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Gray hair is often associated with aging, and while your first instinct may be to pluck the hair from the root and pretend you never saw it, that may not be the best approach for preserving the health of your hair in the long run. Getting your first gray hair can, in fact, have nothing to do with aging at all, and some women notice their locks beginning to change color as early as their twenties due to genetics or even stress. If you’re preparing your course of action for when you do inevitably start to go gray, or you’ve already seen your first silvery strand, there’s one thing that hair experts agree you should never do with these hairs, and exactly how to go gray with grace.
While plucking a singular gray hair may not actually cause two more to grow back in its place, repeatedly plucking gray hairs over time can lead to balding patches and hair loss, doing little good to improve the state of your strands. Although removing the culprit from the source may temporarily rid your scalp of that silvery strand, that hair follicle has already died and will grow back the same shade regardless of your efforts. Plucking grays may not be as catastrophic as it initially seems, but there are better ways to deal with this natural life occurrence that will do more to improve the overall quality of your strands.
Go Lighter
In order to nip graying hair in the bud, pre-lightening your strands to help neutralize the appearance of silver can create the illusion of highlights as your hair grows in. “Pre-lightening the hair lifts the dark strands, leaving the grey hairs unaffected. Then slightly toning it [will] neutralize most of the yellow undertone from dye,” explains Tom Smith, Creative Colour Director for Evo Hair International.
Pre-lightening will help create a more dramatic look as your hair grows in, building contrast at the roots to reduce the bold appearance of grays. “All together this is a youthful and texture adding alternative to silver washed out looking roots,” adds Smith. “Grey/white areas will look like natural textural platinum highlights and keep the brassy fade at bay, while keeping the platinum blonde bright and sparkly.”
Add Some Highlights
Using highlights to your advantage can also help to reduce the stark contrast of gray hairs, allowing this pigment to blend in more effectively. “Work with your stylist and cleverly place highlights around scattered grey hair areas or patches to feature them more while adding subtlety to the appearance of growth,” says Smith. Alternatively, slowly easing your hair towards lighter shades each time you head to the salon can also soften grays as they grow in as well. “Gradually using a lighter dye on your roots each time you go to color [will] lessen the contrast between new growth and dyed color,” he adds.
Cover It Up
Your final option for approaching grays, other than simply leaning into your new stunning silvery look, is to go for a complete cover up. However, Smith notes, this approach is going to take the most effort to maintain when it comes to the longevity of your hair. “For those looking to hide completely, you can always tint and cover them all up entirely. Be prepared for an average 4-5 week maintenance between complete dyes,” he explains. Above all, remember that every hair color is beautiful and opting not to cover up your grays will not actually make you look any older if you rock the style with confidence.
