Why is my grey hair so dry and brittle?

Author: Cloyd Shanahan  |  Last update: Friday, June 13, 2025

Gray hair is thinner than hair with natural color because its cuticle is thinner. Your hair needs that natural protection from water, ultraviolet rays from the sun, humidity, chemicals, and heat styling. Without that barrier, your hair loses water. So your gray will feel dry, fragile, and coarse.

How to fix dry brittle gray hair?

“Gray hair needs more moisture than non-gray hair,” says Longsworth. Aside from the conditioners corresponding to your chosen shampoo, a hydrating mask or deep conditioner can be a thoughtful addition. Briogeo's mask is always a good idea, known to revive dry, damaged hair after just a few uses.

How can I make my grey hair soft and silky?

How to make gray hair soft, shiny, and silver
  1. Use a hydrating shampoo regularly. ...
  2. Swap in a clarifying shampoo. ...
  3. Use a purple shampoo and conditioner. ...
  4. Use a serum for shine. ...
  5. Use hairspray the right way. ...
  6. See a hair stylist for a keratin treatment. ...
  7. Do weekly deep conditioning masks. ...
  8. Get a gloss treatment.

Why does my grey hair feel like straw?

Hair dyes lift the layers of the cuticle so the color gets in. This leaves an open gap on the hair shaft. The peroxide (or bleach) in the dye removes your natural color, and this is what leaves your hair feeling like straw.

What is the best moisturizer for grey hair?

Dr. Camp recommends using products made with strengthening and moisturizing oils, like argan oil, jojoba oil, and avocado oil. Ingredients like shea butter, volumizing keratin, and protective silicones (including dimethicone) are also good to look for.

THE SCIENCE OF GRAY HAIR: WHY IT'S DRY & HOW TO REVIVE IT

How do I hydrate my gray hair?

Opt for sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners that are packed with hydrating ingredients like argan oil, shea butter or glycerin. Treat your tresses to regular deep conditioning sessions to replenish lost moisture and revive your hair's natural vitality.

What is the best shampoo and conditioner for dry, gray hair?

Our Best Moisturizing Shampoos for Gray Hair
  • Matrix Food For Soft Shampoo. ...
  • Mizani Moisture Fusion Clarifying Shampoo. ...
  • Redken All Soft Shampoo. ...
  • Pureology Hydrate Shampoo. ...
  • Biolage Professional Hydra Source Shampoo. ...
  • Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Shampoo. ...
  • L'Oréal Professional Serie Expert Silver Shampoo. ...
  • Matrix So Silver Shampoo.

What is grey hair syndrome?

Collapse Section. Griscelli syndrome is an inherited condition characterized by unusually light (hypopigmented) skin and light silvery-gray hair starting in infancy. Researchers have identified three types of this disorder, which are distinguished by their genetic cause and pattern of signs and symptoms.

What oil is best for grey hair?

Argan Oil: “Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, argan oil is excellent for moisturizing and nourishing gray hair without making it greasy​​,” she says.

What does baking soda do to gray hair?

Regarding using baking soda for gray hair, experts endorse its potential benefits such as controlling pigmentation loss, lightening the strands, and providing texture. It can be used on coarse grey locks to make them smoother too by eliminating product buildup from oils or soaps.

Why is my gray hair so frizzy?

,d turns gray, the hair cuticles are disrupted and the sebaceous glands secrete less oil than before, causing the overlapping layers to have a different texture that's rougher and frizzier. "Gray hair gets frizzy due to loss of moisture due to lower sebum production," explained hairstylist Alice Rawling.

What is the best serum for gray hair?

Our Top Picks
  • Best Gray Hair Treatment Overall: Arey To The Root Serum, $55.
  • Best for Slowing Grays: Vegamour Gro-Ageless Hair Serum, $78.
  • Best for Thinning Hair: Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum, $64.
  • Best Naturally-Derived Formula: Leonor Greyl Paris Serum Energisant, $120 $90.

What not to use on gray hair?

Hair products with alcohol are a no-no for gray hair. As gray hair already struggles in keeping moisture and adding alcohol to your hair will only dry out even more and make it look even wirier.

How do you rehydrate dry brittle hair?

How to Hydrate Dry, Brittle Hair
  1. Look for products that are formulated for your hair type (for example, chemically treated hair).
  2. Choose products that contain moisturizing ingredients such as coconut oil and vitamins E or B5.
  3. Avoid shampoos that contain sulfates, which can strip the natural oils from your hair.

Why is my gray hair so fragile?

Your hair needs that natural protection from water, ultraviolet rays from the sun, humidity, chemicals, and heat styling. Without that barrier, your hair loses water. So your gray will feel dry, fragile, and coarse.

What deficiency causes dry brittle hair?

Vitamin D deficiency can manifest as dry, brittle hair that breaks easily. Moderate to excessive shedding and thinning hair may also occur. Studies have even proven that low levels of vitamin D are also responsible for premature graying. Diagnosing vitamin D deficiency involves a simple blood test to check levels.

What is the best product for hair that feels like straw?

Look for natural moisturisers, such as argan oil, coconut oil or shea butter, and soothing components, such as menthol (peppermint oil for hair is a good source of menthol). If you have scalp problems, try a medicated formula (such as a ketoconazole shampoo or Nizoral shampoo).

Why does my gray hair feel like straw?

Gray hair has a different texture because your hair loses the pigment or melanin and the hair follicle doesn't produce as much sebum. 2 The sebum is the oil your body naturally produces to hydrate your hair. As a result, gray hair often feels more coarse, dry, and wiry, but using the right hair products can help.

Can B12 reverse gray hair?

Premature graying may be reversed with vitamin B12 supplementation only if vitamin B12 deficiency is the cause. If you are graying due to other factors, such as genetics, zinc deficiency, and medications, your gray hair cannot be reversed.

What is the Wahlberg syndrome?

Wallenberg syndrome is also called lateral medullary and posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome. This neurological disorder is associated with various symptoms that result from damage to the lateral segment of the medulla posterior to the inferior olivary nucleus.

What is stress gray hair?

A new study shows that stress really can give you gray hair. Researchers found that the body's fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. Your hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.

How do you rehydrate dry grey hair?

To quench your parched grays, harness the deep moisturizing properties of natural butters and oils, including shea butter, olive oil, or coconut oil. On a cautionary note, applying too much of these intense oils can leave thin or fine hair greasy and weighed down.

What does purple shampoo do to grey hair?

Purple shampoo has been used for decades by hairdressers, mostly to help tone and neutralize blonde and gray hair, getting rid of brassy or yellow tones for an overall more cool-toned look.

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