Tired of short-lived solutions to hide your unwanted gray hair?

Well, according to a group of research experts from Germany, the UK and the Netherlands, saying goodbye to this perennial hair problem won't take long now as they've discovered a promising way to reverse greying hair without the aid of hair dye or even surgery.

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology or FASEB recently published in their official journal an online research finding that explains the primary cause of grey hair. The report says it comes from the inevitable accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in hair follicles which in turn causes the hair to bleach itself inside out. In the process those who go gray develop "massive epidermal oxidative stress."

To reverse the inside-out bleaching or greying of hair, researchers say that the antidote could be found in a treatment characterised as a "topical, sunlight-activated compound made into a modified pseudocatalase." This proprietary treatment, according to the report, will stop the greying.

"For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair," said Dr. Gerald Weissmann, The FASEB Journal editor-in-chief.

"But now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the root of the problem has been developed," he added.

Interestingly, the study not only addresses the problem of grey hair. It also suggests that a similar treatment can work for people who have Vitiligo, a skin condition characterised by the de-pigmentation of sections of the skin.

Dr. Weissmann said that although Vitiligo is technically cosmetic in nature, it can cast severe socio-emotional effects on afflicted patients. "Developing an effective treatment for this condition has the potential to radically improve many people's lives," said Dr. Weissmann.

A study was also made by researchers among 2,411 Vitiligo patients of diverse races. Researchers said the effects of the test produced surprising results as the pigmented skin and eyelashes of the subjects were reversed after they were treated with pseudocatalase activated via sunlight.

'The improvement of quality of life after total and even partial successful repigmentation has been documented,' said Dr. Karin U. Schallreuter, author of the study from the Institute for Pigmentary Disorders in the Netherlands. Dr. Schallreuter joined other researchers from the Centre for Skin Sciences, School of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford, United Kingdom and E.M. Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany.

For now, the only question that remains unanswered is when in the exact future can this treatment for greying hair and Vitiligo be finally availed by regular customers. Those seeking long-lasting solutions to their hair and skin problems will for sure be the first in line.