Gray?

January 10th, 2026| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

Those gray hairs we don’t like? That we like to dye and color black (or something else)? Well, they may be doing us good.

You (and I) have hair follicles—hair factories. And stem cells in those hair follicles are the factory workers responsible for initiating and maintaining hair growth. They keep on dividing and multiplying, almost permanently, unlike mature cells that are doomed to die. Among these stem cells are the melanocyte stem cells—painters!—that can, in each hair cycle, mature to become melanocytes producing the melanin that colors the hair (and then they die).

Scientists from the University of Tokyo decided to study these melanocyte stem cells. What happens to these “painters” when they are damaged—due to radiation, sun damage, environmental stressors, etc.? Do they become cancers, as is the common fate of many damaged cells? The researchers published their surprising results in Nature: Cell Biology a few months ago: “Antagonistic Stem Cell Fates Under Stress Govern Decisions Between Hair Greying and Melanoma.”

Apparently, the damaged melanocyte stem cells—that aren’t mature, remember?—don’t just go quietly. Instead, they get forced into maturity as regular melanocytes (pigment producing cells) which being mature, stop dividing permanently (and then … die). In other words, damaged cells are blocked by the body from remaining as stem cells: they are blocked, braked, and busted once and for all. They get a one-way ticket to maturity … and to death. Leaving uncolored (gray) hairs.

In short, each silver strand in your scalp is a sign of successful elimination of cells that had been damaged and were potentially cancerous.

The studies were done in mice lacking a protein called p53, a major DNA damage detector. These rodents kept their dark fur even after radiation that, in other normal mice, led to graying. The DNA-damaged cells flew under the detection radar in these abnormal mice that couldn’t “see” the damage (without p53), potentially remaining to cause cancers.

Conclusion:

People who gray early or extensively, especially in sun-exposed areas like the temples and crown, may have particularly active protective mechanisms. Each gray hair is a follicle where the body identified damage and chose elimination over risk, resulting in those whites.”

The paradox is clear. Fewer stem cells (and more gray hair) can protect against cancer by limiting the pool of (damaged) melanocyte stem cells available for transformation. Visible aging in this case reflects invisible protection.

See, God knew what he was doing!

At any rate, God is with us, even when the hairs of our head turn color. Nothing to worry!

My mouth will recount Your righteousness, [and] all day Your deliverance;
for I do not know their count.
I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord Yahweh;
I will remember Your righteousness, Yours alone.
God, You have taught me from my youth, and until now I announce Your wonders.
And even unto old age and grayheadedness, God, do not abandon me,
until I announce Your strength to [that] generation, [and] to all who are to come, Your mighty deeds,
and Your righteousness, God, unto the height [of heaven].
You who have done great things—God, who is like You?
You who have caused me to see many distresses and evils, You give me life once again,
and from the depths of the earth will bring me up once again.
May You increase my greatness, and turn around [and] comfort me.
Yes, I—I will give You thanks with an instrument, the harp, [I will praise] Your truth, my God;
I will make music to You with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 71:15–22

SOURCE: Study Finds; Nature: Cell Biology