Gray hair is a natural sign of aging, but new research suggests it might not be inevitable. By using drugs that stimulate part of the immune system, researchers think they may be able to restore pigment to hair that’s gone gray to prevent or even reverse the process.

How it Works

The idea started with an unexpected finding in cancer patients. In a study published in JAMA Dermatology in 2017, researchers found that 14 lung cancer patients who were treated with an immunotherapy drug also experienced the re-pigmentation of their gray hair.

Researchers believe that losing melanocytes as we age is the major reason why we gray. Getting the pigment back is a matter of rejuvenating that pigmentation system by reactivating those stem cells.

So far, researchers have only tested the immunotherapy treatment in cells and animal models. But the results have been as dramatic as those seen in the 14 cancer patients.

More and larger-scale research in humans will be needed before the treatment has a chance of hitting the market. For now, there aren’t any approved treatments to reverse or stop hair from going gray.

Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.