Scientists have found the cause of graying hair and it may prove to be a life saving discovery. Apparently, there are similarities between the causes of your hair turning gray and the highly deadly form of skin cancer known as melanoma. As a result, the new discovery may help scientists find a cure.

According to a study published in today's issue of the on-line medical journal 'Science,' the loss of hair color is caused by a gradual dying of adult stem cells that generate the pigment in hair follicles. This makes our hair appear brown, blond or red. When the stem cells become depleted in hair follicles, they make more mistakes and as a result, your hair loses color and turns gray.

Apparently, the same system fails to work in the formation of malignant melanoma cells. The cells that munufacture pigmant proliferate uncontrollably and produce cancerous tumors known as melinoma.

'Preventing the graying of hair is not our goal,' said Dr. David Fisher, the senior author of the study. 'Our goal is to prevent or treat melanoma. To the extent that this research is revealing the life cycles of melanocytes, we would love to be able to identify a signal that would make a melanoma cell stop growing.'

Scientists are hopeful that this new discovery can lead to a successful treatment for melanoma which can prevent the deadly form of cancer from spreading or even forming in the first place. Still, reserach will be on going for years before a cure is possible. It is estimated that malignant melanoma kills approximately 7,900 Americans each year.