08/08/2025
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Good news for anyone watching their hair turn silver strand by strand, science may have just uncovered a way to reverse graying at its root, literally. A recent study reveals that the loss of hair color might be caused by pigment stem cells (McSCs) getting “stuck” inside the hair follicle, preventing them from doing their job. These cells are normally in constant motion, traveling between compartments in the follicle to stay flexible and ready to create pigment. But with age or stress, many get trapped in a zone called the follicle bulge, causing the color to fade.
In lab tests with mice, researchers at NYU Langone Health observed that follicles with these immobile cells stopped producing pigment, leading to gray hairs. Meanwhile, follicles where stem cells remained active and mobile continued to create melanin, the substance that gives hair its rich color. The key takeaway? It’s not that the cells are dead or gone, they’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The researchers believe this same “stem cell jamming” likely happens in humans too. If scientists can develop ways to keep McSCs moving or reset their location, future treatments might bring back natural hair color, without dyes or chemicals. For millions longing for their youthful locks, this discovery could signal the end of going gray for good.
Source: Nature, 2023 | DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05960-6 | PMID: 37076619 | PMCID: PMC10132989
