Found your first gray hair while brushing? Don’t rush to pluck it out yet—4 ways to tackle stress-induced premature grays
Put that gray hair down, we’ve got better ways to deal with it
Summary
- When gray hair appears before age 35, it’s usually due to stress and poor nutrition. It’s recommended to use small scissors to trim close to the roots instead of plucking them out.
- Actor Kim Jung-nam achieved fuller hair with fewer grays and a healthier condition by drinking homemade black soybean milk for 6 straight months.
- For patches of gray hair, you can use Herbatint gentle herbal hair dye or the popular emergency touch-up brush from Daiso.
- Korean salons are into a technique called “Care Bridge,” which blends gray hair naturally into lighter highlights.
You’re only in your 20s or 30s, yet you spot a few noticeable white hairs while brushing your hair? Don’t worry just yet. Genetics are one factor you can’t change, but today’s high-stress pace of life and inadequate nutrition are often the main causes of premature graying. White hairs that appear before age 35, in particular, may be your scalp’s cry for more nutrients.
When a few white hairs first start bothering you, rather than plucking them out to keep them out of sight, try a gentler way of caring for your scalp. We’ve rounded up 5 practical tips, from everyday care to cosmetic cover-ups, to help you face premature graying with ease.
1. Daily dietary care: Nourish your scalp with black beans
Diet is the foundation of healthy hair. Korean actress Kim Jung-nan once shared her “black bean hair-care method”: for 6 months, she made and drank her own black bean milk using a soy milk maker. She found that her hair became fuller and that the rate at which white hairs grew slowed noticeably. After seeing the benefits of black beans, she even began adding chia seeds, a type of black bean, to her rice when cooking. Even more than a month after her last dye job, there were hardly any visible roots along her hairline, where white hairs tend to grow.
2. Basic care: Relieve stress with a scalp serum
Beyond the nutrients you consume, a skincare step that delivers nourishment directly to the scalp is just as important. Since white hairs that appear before age 35 are often linked to stress and nutritional deficiencies, adding a scalp serum to your daily hair-care routine can be a worthwhile investment. After washing your hair, apply the serum and gently massage it in with your fingertips. It can ease tension in the scalp while delivering nutrients directly to the roots, creating a healthier environment for hair follicles to grow.
3. Change your grooming habits: Use small scissors instead of plucking
Your first instinct upon spotting a white hair may be to pull it out, but hairstylists consider this a major no-no. They warn that plucking white hairs can easily damage the follicles and may even lead to hair loss. If you only have a few scattered white hairs, the safest approach is to carefully trim them close to the roots with small scissors, such as nail scissors. It addresses the immediate concern without putting strain on your scalp.
4. Gentle coverage: Low-chemical dyes and emergency touch-ups
Once you have enough white hair to need coverage, choosing a gentle hair dye becomes key. Model Han Hye-jin touches up her gray hair every 2 weeks with Herbatint Permanent Haircolor Gel. The formula contains far fewer chemical ingredients. Its coloring effect may be slightly less intense, but it has none of the harsh dye smell, leaving only a light herbal scent.
Beyond this article, the following recent stories are also worth checking out:
- Thanks for leading the way: Do you rely on a “nav friend” so you don’t have to think on trips? Turns out they’re quietly under a lot of pressure
- No more rushing to the salon: actresses are boldly embracing natural roots, making Root Shadow gradient color the key hair trend of 2026
- Don’t Let Age Limit Your Skincare: Are “luxury” products really only for 35+ women? Your skin condition is what really matters
