What causes gray hair to turn yellow?

Yellow-tinted shampoo and conditioner, chlorine, chemicals in water, and excess sunlight exposure can cause gray hair to turn yellow, according to Oprah. Gray hair has very little pigment and easily picks up the pigment from things in the environment.

A person can reduce yellow pigmentation in gray hair by washing her hair with a shampoo and conditioner designed for gray hair. She should only use hair products intended for gray hair once a week to avoid giving gray hair a blue tint, explains Oprah. For daily use, an untinted shampoo and conditioner are best. Installing a shower head with a filter and wearing a hat when outdoors are other ways to eliminate a yellow tint from gray hair.