How to Get Rid of Grey Hair – From Blending to Full Coverage

There are two professional ways to disguise grey hair: demi-permanent color for natural-looking blending, or permanent color for up to 100% grey coverage. Which one is right for you depends on how much grey you want to cover and the result you're looking for.

So, whether you're starting to disguise those very first white hairs or tackling a large patch of stubborn grey strands, discover your solution with Wella Professionals, the No.1 Salon Color Brand in the World¹.

Let's decode your grey coverage...

First, Why Does Hair Turn Grey?

Your hair gets its natural color from a pigment called melanin, which is produced by cells inside the hair follicles called melanocytes. Over time, these cells gradually start to produce less melanin, and your hair begins to lose its pigment. It's this loss of pigment that makes your hair appear grey or white.

So, when can you expect it to happen? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average age for hair to turn grey is in your 30s or 40s. However, some may experience first greys in their twenties, and others may not notice silver strays until much later in life.

Can Stress Make Your Hair Grey?

Yes, it's true – stress has been shown to accelerate the greying process. When you're stressed, your body may go into 'fight or flight' mode, which is when it can produce a hormone called norepinephrine. Research suggests this hormone causes your pigment-producing cells, melanocytes, to move out of your hair follicles, which in turn may speed up the natural greying process.

Grey Hair vs. White Hair: What's the Difference?

Grey hairs and white hairs both indicate a loss of pigment, but they get their color (or lack of) by the level of remaining melanin.

• If your hair is grey, melanin has started to decline but there's still enough to give your hair a silvery sheen. The color of your surrounding hair can also make it look more or less pigmented, depending on the contrast and the shades it's reflecting.
• If your hair is white, it has little to no melanin left. It may have once been more silvery and, as greying has progressed, turned lighter and lighter.

How to Get Rid of Grey Hair

When disguising grey hair, your colorist can choose between a demi-permanent or permanent hair color formula – demi-permanent for natural-looking blending, and permanent for up to 100% grey coverage.

Blend Greys Away with Demi-Permanent Color

Best for: Soft, low-maintenance regrowth and a seamless, natural look.

Application: On roots, all over, or in highlights/lowlights that help your greys blend in.

Level of grey coverage: Up to 70%².

Color product: Color Touch.

If you simply want to soften greys, so they naturally blend with your base, Color Touch gives you up to 70% coverage² that fades beautifully over 28 washes. This means no demarcation lines; your regrowth appears soft and seamless, while your hair color (mixed from a palette of 90+ shades!) appears rich and radiant, with true-to-tone vibrancy and shine.

Before & After – See Greys Blend Away with Color Touch:

"COLOR TOUCH FADES BEAUTIFULLY AND MAKES ROOM FOR ANOTHER TRANSFORMATION AT THE NEXT VISIT.”

James Earnshaw (@jhair_stylist), Wella Professionals Ambassador

Achieve Up to 100% Grey Coverage with Permanent Color

Best for: Longer-lasting, full coverage for every type of grey – even the stubborn ones.

Level of coverage: Up to 100%. These are your best hair color products for full gray coverage.

Color product: Koleston Perfect for stunning shine and intensity, Illumina Color for youthful luminosity, or Pure Perfection for color that visibly reduces signs of damage³. If it's just root coverage you want, Koleston Xpress is another great option, helping to imperceptibly cover regrowth in just 10 minutes.

Before & After – Up to 100% Grey Coverage with Permanent Color:

"KOLESTON XPRESS HAS BECOME MY GO TO TOOL FOR THOSE UNEXPECTED BLEEDING MARKS. IT HELPS ME QUICKLY CORRECT WHEN NEEDED AND IT'S ALSO EASY TO BREAK THROUGH WHEN HIGHLIGHTING OVER IT.”

Daniel Mora (@danielmbeauty), Wella Professionals Ambassador

How to Care for Hair After Grey Coverage

Over time, hair can become drier and more delicate as the hair fiber and its protective cuticle change with age. Research has found that the cuticle – the hair's protective layer – becomes less resistant to everyday stress as we get older. This can increase porosity, making it harder for your hair to retain its color. What you need is a consistent routine that keeps your grey coverage looking vibrant and healthy...

1. Nourish with a Color-Safe Shampoo

The best color-safe shampoos combine gentle cleansing with shade-protecting ingredients. We love ULTIMATE COLOR Sulfate-Free Shampoo for maintaining grey coverage. This mild, non-stripping wash not only rinses away dulling impurities, but it also removes shade-distorting metals that can accumulate over time. It's your first step in maintaining color vibrancy for up to 10 weeks⁵, giving your grey coverage the care it needs to look fresh in between salon visits.

2. Restore Softness, Shine and Moisture

Just like our hair loses pigment over time, it can also become drier. Use a conditioner or hair mask that focuses on boosting moisture, like ULTIMATE COLOR Miracle Leave-In Mask. Because you don't rinse it out, you also reduce your hair's exposure to water (a key shade-fading culprit), and dry strands enjoy the benefits of the Glycine and B5 blend for longer. Plus, it comes with built-in UV protection, shielding your grey coverage from the dulling effects of sun exposure.

3. Target Damage – Even if You Don't See it Yet

As we enjoy the privilege of getting older, our hair becomes more vulnerable to damage. So, future-proof it with a leave-in treatment that promises deep repair, like ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue. The weightless mist repairs hair damage in 90 seconds⁶ when misted through clean, damp strands, so you have a quick, easy solution that fits into your regimen seamlessly. Not only will it target existing stress, but it will prevent future damage too, so your hair continues to look and feel more youthful.

Grey Coverage FAQs

How Often Will I Need to Touch Up Grey Coverage?

How often you touch up grey coverage depends on the level of grey you're dealing with, and how fast your hair tends to grow. As a rule of thumb, we recommend touch-up color appointments every 6-8 weeks. You don't have to go for an entire head of color every time; if you simply want to target the regrowth, ask your colorist to use Koleston Xpress. This speedy, non-progressive root touch-up covers greys in just 10 minutes.

What Color Cancels Out Grey Hair?

You can use any color to cover grey hair, from copper reds to golden blonde tones, but if soft regrowth is your goal, consider working with a shade that's similar in tone to silver hair. Cooler, lighter shades, like an ash or mushroom blonde, will blend easily with greys, so when your roots grow through, the patches of grey won't stand out as much.

If you already have blonde hair, your colorist may be able to skip the pre-lightening phase, and immediately start toning your hair with a mushroom or ash blonde hue. But if you have dark hair, your colorist will need to lift your hair before toning with an ashy shade. BlondorPlex is perfect for this, as it gives you up to nine levels of lift and up to 97% less breakage⁷. The reduction in breakage is key, as the hair shaft becomes more delicate as we get older, meaning it needs extra care to stay strong and healthy.

What Causes Grey Hair and Can You Reverse It?

As well as ageing, there are a few things that can cause grey hair:

• Stress: Prolonged or intense stress can speed up the greying process.
• Smoking: This increases oxidative stress, which can damage hair follicles, leading to premature greying.
• Vitamin deficiencies: A lack of vitamins, including B12, zinc and iron, can lead to greying hair.
• Medical conditions: Certain autoimmune diseases and thyroid conditions can lead to greying hair.

Once the process starts, you can't reverse greying hair due to changes happening deep within your hair follicles. As hair follicles age, melanocyte stem cells – also known as melanin-producing cells – start to decline, causing your hair to lose its pigment and turn white. You can't revive or replace these melanin-producing cells, meaning silver strands will always grow silver. Your solution is to embrace the change or embrace hair color.

What Causes Grey Hair in Your 20s?

If you're experiencing grey hair in your 20s, there are a few likely causes but the main one is genetics. Genes play a big role in how early your hair will start to grey. If your parents or grandparents began greying in their 20s, there's a good chance you may experience the same.

Other factors that can cause grey hair in your 20s are prolonged or intense stress which can impact the melanin-producing cells in your hair. Nutritional deficiencies, particularly in vitamin B12, iron or zinc levels, can also contribute to a loss of pigment. If you're concerned about early greying, contact a healthcare professional to check if there are any underlying issues.

How Can I Permanently Remove Grey Hair?

There's no permanent way of removing grey hair. Once melanin production has dropped, white strands will always grow through with a grey tint, even if you pluck them (which is not recommended). But you can enjoy a long-lasting solution with a permanent hair color, like Koleston Perfect or Koleston Xpress, which will give you up to 100% coverage in a range of beautifully rich shades. From blonde to red to brown tones, any color is possible. You can even work this season's hottest trends – from copper bronze to rose gold hair – with greys under wraps.

Should You Pluck Grey Hairs?

No, you should never pluck your greys, as tempting as that might be. While plucking grey hairs may be a temporary fix, the melanin is decided in the follicles, so the hair will grow back and still be grey. If you repeatedly pluck grey hairs, it can cause damage to the hair follicles which can disrupt the hair growth cycle. Over time, this damage may lead to reduced hair growth or even permanent hair loss.

How Do I Prevent Grey Hair?

To prevent grey hair, there are a few health and lifestyle changes that you can make:

• Diet and supplements: Eat antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to avoid oxidative stress. Also make sure to consume essential vitamins, including B12, zinc and iron.
• Lifestyle changes: Avoid smoking, reduce stress with exercise and other relaxing activities, shield your hair from UV damage with a hat or scarf, and avoid harsh hair treatments.
• Medical factors: See a doctor for regular check-ups for vitamin deficiencies, thyroid conditions and other medical conditions that could cause premature greying.

Ready to Book Your Grey Coverage?

Find your nearest Wella Professionals salon to get your ideal level of grey coverage, teamed with the glossy, healthy-looking shade you've been dreaming of. Head to the Salon Finder.

¹ Based on Wella Master Brand USD sales on the 2022 Salon Hair Care Study for the hair coloring products category published by Kline.

² With Color Touch Plus.

³ +55% shine, +45% smoothness, +42% nourished look; vs. untreated hair, based on expert panel clinical study.

⁴ FOR PEOPLE NOT ALLERGIC TO HAIR COLORANTS. Although the risk of developing a new allergy is reduced, there remains a risk of allergic reaction that can be severe. Always ask your stylist to perform an Allergy Alert Test 48h before each coloration. Strictly follow safety instructions. If you have ever experienced an allergic reaction to hair colorants, you should not color. ME+ is present in specific shades of Pure Naturals, Rich Naturals, Vibrant Reds, Special Blondes and Deep Browns of the Koleston Perfect brand.

⁵ With regular use of ULTIMATE COLOR regimen from salon to home.

⁶ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

⁷ When using Wellaplex N°2 with Blondorplex, versus Blondorplex alone.