Serums for Gray Hair: What the Research Says About Care, Color & Sun

No hair serum has been shown to bring color back to gray hair. What serums can do is condition, add shine and help protect hair from the sun, and research on how graying works explains why color is a different problem from hair care.

Here's what the research says about why hair grays, what products can reasonably do for gray hair, and how to choose one.

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Key Takeaways

• Hair greying begins with a gradual decline in pigment production in the hair bulb, including reduced tyrosinase activity.
• Oxidative damage is likely a crucial driver of greying, and once the pigment stem-cell pool is depleted, greying becomes largely irreversible.
• Solar radiation damages hair color, mechanical properties and luster, and hair photoprotection products are aimed at dyed hair and gray shades.
• Hair products that improve the structural integrity of hair fibers, reduce frizz and improve manageability exist.

Why Does Hair Gray?

Graying is one of the earliest visible ageing-associated changes. It's driven by genetic, oxidative, metabolic, nutritional and other factors, and the details are still being worked out.

What Can A Serum Do For Gray Hair?

A serum can condition and add shine, and some products protect against sun. It can't change how pigment cells work. If a product promises to restore your color, ask for the evidence.

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How To Choose A Serum For Gray Hair

• Look for conditioning and shine claims, which are realistic.
• Look for sun protection if you spend time outdoors, since sun damages hair.
• Be skeptical of color-restoring claims. None are supported.
• Patch test new products.

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What The Research Shows

The Biology Of Greying

A review describes human greying as beginning with a gradual decline in melanogenesis, including reduced tyrosinase activity, defective melanosome transfer and apoptosis of pigment cells in the hair bulb. It concludes oxidative damage is likely a crucial driver. Eventually the bulge melanocyte stem cell pool is depleted, at which stage greying becomes largely irreversible. The review noted there is no universally accepted model of greying (O'Sullivan et al., 2021).

Sun And Hair

A review of solar radiation and hair found that ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths harm hair color, mechanical properties, luster, protein content and surface roughness. Hair photoprotection products are mainly aimed at dyed hair and gray shades and usually contain silicones, antioxidants and quaternary UV filters. There are no regulated efficacy standards, so results can't easily be compared (Dario et al., 2015).

What Healthy-Looking Hair Means

A review on healthy hair says shiny hair with smooth texture and intact ends is generally perceived as healthy, and that hair health is affected by age-related changes such as graying. It notes products exist to improve the structural integrity and tensile strength of hair fibers, reduce frizz and improve manageability (Sinclair, 2007).

See also: Glutathione and Gray Hair: What the Science Says · Pearl Extract for Hair: What the Research Shows

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a serum reverse gray hair?

No serum has been shown to restore color to gray hair.

Does gray hair need special care?

Reviews note that sun damages hair color and luster and that products exist for gray shades. We found no study giving a gray-hair-specific routine.

What causes hair to turn gray?

A decline in pigment production in the hair bulb, with oxidative damage as a likely driver.

References

1. O'Sullivan JDB, Nicu C, Picard M, et al. The biology of human hair greying. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2021. PubMed
2. Dario MF, Baby AR, Velasco MV. Effects of solar radiation on hair and photoprotection. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2015. PubMed
3. Sinclair RD. Healthy hair: what is it?. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2007. PubMed