New research could see grey hair being banished forever. Scientists at Bradford University believe they have discovered the cause of grey hair, and strangely enough, the same key ingredient that many hair dyes contain plays a central role.

General wear and tear on our bodies leads to the build up of hydrogen peroxide in the roots of our hair, and this build up is thought to block the production of the hair’s pigment thereby causing grey hairs. Tests showed that grey hairs tend to have high levels of hydrogen peroxide, with lower than expected levels of three other enzymes, one of which is known for helping to keep hydrogen peroxide in check.

Researchers believe that they may be able to create a lotion or shampoo that slashes the levels of hydrogen peroxide in the hair, helping to restore the grey hairs to their natural shade. The scientists are already running a small test on a handful of people and are expecting results from the experiment in the next two months.

Researchers are keen to point out that those who dye their hair young should not panic – it is not thought that using hair dyes containing hydrogen peroxide will cause grey hairs, although in older people it may speed up the greying process. Genetics is thought to be the major factor behind determining when hairs start to turn grey, although other factors such as stress, alcohol and a poor diet may speed up the greying process.