Gray Hair as a Natural Way for the Body to Suppress Cancer? This is the Explanation of the Study

Illustration of hair (istockphoto)

JAKARTA - In addition to being a sign of aging, gray hair is actually related to how the body protects itself from cancer risk. This was revealed in a new study by researchers from The University of Tokyo, published in Nature Cell Biology.

The study focused on the response of hair pigment stem cells to DNA damage. Hair color is determined by the pigment melanin produced by cells called melanocytes.

The cells come from melanocyte stem cells or pigment stem cells that are in the hair follicle. Under normal conditions, these stem cells continue to divide every hair growth cycle to keep the hair color the same.

However, over time due to exposure to environmental factors such as radiation and chemicals, the DNA in the cells can be damaged. Stem cells will stop developing and the hair will change color.

"When pigment stem cells experience DNA damage and reach the limit of division, they will stop developing. As a result, pigment production stops and hair turns gray," biologist Don Bennett said, quoted from Live Science, Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

In this study, it was found that pigment stem cells have two response pathways when faced with DNA damage. One is the safe pathway, which in exposure to certain genotoxicity such as radiation, pigment stem cells will enter a process called senescence-coupled differentiation.

"This is a natural way for the body to get rid of potentially dangerous cells before they develop into cancer," said the lead researcher, Prof. Emi Nishimura.

Another pathway is the risk pathway, in which when pigment stem cells are exposed to carcinogens such as ultraviolet B light or cancer-causing chemicals, this protective mechanism can be bypassed.

The cells survive and continue to divide even though they carry DNA damage. Hair may not turn gray immediately, but this condition can increase the risk of melanoma later.

"Hair that does not turn gray is not always a sign of a healthier condition. In certain contexts, it can actually mean that damaged cells escape the body's safety system," added Nishimura.

However, despite having a relationship, the researchers emphasize that gray hair is not a way for the body to prevent cancer directly. Gray hair is only a sign that potentially dangerous cells have stopped developing.

"Gray hair does not prevent cancer, but reflects a protective mechanism that is active at the cellular level," the research team concluded in Nature Cell Biology.