Can Scientists Change the Shape of Hair Follicles? Q. How far are we from a medication that could change the shape of the hair follicle and therefore the texture of the hair? A. "A long way," said Nick Martin, a professor at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, who has studied variations in one gene related to hair texture. Research by Dr. Martin and his colleagues, published in 2009 in The American Journal of Human Genetics, attracted attention by suggesting to some that there might be a way to change the texture medically, perhaps through gene therapy or hormone treatment. That work followed a finding by scientists with L'Oreal, who studied how follicle shape influences hair shape and texture. Their research, published in 2007 in The International Journal of Dermatology, found that hook-shaped follicles tend to produce a hair shaft with a concave cross-section, with more keratin protein on one side, so that it curls; round follicles tend to produce round shafts with evenly distributed keratin, so that it grows straight. Dr. Martin's team examined genetic influences on the follicles, using data that had been gathered in large samples of twins of European descent. Specific variations in the Trichohyalin gene, which is expressed in the developing inner root sheath of the hair follicle, were found to be associated with straight, wavy or curly hair. But the Australian research on how a gene may affect hair is only suggestive, not a clear path to medical intervention for different hair types. Follow-up has not been done, Dr. Martin said.