Curly crop of hair leaving your head a mess? Soon, setting it straight can be as simple as popping a pill like you do when you get a headache.
Current research has isolated particular variances in trichohyalin gene as being the factor responsible for creating curly hair, opening the possibility for creating an orally-administered treatment that controlled how curly, wavy or straight your top became. That’s right, no more trips to the hair salon or spending a good part of the morning using a straightening iron – just pay a visit to your favorite drugstore and get the hair you’ve always wanted.
The findings, which appear in the American Journal of Human Genetics, were revealed by the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), who drew the conclusion from data collected for 5,000 Australian twins over a 30-year period. Variations in that specific gene, which is also responsible for the development of hair follicles, create an amino acid change, which, in turn, affects how much your locks resemble those on Little Orphan Annie.
According to Professor Nick Martin, who led the research, they will be discussing possible products to build around the discovery with a cosmetic company in Paris this January.  They’re also looking into possible forensic uses as well as for pre-natal examinations.
[via DailyMail]