Juliet Jacob 
ABUJA, Nigeria – A new study by researchers at the University of Tokyo suggests that greying hair may act as a natural defence mechanism against melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer.
The research, published in Nature Cell Biology, found that pigment-producing stem cells in hair follicles can shift function when they detect DNA damage. Instead of producing melanin, which gives hair its colour, the cells stop pigment production and redirect their activity to prevent mutations that could lead to melanoma.
“It appears that greying hair is not just cosmetic. It may be a biological strategy,” the researchers said. “Our findings show that pigment stem cells are capable of altering their behaviour to protect the body from malignancies.”
Melanoma occurs when melanocytes — the same cells responsible for hair and skin pigment — grow uncontrollably. The study suggests that the loss of pigment in greying hair may be the body’s way of reducing the risk of those cells becoming cancerous.
The researchers said the findings may open avenues for cancer-prevention therapies based on how cells respond to stress and genetic damage.
“Our hair may be communicating internal conditions more than we realise,” the authors noted.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Otamere Gladness