The pill that gives you straighter hair

By Lucy Halfhead  on Tuesday 8 December 2009

• Print
• Share
• Comment

A 'curly hair gene' has been discovered by scientists, paving the way for a pill that could perform the same function as hair straighteners.

The discovery will also make it possible to predict whether a baby will have straight or curly hair.


And the new information will also allow detectives to use DNA to produce more accurate efits of their suspects. Researcher Professor Nick Martin said: ‘The most immediate application is likely to be in forensics.'
 
The groundbreaking research identified the trichohyalin gene as the one that is mainly responsible for creating curls.

Research suggests that 45 per cent of European people have straight hair, 40 per cent have wavy hair and 15 per cent have curly hair. Studies also show that the chances of inheriting curly hair is around 90 per cent.

Prof Martin revealed that it may now be possible to come up with treatments to make hair straighter, saying: ‘Potentially we can now develop new treatments to make hair curlier or straighter, rather than treating the hair directly.

‘That is one angle we will be working on and which I will be discussing with a major cosmetic company in Paris in January.'

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH NEWS

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Have your say ...

↓   ↓

Name

↓   ↓

E-Mail

↓   ↓

Your comments

↓   ↓

Please enter the characters in the image:

IPC Media Limited owner of marieclaire.co.uk will collect your personal information solely to process your request.

Post

• Next Article

  

  Coffee doesn't cure hangovers  Read more...

• Last Article

  

  Stress over staying thin can make you lose your hair  Read more...