When individuals are troubled by their greying hair, some may find plucking it to be the easiest solution. However, many Chinese people hesitate to do so for a specific reason.
A prevalent folk belief suggests that plucking one white hair will lead to three more white strands growing in its place. Some even go as far as claiming that 10 white hairs will sprout after plucking just one.
Medical experts have clarified that this notion is purely a superstition. Yang Dingquan, a trichologist at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, explained that the colour of hair is determined by the melanin produced in the hair follicles and transferred to the growing hair.
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Typically, when a hair is plucked from its follicle, only one new hair will grow back in that location.
Removing a white hair does not stimulate the production of melanin in the hair follicle, which means the new hair is likely to remain white.
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