Grey hair is one of the clearest signs that age is catching up with you, but it’s nothing to fear. In fact, some people begin greying as early as their teens. So, sporting a few silver strands doesn’t mean the end of the world. Interestingly, the hair you see as grey may not actually be grey at all. It’s all about your body’s ability to produce melanin in specific hair follicles.
Grey hair has long been the subject of myths and misconceptions. In this list, we’re setting the record straight by debunking 10 of the most common (and often ridiculous) myths about those silver strands.
1. Dyeing Your Hair Makes It Go Grey Faster
Parents often use this old chestnut to discourage teens from dyeing their hair electric blue or deep purple. But the truth? Hair dye doesn’t accelerate the greying process. The pigment in the follicle determines hair colour, not what’s applied externally. Dyes simply change the colour of the hair that’s already grown, not what’s coming next.
2. If You Pluck One Grey Hair, Seven More Will Grow
From two to seven—there’s no shortage of variations on this myth. But let’s be clear: hair isn’t out for revenge. Plucking a grey hair doesn’t cause more to grow in its place. Each strand grows from its own follicle, and removing one has no bearing on the others.
That said, frequent plucking can damage the follicle and lead to hair thinning over time, so maybe leave the tweezers alone.
3. Stress Causes Grey Hair
The infamous tale of Marie Antoinette turning grey overnight while awaiting execution gave rise to this myth. While the idea of “going grey from stress” is compelling, there’s no scientific evidence that stress directly causes greying.
However, stress can accelerate ageing in the body, including the skin and hair follicles, potentially speeding up the natural loss of melanin. Stress is more likely to cause hair loss than to change its colour, though.
4. The ‘50% at 50’ Rule
A popular belief is that by the age of 50, 50% of your hair will be grey. Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it?
In reality, a global study in 2021 debunked this idea. It found that fewer than 25% of people had half their hair greyed by age 50. Like many ageing myths, this one just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
5. Too Much Sun Causes Grey Hair
Sunshine does wonders for your mood and vitamin D levels, but it’s also a culprit in skin ageing. However, it doesn’t directly cause grey hair. The real reason for greying is the body’s decreasing ability to break down hydrogen peroxide produced in hair follicles, which eventually bleaches the strands.
Sun exposure can contribute to this process indirectly, but it’s far from the sole cause.
6. Does Hair Turn Grey, or Does Grey Hair Grow?
Once hair has grown from your scalp, it doesn’t change colour—unless you dye it. Grey hair isn’t hair that turned grey; it’s new growth that simply lacks pigment. So when your dyed strands grow out, it’s not your old hair changing—it’s just your natural, pigment-free hair growing in.
Every hair strand has a lifecycle and is eventually replaced. Grey hair, like any other, grows anew.
7. Your Lifestyle Affects Greying
So, is it genes or lifestyle? The answer is: a bit of both. While genetics play a major role, lifestyle choices can also influence the rate at which your hair loses pigment.
Poor diet, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress can accelerate cellular ageing, including in your hair follicles. Ensuring a healthy, balanced lifestyle may not prevent grey hair, but it could delay its arrival.
8. Grey Hair Is Actually White
Yes, really! What we see as “grey” is actually an optical illusion caused by the mixture of coloured and unpigmented (white) hairs. A strand of grey hair has no pigment at all—it’s essentially bleached by hydrogen peroxide from within the follicle.
When enough of your hair turns white, the overall appearance becomes grey due to the mix with your remaining pigmented strands.
9. Genetics Determine When You Go Grey
This one’s true. Genetics are the most significant factor in determining when you start to grey. Research shows that people of Asian descent often grey earlier than those of Caucasian or African descent. Family history is also a strong indicator—if your parents or grandparents greyed early, you’re likely to follow suit.
10. You Can Laser Away Grey Hair
Laser hair removal has become increasingly popular for body and facial hair, but what about grey hair? While laser treatments can remove hair at the root, they don’t prevent regrowth forever. Additionally, lasers target pigment, so they’re less effective on grey (non-pigmented) hairs.
If you’re thinking of using lasers to deal with grey hair on your scalp, just know it may leave you temporarily bald—but it won’t cure the grey.
Final Thoughts: Embracing the Grey
Grey hair isn’t something to hide or fear; it’s a natural part of life and ageing. Whether you choose to embrace your silver strands or cover them up with dye, understanding the facts can help you make informed decisions without falling for outdated myths.
Have you started greying yet? Was it something you worried about at first, or have you embraced it with pride? Share your story in the comments below; we’d love to hear from you!
And don’t forget to share this article with friends or family who might still be falling for these grey hair myths. Let’s set the record straight together.