Gray hair can suddenly appear even in people who have never had gray hair before. Many people have the image that gray hair grows in the elderly, and you may be shocked when you find your gray hair for the first time.

A few gray hairs will inevitably stand out, so you will want to pull them out. However, it is sometimes said that if you pull out the gray hair that grows naturally, the gray hair will increase. To what extent are these rumors about gray hair true?
This time, I would like to introduce NG behaviors that are said to increase such gray hair.

Does gray hair increase when you pull it out?

First, let's take a look at the mechanism of gray hair growth.
Gray hair occurs due to a lack of melanin pigment in the scalp. The hair is originally white in color. Hair color is determined by the combination of two types, "eumelanin", which is black melanin, and "pheomelanin", which is yellow melanin.

It is often rumored that pulling out gray hair will increase even more, but whether or not gray hair will occur depends on the presence or absence of melanin pigment, so it is believed that the act of pulling out hair does not have a direct effect on causing gray hair.

However, if you forcibly pull out gray hairs, you may damage other hair follicles. When the hair follicle is damaged, it can cause inflammation in the wound and damage the healthy hair follicles. If you find gray hair, we recommend that you cover it with a special powder (fiber) to cover it, cut the ends of the hair, or use gray hair dye instead of forcibly pulling it out.

What are the daily NG behaviors that increase gray hair?

So, what actions should you be aware of in order not to increase gray hair?

Excessive dieting

The first NG behavior is excessive dieting.
Dieting with unreasonable dietary restrictions can increase gray hair.

In order to maintain healthy black hair, it is necessary to have nutrients to make hair and energy to produce melanin. When you are undernourished due to excessive dieting, energy expenditure is prioritized to maintain the body's functions, and the energy required to produce melanin pigment is not available.

Accumulating stress

In the second NG, behavior is the accumulation of stress.
Stress is also thought to be a factor that increases gray hair.

Melanin pigment is made from cells called melanocytes, which are similar in nature to nerve cells and are vulnerable to stress. Therefore, when you are stressed, melanocytes do not function properly, which can interfere with the production of melanin and cause your hair to turn white.

It is a good idea to have a means of relieving stress, such as exercising or going out, so that you do not accumulate stress on a regular basis.

Lack of sleep

The third type of bad behavior is sleep deprivation.
In order to grow healthy hair, a substance called growth hormone is needed. This growth hormone is an important substance for controlling the functions of the body, and a decrease in growth hormone may promote an increase in gray hair. And this growth hormone is produced in large quantities during sleep.

It is often said that it is better to go to bed before 3 p.m. not only because it is easier to get a deep sleep, but also because it is said that growth hormone is most secreted for 10 hours from 10 p.m. Sleeping during this time effectively produces growth hormone.

However, there may be times when you are a light sleeper and wake up quickly, or when you have a hard time falling asleep. In such a case, it is a good idea to take measures to improve the quality of sleep, such as reviewing your bedding, stopping looking at your smartphone in the futon, and drinking hot milk before going to bed.

Conclusion

In this way, gray hair does not increase just by pulling it out, but it can damage other pores by pulling it out, or it can increase due to excessive dieting, stress, and lack of sleep.

Don't force your gray hair to pull out, review your daily NG behaviors that affect gray hair, and try to keep your hair healthy by providing enough nutrition to your hair.