Gray hair cure? Color treatments, dyes no longer needed?

Scientists claim to have discovered a cure for gray hair. Researchers say a skin treatment for vitiligo, which restores color loss from patchy pigmentation, may actually restore natural color premature grey strands of hair. Should the study results prove positive, color treatments and dyes may be things of the past.

In a report from Fox News on May 6, a similar process to treat problems with skin color loss likely has the same or similar effect on graying hair, possibly leading to a cure.

Essentially, early gray hair development happens due to a buildup of hydrogen peroxide, which damages the root. Over time, this leads to an oxidation process, which causes hair follicles to go gray.

People suffering from vitiligo commonly lack or have low levels of the enzyme catalase. However, when doctors treated patients with a "pseudo-catalase" and prescribed sunlight exposure, their conditions improved.

A cure for gray hair could simply mean using a cream containing the same enzyme to restore hair color, according to a study author.

"For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair. But now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the root of the problem has been developed," said Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

While more data is needed before final results are delivered, the theory doesn't sound off base. Although there are no promises for a "fountain of youth," a gray hair cure, undoubtedly, is promising news for those wanting to hide their silver manes.