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LiveScience
LiveScience
Victoria Atkinson

Gray hair may have evolved as a protection against cancer, study hints

Asian woman with white skin, gray hair, sitting with her back, Photo of the back.

Graying hair could be a sign that the body is effectively protecting itself from cancer, a new study suggests.

Cancer-causing triggers, such as ultraviolet (UV) light or certain chemicals, activate a natural defensive pathway that leads to premature graying but also reduces the incidence of cancer, the research found.

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