pulling out a hair caused the growth of another, then shouldn’t it work for balding men?
Imagine. Every balding man worldwide would be plucking their hair daily in a mad rush to return a pelt reminiscent of that of a grizzly bear.
Perhaps it’s a sensory shock created by plucking out a grey hair that stresses all the other hairs around it, rejecting their colour in protest… Ummmmmm NO! It’s not a community support group of helpless hair looking for leader’s direction.
Unfortunately there is an official diagnosis to the cause of grey hair. It’s a DNA thing, it’s a hereditary thing but more importantly… IT IS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL!
So are we any wiser now? That’s right – Pluck away or channel your inner Clooney and embrace those greys lads!
Scientists propose that a failure of melanocyte stem cells to maintain the production of melanocytes could cause the greying of hair.
These little bad boys create Melanin, the colour within our hair and skin. So, simply- When they’ve had enough, they stop producing and your hair will LOSE it’s natural colour not gain grey.
So are we any wiser now? That’s right – Pluck away or channel your inner Clooney and embrace those greys lads!
Bear photo courtesy of A Syed
