The Truth About How to Prevent Grey Hair
The privilege of growing older means that, at some point, you may experience grey hair. It could be a fine, even scattering of silvers or an all-over head of salt 'n' pepper strands. Either way, those greys are a symbol of life; a natural and normal phenomenon. And there's no right or wrong way to approach your grey hair. Blend it, cover it, or even embrace it like the stars on the red carpet.
But, if you're wondering how to prevent hair turning silver, the answer is slightly more complicated. Grey and white hairs happen when your hair follicles stop producing melanin, causing strands to lose their pigment. So, is it an irreversible process? We've got the full lowdown on going grey gracefully, including tips on how to disguise silver strands – if you want to, of course.
Why Does Hair Turn Grey?
It all comes down to melanin production. Our skin, hair and eye colour are each determined by human melanocytes, which are melanin-producing pigment cells that exist all throughout the body. As we get older, the number of melanocytes in our hair follicles decreases, causing the hair shaft to lose its pigment and appear silvery-grey. But it's not just ageing hair that plays a critical role in grey strands; it's thought that other aggressors, such as pollution or UV exposure, can also impact hair bulb melanocytes. And, despite popular belief, the hair is not truly grey; it's white, but when light is refracted off the hair, it creates an optical illusion that makes strands look silver.
Can Premature Greying Be Prevented?
In some cases, grey hair may be prevented (or at least slowed down), but this is only true if genetic factors aren't at the root of premature greying. For many of us, our DNA decides how soon and how quickly our hair will turn grey. From there, you can decide whether to wholeheartedly celebrate your greys or transform them with your dream colour.
However, outside of the natural aging process, there are certain inflammatory factors that are believed to speed up premature greying. Oxidative stress, emotional stress and nutritional deficiencies (including a lack of vitamin B5) have all been linked to greying, aging hair. More research into melanocyte cell biology is needed to understand just how real these risks are. But, in the meantime, there’s no downside to eating a balanced diet rich in vitamin B5 or taking steps to reduce chronic stress in your life. So why not give it a try?
Can You Reverse Grey Hair?
The greying of hair is an irreversible process. Once hair pigmentation is lost, it's not possible to give individual hair strands their original colour back. However, if you want to disguise the colour, you can do so with a trip to the salon. With so many solutions now available, it’s easier than ever to keep grey and white hair concealed.
Image Credit: @danielmbeauty
So, How Do You Disguise Grey Hair?
Blend with Highlights
Image Credit: @louisejordanbellissimo
If you don't want to cover grey strands, but help them blend with the rest of your hair instead, try highlights. Woven in between and over the top of silver strays, a scattering of lighter pieces brightens up your overall look. Plus, they make way for a softer demarcation line for any grey hair growth. Highlights are also a great way of transitioning to a full head of grey, as you can ask your colourist to tone them silver and blend them in with the rest of your hair. To care for aging hair, request BlondorPlex as your pre-lightener. It gives you up to 97% less breakage*, thanks to a bond-strengthening boost of our innovative WellaPlex ingredient.
Soften Grey Hair Growth
When natural-looking grey blending is your goal, ask your colourist for Color Touch. The demi-permanent formula is low on damage, high in vibrancy, and comes in 80+ intermixable shades. Any colour is possible, from blondes to browns to reds and even bolds, so you can work 2025’s most covetable colour trends while maintaining hair health. And with up to 70% grey coverage (using Color Touch Plus), it’s perfect for softening silver strands, so they appear to seamlessly blend in with your base colour.
Get Full, Intense Coverage
For up to 100% grey coverage, your colourist might use a permanent hair colour, like Koleston Perfect. The iconic formula is especially useful when targeting the stubborn silver strands commonly found through coarser hair types. It penetrates the hair strand deeper, so the colour molecules tint white hairs from the inside out, and any shade is possible, from honey blonde to dark chocolate to copper red. Plus, Koleston Perfect can be used for a whole range of services, whether you want a colour correction, sweeps of balayage, one-step lightening and toning (with Special Blonde shades) or an all-over shade.
How Can You Enhance Grey Hair?
If you’re ready to show off your greys in their best light, there are three easy ways to enhance your hair. From adding dimension to boosting shine, try these grey hair treatments and techniques:
1. Add a Little ‘Pepper’ with Lowlights
Put the pepper in salt ‘n’ pepper hair by asking your colourist to break up white strands with lowlights. They can mix up a tone that mimics the natural colour of darker greys and apply in tactical sweeps through the lengths and ends of your hair. Not only will this make your grey hair appear more dimensional, but it will also give the illusion of extra volume – ideal if you have fine hair.
2. Tone and Glaze White Hairs
Ask your colourist for a SHINEFINITY Colour Glaze to brighten your greys with zero damage. This high-shine, translucent veil of colour can be used to neutralize yellow tones and elevate icy whites. Or, if you love your existing colour but want more luminosity, you can book a clear SHINEFINITY Glaze, which works like a gloss-boosting topcoat to transform even dull, dry hair.
3. Neutralize with Purple Shampoo
Purple shampoo isn’t just for blondes. The violet pigment in INVIGO Blonde Recharge Cool Blonde Shampoo can cool down excess warmth in any head of hair, including a silvery mane. Keep it in your kit for those days when white strands look a little yellow, and in one wash it will refresh your tone for a clean, crisp, covetable grey look.
Looking for more ways to disguise or embrace grey hair? Discover our Grey Coverage Guides, with ideas for every hair type, colour and style.
* When using Wellaplex N°2 with Blondorplex, versus Blondorplex alone.
** When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue