Patrick Stewart is among 7.4 million Britons affected by baldness.
It could be the answer to the prayers of millions of men. Scientists have coaxed stem cells into growing hair for the first time.
At present, 7.4 million Britons are affected by baldness. If they are unhappy with their appearance, they are limited to choosing between a comb-over, a toupee, or a transplant.
But within a decade, advances in stem cell science could help them to regrow their own hair where it has been lost.
The breakthrough could also lead to new treatments for other conditions, such as alopecia, in which hair is lost in patches.
Writing in the journal Nature, the scientists described how they had shown that adult mammals can grow new hair follicles.
It had been thought that follicles, the tiny structures responsible for hair growth, were always formed before birth, and that their gradual death led to baldness.
The discovery that it is possible to develop new follicles later in life paves the way for new hair loss treatments.
The answer to the prayers of millions of men: Stem cells coaxed into growing hair
The University of Pennsylvania researchers made their discovery while studying wound healing in mice.
They found that as the wound heals, new hair follicles form beneath the new skin. allowing new hair to sprout.
Close examination showed that the follicles were formed from stem cells. master cells capable of turning into different cells and tissues.
Key to the process was a protein called Wnt, which is usually active only in the womb. When protein levels increase, more hair grows. Without Wnt, no hair grows.
Adding Wnt also helped the wounds heal better. It is thought that when the skin heals itself, it returns to a state similar to that found in the developing foetus, allowing new, fully functional follicles to form.
Although all work so far has been carried out in mice, the researchers are hopeful a similar technique could lead to treatments for humans.
Because wounding appears essential to the process, it is likely that the skin would be grazed in the area to be treated, and a Wnt-based drug would be given.
So far, all the hair produced has been white, suggesting that new hair would need to be dyed to look more natural. The first human trials, however, are at least two years away. And any cure for baldness is not expected for a decade.
Experts have described the breakthrough as “remarkable”.
Dr Denis Headon, a developmental biologist from Manchester University, said: “Up to now we thought that the number of hair follicles we have is set before we were born and can only go downhill from there.
“This work shows that new hair follicles are made in adult skin, at least when it is healing a wound. The implication is that it might be simpler than we thought to make new hair follicles as a treatment for hair loss.”
Other remedies may appear on the market more quickly, according to British scientists.
Gary Heron says: “You’ll have access to the most effective treatments available through The Hair Centre and at a fraction of the cost of going to other Private Commercial Clinics and Centres.”
When it’s time to see the Trichologist: If you begin losing hair rapidly and/or are cosmetically concerned about baldness, consult your Trichologist about treatment options. You can receive a free hair loss consultation with a Trichologist at our Hair Centre.
The point is that you are not getting to the real problem, and you should seek specific professional advice from a Westminster Trichologist.
“Why buy hair loss treatments over the counter or on the internet when you can see a Westminster Trichologist for FREE and know that you are guaranteed results”
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