Gray hair can be reversed, scientists discover
Turns out, going gray might not be a one-way street after all.
Scientists at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine discovered that gray hair happens when certain pigment stem cells (called McSCs) get stuck in your hair follicles, not because they disappear forever.
If these trapped cells can be reactivated, natural hair color could actually come back—a finding that shakes up what we thought about aging.
Stress reduction may help restore color
Other research backs this up: a 2021 study found that reducing stress can help some people regain their hair color, and there are even cases where gray strands naturally turn dark again.
While real treatments for reversing gray hair aren't ready yet, scientists are now exploring both molecular fixes and lifestyle changes to make it possible someday.