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Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19(14):4588-4607. doi:10.7150/ijbs.86911 This issue Cite

Review

Reversing Gray Hair: Inspiring the Development of New Therapies Through Research on Hair Pigmentation and Repigmentation Progress

Zhaorui Feng^1,2#, Yi Qin^1,2#, Guan Jiang^1,2✉

1. Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
2. Department of Dermatology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
# These authors have contributed equally to this work.

✉ Corresponding author: Guan Jiang, Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221002, China. Email: dr.guanjiangedu.cn.

Abstract

Hair graying is a common and visible sign of aging resulting from decreased or absence of melanogenesis. Although it has been established that gray hair greatly impacts people's mental health and social life, there is no effective countermeasure other than hair dyes. It has long been thought that reversal of gray hair on a large scale is rare. However, a recent study reported that individual gray hair darkening is a common phenomenon, suggesting the possibility of large-scale reversal of gray hair. In this article, we summarize the regulation mechanism of melanogenesis and review existing cases of hair repigmentation caused by several factors, including monoclonal antibodies drugs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), immunomodulators, other drugs, micro-injury, and tumors, and speculate on the mechanisms behind them. This review offers some insights for further research into the modulation of melanogenesis and presents a novel perspective on the development of clinical therapies, with emphasis on topical treatments.

Keywords: hair repigmentation, hair pigmentation, melanogenesis, targeting drugs, topical treatments

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