Trying to figure out how to cover gray hair can be stressful enough to, well, cause even more gray hairs to sprout. And while many of us would love to book monthly salon appointments to deal with our strays, the reality is that many of us don't have the time -- or money -- to run to our colorist every month.

Whether you have a few rogue white hairs or are a full-blown silver fox, there are plenty of ways to hide your gray hairs that don't require the help of a professional. Here, we've gathered tips from top colorists on the easiest ways to cover unwanted grays.

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The situation: You do one final mirror check before stepping out the door to meet that hot date and that's when you spot it: A single, blindingly white, can-be-seen-from-the-moon white hair. Obviously, you want to get rid of it stat, but what's the speediest strategy?

The fix: Your instinct may be to pluck your gray right away, but experts say you should resist the urge. "If you are noticing only a couple of grays, I would recommend to snip at the root and never pluck," says Johnny Ramirez, co-founder and owner of Ramirez Tran salon. According to Kari Hill, celebrity colorist, tweezing grays "can often damage the integrity of the hair follicle." Meaning: The plucked gray hair can grow back as a wiry, kinky strand that's more of an eyesore than silver strays.

The situation: Finding that first gray hair was bad enough but now that lone gray wolf has started to form a wolf pack that's growing larger every day. Still, you can't bring yourself to rationalize booking (and spending money) on a salon visit to squash this silver squad. Thankfully, there are frugal ways to temporarily tint your random gray hairs. Namely, with affordable coloring products, as well as everyday items that most of can find in our makeup bags.

The fix: When attempting to hide a handful of gray hairs, the right tools are key. Kyle White, lead hair colorist at the Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City, recommends reaching for a color marker like the Oscar Blandi Pronto Colore Root Touch-Up & Highlighting Pen Duo to shade in gray stragglers. "The application is precise and won't color your scalp like a spray might on thin hair," says White of the temporary color that comes out after every wash. "Also, it doesn't flake or rub off, and after it dries, markers can even be brushed through."

White also likes hair mascara for this purpose because the "applicator puts temporary color just where you want it." Can't get your hands on either of the above products? If you're in a pinch, Hill suggests reaching for a traditional mascara or eyeliner as a quick, "on-the-spot" solution to ridding yourself of pesky grays.

The situation: OK, so you may not have the time or patience to color in your gray hairs every morning -- especially if you have more with each passing month. If you're looking for a more permanent solution to hiding your gang of grays, but don't want to deal with the maintenance that comes with dyeing your entire head of hair, there's a more fuss-free solution to obscuring a few rogue strands.

The fix: "At the salon, I recommend highlights or lowlights to camouflage the gray because it subtly disguises them without the maintenance or need of a base color," says Ramirez. In other words, you won't have to deal with gnarly roots that require you to run to your stylist as soon as your color starts to grow out.

But as Hill cautions, you shouldn't expect highlights to achieve 100 percent coverage: "Strategically placed highlights can help with minimizing the gray for a more blended look with the natural hair color," she explains. "Ultimately, the strategy is to target or camouflage the gray with a highlight that merges with that natural hair color."

The situation: You've done everything you can to keep your grays at bay, but the day has finally come when your hair is more salt than pepper. If you have too many gray hairs to hide via products or highlights -- and you don't want to claim a new identity as a silver fox -- it may be time to consider dyeing all of your locks. But are there special things to keep in mind when coloring silver strands?

The fix: "If the client would rather cover [grays], I recommend [dyeing hair] only when the client is more than 50 percent grey because it is less likely to fade to a brassy tone," says Ramirez.

You can also ask your stylist for professional dye that's specifically formulated for gray hair. "If you're aiming to cover grays, Redken Chromatics Beyond Cover offers ammonia-free hair color to clients with 75 percent or more grays and creates hair that is twice as smooth and fortified," says Tracey Cunningham, Redken's creative consultant for color. As for maintenance, Cunningham offers this little known pro tip when dealing with roots: Opt for a lighter color around your hairline where delicate baby hairs tend to grow. "Otherwise, it starts looking really dark because the hairs around your face are like facial hair and the colors absorb differently," she explains.