You can erase dark spots, fill in wrinkles, and change your hair color on a whim. But what can you do if thinning strands are your genetic fate? A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania is poised to make a perpetually full head of hair a reality in the next decade or so. In 2014, they reached a major milestone toward being able to grow additional hair follicles: They turned stem cells into two types of cells—one that gives hair its color and another that makes up the shaft. The final type of cell needed is the one responsible for starting up growth. When all three are combined, you’ll be able to fill in thinning spots with fully functioning, lab-grown follicles that are completely yours, down to the DNA. The only downside for the 30 million American women with thinning hair: the wait. MORE: Eyebrow Transplants Are Now A Thing Let’s be honest: Sometimes it’s hard to tell if that retinol cream you’re using is really making your wrinkles go away. In a decade or so, that uncertainy won’t be a problem—and you could have immediate access to the chemical cocktails that supply exactly what your skin needs. Researchers are developing techniques (such as a skin-swab analysis) that will allow doctors to match your genetic biomarkers with the skin-care product known to work with them. So if, say, an analysis of your genes reveals your skin to be particularly responsive to adapalene but maybe not to salicylic acid, your acne treatment will be based on the former—no guesswork, just a beeline to the most effective tonic. MORE: 7 Anti-Aging Beauty Treatments You Can Make At Home
