“Curly Hair Gene” is Found, Paves Way for Straightening Pill

Recent research has indicated that there is a predictor of curly hair. Scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research has identified the culprit – the trichohyalin gene. Having analyzed data from 5,000 Australian twins over a 30 year period, Professor Nick Martin, who led the research, found that the variation in the gene determines the curliness of hair. Research suggests that 45 percent of Europeans have straight hair, 40 percent wavy hair and 15 percent are curly… and if you’ve got those curls, your kids have a 90 percent chance of inheriting them.

Scientists can then potentially develop new treatments to make hair straighter or curlier without actually treating the hair directly.