Patience please! The hair dyeing industry is on the threshold of developing better products to color hair and using gene therapy to get rid of pesky graying strands, according to an analysis published in the journal Chemical Reviews and reported by ScienceDaily.

After analyzing 500 articles and patents on the chemistry of permanent hair dyeing, researchers found three areas of projected growth: the development of nano-sized colorants that penetrate the hair for longer-lasting color; substances that stimulate hair’s melanin-producing genes (melanin is a pigment that colors hair); and technologies to slow or stop the graying process.

Currently, permanent hair coloring technology is mostly based on p-phenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical that produces darker, browner shades when exposed to air. But concerns over the safety of PPD and hair dye ingredients in general, as well as a growing demand for easier ways to color hair, have created a demand for more research on new dyes and alternative technologies.

Click here for cool ways to cover up the gray and restore your hair color.