Let the first stone cast be the woman who has never clung to the popular belief that plucking white hair makes it grow more in place and, for that reason alone, he held back from taking that gray wire from the middle of the others.

This theory, which has been passed down for years from generation to generation, has always yielded many doubts, especially among women who want to delay this process as much as possible.

But, after all, what happens to our hair when we pull out the white hair?

Why does hair turn white?

To get into this topic, it is first important to understand why our hair changes color over the years.

According to Luciana Passoni, trichologist from São Paulo, the cause of hair whitening is the decrease in the production of melanin, that is, the pigment responsible for coloring. This lack, in turn, is part of the natural aging process.

It is worth pointing out, however, that there is no age range that determines the beginning of the appearance of baldness, the scientific name given to white hair.

"Some younger people may present it due to genetic factors, stress, diseases, and even the use of medications (such as some antibiotics and anxiolytics), which can accelerate the appearance of white hair," explains the professional.

Read also: Foods that help prevent gray hair

In addition, some studies show that nutritional deficiencies can also affect the pigmentation of hair, leading to a greater amount of gray strands.

"Low levels of serum ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3 and copper may be related to the early onset of white hair," she adds.

As a result, it is believed that, in general, 50% of people at the age of 50 already have half white hair.

Finally, there is still the genetic cause for the premature aging of some people's hair.

"If parents showed gray hairs before or around age 30, it's likely that their children had some alteration in the gene responsible for regulating melanin production, causing the whites to appear earlier, just like in their parents."

After all, does plucking out white hair make more grow?

To the joy of many people who have already done this, the answer is no. However, plucking out a white hair, just like any other strand, goes against the dermatologist's guidelines.

"Let it be clear: it is a myth when they say that if you remove a white hair, four will grow in its place, or none will appear. However, the ideal is not to pull out any hair. This act can weaken the hair root and generate more serious problems in the future", he warns.

Luciana's tip is: try not to run away from this natural process. After all, as soon as the first white hairs appear, it is normal that others start to appear progressively and increasingly faster.

With this, many people resort to coloring, which helps to cover the silver tone of the hair, but also has certain negative points: drying of the hair, the need for constant retouching, and difficulty in finding the right tone are just some of them.

Read also: Excessive chemical procedures can lead to dry hair

For this reason, many women have come to accept their gray hair, investing in modern haircuts that leave aside any impression that gray hair is associated with neglect or lack of care.

How to keep your white hair healthy

As with other types of hair, it is recommended that a capillary schedule be followed to take care of gray hair, including nourishment, hydration, and capillary reconstruction treatments.

"This is because white hair is more porous and dryer than normal," explains the professional.

"The lack of pigmentation is responsible for the dry aspect of this type of hair, so the hydration and nutrition products replenish the water and lipids of the strands, recovering the shine and softness.

Read also: Does moisturizing your hair at home work? Find out here!

Another tip from the trichologist is to use 100% vegetable hair oil, such as coconut or argan, which deeply nourishes the fiber and has a moisturizing action.

"Coconut oil helps restore hair immediately due to its antioxidant power, while argan oil is rich in vitamin D and fatty acids, and protects hair from environmental damage.

"Another important point that should be considered in the care with white hair is in the shower, the ideal is to use water from warm to cold", she concludes.

Source: Luciana Passoni, trichologist, from São Paulo.