Can Gray Hair Be Turned Black Again?

Gray hair appears as we age. When these gray hairs accumulate, they create white hair.

It is often said that gray hair has its own appeal, but many people still express disappointment about it.

“Even if my hair were only black, I would look 10 years younger..."

Many people think this way. That naturally raises the question: can hair that has turned white be made black again?

Today, let’s take a closer look at this topic.

Can Gray Hair Be Turned Black Again? Summary

There is still no definitive treatment to reverse gray hair
However, not all gray hair is at the same stage
If pigment function remains, recovery is theoretically possible
Repigmentation cases have been reported in some drug-related and inflammation-controlled situations
The key to treatment is not “reversing” it, but managing the hair that grows afterward.

Q1. Once hair turns gray, can it never turn black again?

This is a question people ask often.

To put it simply, the accurate answer is: “It is difficult in most cases, but there are exceptions.”

The reason hair is black is because pigment cells in the hair follicle produce and supply melanin, and the source of these pigment cells is melanocyte stem cells (McSCs). If this system is completely exhausted, recovery is essentially impossible.

However, recent studies have shown that before these stem cells disappear completely, they may first

• leave their original location
• become inactive
• or become fixed in the wrong form¹.

In other words, if the “pigment factory” itself has not been completely shut down, there is theoretically still room for reversal.

In clinical practice, there are also very rare cases where newly growing hair becomes darker again. However, this is still far too limited to be a treatment goal.

Q2. Does stress really turn hair white?

Yes, this is not just a simple myth.

Stress increases oxidative stress, and this can be harmful to pigment cells.

Within hair follicles, oxidizing substances such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulate over time, and the ability to neutralize them decreases with age². The pigment cells are the first to be affected in this environment.

Another study reported that as the damage-sensing system (ATM) within the hair follicle weakens, pigment cells become more vulnerable to oxidative stress³.

Clinically, we often see faster progression of gray hair in people with excessive stress, lack of sleep, or chronic inflammation.

Q3. Can supplements turn gray hair black again?

I get this question very often as well.

To be clear, supplements are for “supportive management,” not “recovery.”

In studies of patients with premature canities, associations were found in some cases with micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin B12, biotin, and folic acid⁶.

However, this only matters when the cause of gray hair is nutrient deficiency, and it is difficult to expect an effect when pigment cells have been depleted due to aging.

In clinical practice, there are cases where progression slows in patients who had nutritional imbalance, but it is extremely rare for hair that has already turned white to become black again.

Q4. Will there ever be a time when gray hair can be treated with medication?

At this point, the answer is “there is hope, but reality is limited.”

There is an interesting case.

A patient receiving immunotherapy (anti–PD-1, PD-L1) was reported to have gray hair that grew back black again⁴.

There have also been cases in which repigmentation was observed during anti-inflammatory medication use⁵.

What this suggests is that hair color is not simply the result of aging, but is deeply connected to immune, inflammatory, and cellular signaling systems.

That said, using these medications for the purpose of “treating gray hair” is not realistically or ethically possible.

The benefits are far too small compared with the side effects and risks.

Q5. Then what should people with gray hair do now?

This is where a shift in perspective is needed.

The realistic goal of gray hair treatment is not to turn already grown white hair black again, but to manage changes in the hair that will grow in the future.

The management approach recommended in clinical practice is as follows.

• If the progression is rapid → check for internal medicine or nutritional causes
• Manage stress, sleep, and inflammatory conditions
• Control smoking and excessive drinking
• Be cautious of indiscriminate marketing for “repigmentation treatments”

Gray hair is not simply something that happens because you are getting old. It is a signal that shows how far the body’s pigment system has progressed.

If it has already reached a stage that is difficult to reverse, it is wiser to approach it as a management issue rather than trying to force reversal.

If it is still in a vulnerable stage, the best treatment is to identify the exact cause and reduce unnecessary cost and expectation.

Now it’s time to hairhair, this was Kim Jin-oh.

필생신모(必生新毛).

Written by: Kim Jin-oh, New Hair Plastic Surgery (Public Relations Director, Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons / Academic Director, Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Hair)

References

1. Sun, Q., Lee, S., Lee, J. et al. (2023) Dedifferentiation maintains melanocyte stem cells in a dynamic stem cell niche. Nature.

cited: “McSC system fails earlier than other adult stem cell populations, which leads to hair greying.”

2. Wood, J.M., Decker, H., Hartmann, H. et al. (2009) Senile hair graying: H₂O₂-mediated oxidative stress affects human hair color by blunting methionine sulfoxide repair. FASEB Journal, 23, 2065–2075.

cited: “H₂O₂-mediated oxidative stress affects human hair color by blunting methionine sulfoxide repair.”

3. Sikkink, S.K., Ramirez, R., Smith, M. et al. (2020) Stress-sensing in the human greying hair follicle. Scientific Reports, 10, 1–10.

cited: “Key role of ATM in the protection of human hair follicle melanocytes from oxidative stress.”

4. Rivera, N., Boada, A., Bielsa, I. et al. (2017) Hair repigmentation during immunotherapy treatment with anti–PD-1 and anti–PD-L1 agents. JAMA Dermatology, 153, 1162–1165.

cited: “We report patients with hair repigmentation during their anti–PD-1/anti–PD-L1 treatment.”

5. Yale, K. and Laman, S.D. (2019) Medication-induced repigmentation of gray hair. International Journal of Trichology, 11, 107–110.

cited: “Anti-inflammatory medications inducing gray hair repigmentation were noted in sporadic case reports.”

6. Daulatabad, D., Singal, A., Grover, C. et al. (2017) Prospective analytical controlled study evaluating serum micronutrient levels in premature canities. International Journal of Trichology, 9, 90–94.

cited: “Micronutrient levels including serum Vitamin B12, biotin, and folic acid were assessed.”

[This post was written directly by a board-certified plastic surgeon for informational purposes in accordance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act. Hair loss surgery and treatment may have side effects, so please make a careful decision through consultation with a specialist.]

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