Myth - Does Plucking One Grey Hair Cause More to Grow

Fact - No, it doesn't. However, plucking your grey hair will grow in the same spot and not elsewhere! The belief that plucking one grey hair will cause more to grow is a myth. Hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. As these cells reduce their pigment production with age, hairs turn grey or white. Plucking a grey hair removes it from the follicle, but it does not affect the surrounding follicles. Each hair follicle operates independently, and the act of plucking one hair does not stimulate the production of more grey hairs in its vicinity.

However, repeatedly plucking hairs can potentially damage the hair follicle. If the follicle is damaged, it might stop producing hair altogether, leading to thinning or bald patches over time. While this doesn’t mean more grey hairs will grow, it does suggest that frequent plucking is not a good practice for maintaining healthy hair. To manage grey hairs, other methods such as dyeing or cutting are more effective and less damaging to the follicles.