Hair Dryers & Gray Hair

Woman with graying hair, using a hair dryer
Photo: Pathdoc/Shutterstock
Q: Does gray hair increase due to excess use of hair dryers?
 
A: No. The use of hair dryers has not been shown to have any causal or effectual relationship to the development or progression of gray hair. There is no scientific evidence that regular blow drying causes hair to lose its natural pigment or makes it turn gray more quickly.
 
If using a blow dryer could accelerate the process of hair turning gray, we would expect to see people becoming gray at much younger ages, since millions of people - especially young women - use hair dryers on a daily or near-daily basis.
 

Biological Causes of Graying

As far as we currently know, the development of gray hair is primarily controlled by an individual's genetic makeup and other internal biological factors. Hair turns gray when the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in the hair follicle gradually produce less melanin, the natural pigment responsible for hair color. This process is a normal part of aging and is largely determined by genetics.
 
While certain factors have been associated with premature or accelerated greying - including smoking, certain medications, specific medical conditions, nutritional deficiencies, and stress - blow drying the hair is not one of them.
 

Impact of Heat on Hair

Although hair dryers do not cause gray hair, excessive heat can affect the condition and appearance of the hair:
 
• Hair Shaft Damage: Frequent use of very high heat strips the hair's moisture barrier, damages the protective cuticle layer, and can lead to structural breakage, split ends, and a dull appearance.
 
• Tonal Shifts: While heat cannot stop melanin production inside the follicle, extreme heat can sometimes yellow existing white or gray hair by damaging the protein structures of the outer hair shaft.
 
Using a heat protectant spray, keeping the dryer moving, and utilizing lower temperature settings will protect the physical integrity of your hair, even though your natural color remains determined by your genes.
 
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See also:
 
Going gray
 
Why and how hair turns gray
 
What are the physical effects of blow drying on the hair structure?