Dr. Coen Gho is publishing a study on “Partial Unit Extraction” in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. We’ve obtained a copy ahead of print. In his technique, a follicle is split in half length-wise; with one half implanted into a new area, the other left to recover and regenerate itself.

According to the study, 97.7% of hair in the donor site and 95.9% in the recipient site regenerated and became otherwise normal hair-producing follicles. This potentially means that via surgery alone, patients have an unlimited amount of donor hair for transplants. No waiting for FDA approval, no injecting chemicals, no ingesting drugs.

The Technique

What you’re looking at above is an illustration of the process, containing the visible hair (brown), hair follicle (dark pink), and connective tissue (white). According to the study, a very small hollow needle is placed around the hair, detaching the connective tissue from each unit while leaving enough tissue behind to for the hair follicle to regenerate itself.

The extracted pieces are visually selected as being suitable (at a rate of between 69-94%) , then set aside in an anti-apoptic, anti-oxidant, and growth-stimulating solution of : sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium sulphate, sodium phosphate, calcium chloride, glucose, sodium bicarbonate, sodium lactate, sodium pyruvate, human serum albumin, insulin, bis(maltolato)oxovanadium (BMOV) and vitamin E.

On the recipient site where the hairs will be transplanted, the skin is disinfected, anesthetized, and marked repeatedly with an acupuncture needle dipped in black pigment. Holes are then punched and cleared with the same diameter needle and forceps used in the extraction process.

From here, the pieces from the donor site are implanted into the recipient area, with the aim being “to implant sufficient follicle and connective tissue from several hair follicles”.

Think of each extraction like taking cuttings from a plant to create a clone, the practice in which horticulturalists genetically duplicate a plant that may have favorable features like resistance to a particular disease. Material is cut directly from the host plant and given a new environment to develop itself into a fully independent organism, roots and all. Sometimes this is as simple as cutting a stem and leaf off and placing it in a cup of water.

Horticulturalists know that if too much material is cut from the original plant, it will die. If too little is taken, the new plant will never develop.

Similarly, Gho has spent a considerable amount of time discerning the amount of material to be taken, and how (“transversal and longitudinal”). And just like the plant clones, the new hair should be a genetic clone of the source site, resisting the conditions that destroyed the long lost hair in balding areas.

The Results

Some of the disadvantages are also listed:

1. Implanted hair can take up to a year to start growing
2. A small study group was used, “a large group is needed to study the real clinical relevance”
3. Very labor intensive, with sufficient grafts taking a full day

Conclusion

Coen Gho

This is a big deal, folks. And is happening right now.

Together with Histogen, this is the first year we’ve actually seen the finish line approaching. Hair on human heads beyond speculation and animal models. It’s easy to become numb and skeptical from watching years of half-hopes come and go, but this is a very good time to be excited.

Big thanks to James Bond

And it is good. Trialists were given only one application of Histogen’s Hair Stimulating Complex (HSC), and in some cases gained 73% more hair in the application area.

HSC seems to be a relabeled version of their ReGenica product line, and is essentially a soup of fibroblast cell secretions– the same growth factor-rich cells that produce the extracellular matrix (ECM) components used by companies like ACell. Histogen claims a “proprietary bioreactor” that coaxes cells into embryonic states via “low gravity and oxygen” is used to generate their product. Whatever the source, one application of a product yielding this much after a year is very big news. This is your own hair with no surgery and no lotions.

During this study, patients received four types of scalp injections:

1. One placebo injection
2. One regular HSC injection
3. One dermabraded area with regular HSC
4. One area with a higher concentration of HSC

Dermabrasion is known to call growth factors to the wound site, and is one of the guiding techniques of similar-aiming Follica. In this case, however, the higher concentration of HSC on non-dermabraded areas reportedly performed the best, with both hair thickness and density increasing. Existing hairs looked better, new hairs popped up where none existed. It’s not clear yet what upper limits may exist with multiple applications or further variations of solution strength. It’s possible that more secret sauce gives even more hair.

Gail Naughton

Histogen founder and CEO, Gail Naughton, has been extremely transparent and forthright in comparison to other biotechnology companies focusing on hair (I’m looking at you, Intercytex and Follica). This may be necessitated due the funding woes of bootstrapping, but the benefit is mutual and her plainspoken rapport is quickly developing an eager audience.

Naughton is also clever enough to redirect studies and launch goals to areas of the world that don’t have as much regulatory tape and cost; this study was in Honduras, the next will be double the size at 50 patients in Singapore come June, and the last should add over 200 patients from Hong Kong, India and South Korea to that list in spring 2011.

Pilot trials helmed by Dr. Craig Ziering are planned for the US, but only for topical application ala Rogaine, not injections beneath the scalp as in this study. Given Naughton’s confidence with HSC’s safety profile in injectable form, it stands to reason that these trials would be more of a regulatory foot in America’s door, and we baldies will be taking an Asian vacation.

Histogen has had a rocky road this past year, being sued by dreamkillers SkinMedica, who claim Naughton is reusing technology from her previous company they had purchased patents from. Naughton disputes this claim, but the verdict is still out. In the meantime, this spooked the initial investors, who withdrew completely, taking all 36 employee’s payroll with them. 20 employees then volunteered to stay unpaid, presumably for equity and out of confidence in the company’s direction. There are some casual reports that $4.4 million was raised to sustain the employees, and that additional funds have been secured for the following trials, but this has not been confirmed.

More results from the trial are expected on May 5-8 at the Society for Investigative Dermatology Annual Meeting, and you can read the press release here.

Read more about Histogen in Tressless > Learn

But recently, Intercytex has been oddly quiet about their hair loss cure. Speculation and rumors concerning the company and the product still circulate the web, but actual data is disappointingly lacking.

While we wait for new information, a recap of the story so far is in order. In this post, we’ll take a look at how ICX-TRC works, what the studies say on its effectiveness, and what may lie in the future.

How it works

In a conventional hair transplant treatment, whole hairs are removed from a part of the scalp unaffacted by baldness and transplanted onto a balding area. Usually this means moving hairs from the back of the head to the front of the head.

While this can lead to decent results, the procedure is expensive and rather uncomfortable. Another problem is that the patient must have enough hair-producing follicles left for the transplantation to be succesful. Since no new hair follicles are created in the process, hair transplants are essentially about redispersing existing hair follicles to achieve a more aesthetically acceptable result.

The ICX-TRC approach is somewhat different compared to traditional hair transplantation methods. While hair transplants deal with entire hair follicles, in ICX-TRC, it’s the dermal papilla cells that play the central role. Dermal papilla cells, located at the base of the hair follicle, help make keratin, the protein out of which hair is made.

Instead of grafting individual hairs onto the scalp one by one, hair follicles are taken from the patient, after which the dermal papilla cells are separated and put into a culture medium for about two months. While in the culture medium, the dermal papilla cells multiply to produce millions of cells.

These cells are injected into the scalp, close to the epidermal cells which are responsible for producing hair. The injected dermal papilla cells then stimulate the generation of new hairs in the skin. This greatly reduces the size of the tissue sample needed. Whereas the number of follicles needed for a hair transplant run in the thousands, about a hundred will do with dermal papilla cell injections.

Results from Phase I trials

Phase I was designed to evaluate safety issues and how to administer the injections. Each of the seven volunteers received 100 injections of cultured dermal papilla cells onto a test area of one square centimeter.

In 2005, the trial was completed. The treatment was safe in all patients, with five patients reporting an increase in hair count. Varying degrees of hair growth were seen in the participants, with 60-70 new hairs per 100 injections considered average. Why two of the volunteers didn’t experience any new growth from the injections is not known.

Results from Phase II trials

In September 2006, a Phase II trial with 19 participants began. Unlike in Phase I, two test areas were used. The first one was similar to the one in the first study, a shaved area of one square centimeter. This area was further divided into two sections, one that received 50 injections of 1 microliter, and another that received only one injection of 50 microliters.

The treatments were done either with or without stimulation of the scalp before injection to see whether pre-stimulation is necessary. An image analysis system was used to determine hair counts in this area.

The second area was a large thinning area, which was injected 900 times with 1 microliter aliquots of dermal papilla cells. At the end of the study, the area was photographed for further analysis.

In 2007, first preliminary results from the Phase II study were reported. According to the press release, all five participants whose scalps were stimulated before the treatment saw visible hair growth from the injections at 6 and 12 weeks.

In March 2008, the study was completed, and the first actual results were released. Again, things looked very promising, but by now there was some hesitation in the air. In their press release, Intercytex stated they were not going to finance any more studies on ICX-TRC and were looking for partners instead. Bosley, the largest chain of hair transplant clinics, was mentioned as a possible distributor.

One year later, in March 2009, the follow-up period had ended and more results were reported in a press release. 13 participants out of 19 had completed the study. Here’s a summary of the results seen in the smaller areas after 48 weeks:

• The number of hairs of all sizes (including vellus hairs) increased in 65% of the treated sites in the non-stimulated group and in 78% of the sites in the stimulated group.
• The number of hairs over 30 micron in diameter increased in 71% of the treated sites in the non-stimulated group and in all treated sites in the stimulated group.
• In the stimulated areas, the average number of hairs produced per 100 injections was 40 for hairs of all sizes and 18 for hairs over 30 micron in diameter.

Looking at the numbers, it appears that stimulation before treatment increased the effectiveness of the treatment. What exactly this stimulation means is not explained in detail, but minor wounding of the skin is involved (another treatment using wounding to grow new hairs is Follica).

Another thing that catches the eye is that the number of thicker hairs increased more than the number of all hairs. This seems quite odd, unless the authors mean that in order to be counted as a positive example, both thicker and thinner hairs are required in the same area. Or the numbers may simply have been reversed by accident.

Note also that while a hair less than 30 micron in diameter is baby-like, short vellus hair, terminal hair is usually between 60-80 micron in diameter. Therefore, it’s unclear from these numbers how many people actually grew terminal hairs from the treatment.

After releasing the first part of the results, Intercytex has remained quiet about ICX-TRC. The photographs from the larger areas injected with dermal papilla cells have yet to be analyzed.

According to the press release, the photograph analysis will be released “later this year”. It has been several months without any word from the company, however, so those holding their breath might want to inhale a few times while we wait for more information.

What happens next

If there is going to be a Phase III study, it will be similar to the commercial application of the treatment. According to one of the doctors involved in the study, the study will probably be conducted in both the US and the UK and have more test subjects. This comment was made before the company announced they were not going to fund more studies, however.

Assuming that Intercytex finds a partner who is interested in spending money to investigate ICX-TRC further, a reasonable duration for a Phase III study would be one year. If the results from this study should be positive, approval from regulatory instances (MHRA and FDA) would then be needed, which would probably take from a year to a year and a half. So even if things at Intercytex somehow picked up right now, the earliest we could see ICX-TRC hit the markets would be late 2011.

At the moment this is pure speculation, however. We have yet to see the final results from Phase II, even though the study was finished more than a year ago, and there’s been no mention of a Phase III study by Intercytex yet. In addition, the company has continued to report a financial loss each year, and share prices have fallen dramatically. This year, an announcement was made to reduce staff, but according to a press release, these cost savings will only allow business to continue until the end of 2009.

Unfortunately, Intercytex’s problems are more widespread than just ICX-TRC. Earlier this year, a Phase III trial of Cyzact® failed to meet its primary endpoint. This was meant to be a novel treatment for leg ulcers. While earlier trials had shown promise, in the end the difference between treated and control groups was not statistically significant.

Because of the poor financial situation, no new projects are planned for the future. There have been rumors of Intercytex looking for buyers, and according to an official statement, “the options under review include a possible merger or sale of the business”. So far there have only been offers to buy certain parts of the business, which probably wasn’t Intercytex was originally hoping for. Given that they don’t have much choice, I assume they will end up selling anyway.

So should we give up on Intercytex? Well, not everyone has. Recently, medical giant Pfizer announced it would endorse a project that aims to develop a cure for macular degeneration based on stem cells. Intercytex and University College London will be working together on this project. This seems promising, but before someone coughs up the money to buy ICX-TRC, we probably won’t see any progress with the hair regeneration therapy.

Whatever happens with Intercytex, it seems that the cumbersome, traditional hair transplants will very likely become a thing of the past. Whether they’re going to be replaced by cell cloning or by next generation techniques such as genetic engineering remains to be seen.

JLL

Visit guest author JLL’s blog for some experimental hair growth treaments,

or Read more about Intercytex in Tressless > Learn,

The Goal of HairGen

The goal of HairGen is to reduce hair loss to non-MPB levels, while also creating a healthy scalp environment that may potentially promote thicker hair and/or regrowth.

The herbs used in HairGen are all wild-harvested, which, while more costly, ensures that each ingredient is of the very finest quality. All of the herbs are distilled into liquid extracts via pure organic grape spirits, and the alcohol will then be removed to ensure that no damage is done to the scalp.

The alcohol can be removed due to the unique cutting-edge liposomal delivery system that uses phospholipids to increase scalp permeability.

Ingredients

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is an herb that can be beneficial for some forms of hair loss, and has been known to stimulate new growth. It is particularly beneficial to those that produce excessive amounts of scalp sebum. Further information on the benefits of topical Aloe Vera can be viewed at the following links:

Aloe Vera for Hair Loss

Another Reason to Love Aloe Vera, Hair Loss « StyleBell Blog – Your Premier Hair Resource

Pueraria Mirifica

Pueraria Mirifica (PM) is an herb grown in Northern Thailand that has been traditionally used by Thais as a “fountain of youth,” both internally and externally. Topical estrogen has been shown to be effective for treating MPB in both men and women, albeit with side-effects:

Topical estrogen for the treatment of pattern baldness

Topical PM, on the other hand, acts as an estrogen mimicker due to its high miroestrol content, minus the side-effects caused by topical estrogen. Dr. Sandford Schwartz has researched PM for years, and his research, combined with the centuries of native Thai usage, has corroborated this claim. In fact, Dr. Sandford Schwartz has has sold his liquid PM extract formula to a well-known company in America to be distributed here for the purpose of hair regrowth. The formula consists exclusively of his liquid PM extract, by the name of Puresterol. Biobotanica is an independent U.S. distributor for Puresterol, and is our source of PM as well. You can read more about Puresterol at the following link:

Pueraria mirifica,Pueraria mirifica standardized extract, called Puresterol,research and studies,Puerariamirifica,pueraria,

Your trial bottle will either contain 0%, 2.5%, or 5% Pueraria Mirifica throughout the duration of this trial. We are not sure if PM will neutralize the other ingredients, if it will enhance it, or if it will make no discernible difference. The idea behind the variable amount is to test the optimal quantity for HairGen.

Adenosine

Adenosine is well-known around internet forums as a chemical that can increase the expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), which has been found to be effective at thickening/terminalizing thin and vellous hairs. The amount of Adenosine in the formulation will be 3%. To view a study on the effectiveness of Adenosine, check out the following link:

Adenosine stimulates hair growth

Sanguisorba Officinalis Extract

Sanguisorba Officinalis has an interesting method of action on the scalp that works in favor of preventing hair loss. Rather than reduce DHT, it inhibits Fibroblast Growth Factor-5 (FGF-5). FGF-5 is responsible for converting hairs from the Anagen (Growing) phase to the Telogen (Falling out) phase. By successfully inhibiting FGF-5, you can theoretically stop hair loss altogether. This, of course, does not apply to hairs currently in telogen phase prior to HairGen usage. You can view more information at the following link:

Science Links Japan | Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract Has FGF-5 Inhibitory Activity and Reduces Hair Loss by Causing Prolongation of the Anagen Period

Loquat Leaf Extract (Eriobotrya japonica)

The active component in Loquat Leaf Extract that yields promising results for hair loss is primarily Corosilic Acid. Corosilic Acid works in a similar manner to Sanguisorba Officinalis in that it regulates various growth factors when applied topically to the scalp. FGF-5 is downregulated (this works synergistically with Sanguisorba), while VEGF, FGF-7, and BMP-2, all of which are beneficial growth factors for hair loss, are upregulated. The following study offers further detailed information on the benefits of Loquat Leaf Extract and Corosilic Acid for hair loss:

Utilising loquat leaf extract for hair growth stimulation – Personal Care Magazine

Semen Coicis Extract (Coix Seed or Coicis Lachryma-Jobi)

Though not as well-documented as some of the other ingredients in the formula, Coicis Semen has shown promise in the hair loss field as a Type II 5alpha-reductase inhibitor. The following study contains Coicis Semen as one of the primary ingredients in a hairloss formulation:

KMbase

The next study refers to Thujae occidentalis semen, which is identical in action to Coicis Semen for our intents and purposes:

The extract of Thujae occidentalis semen inhibited…[J Dermatol Sci. 2003] – PubMed Result

Swertia Chirata Extract

Swertia is effective as both an anti-inflammatory, and vasodilator. Topical application of Swertia can reduce shedding, while also encouraging thicker hair growth. Numerous hair loss formula patents have incorporated Swertia Chirata as a primary ingredient due to its Ayurvedic roots in hair loss treatment.

Red Panax Ginseng Extract

Red Panax Ginseng increases bloodflow and can stimulate hair follicles to encourage new hair growth. It has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine with success for thousands of years as a component in hair loss treatment. The following link has a large body of literature on uses for Red Panax Ginseng:

Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.

Sophora Flavescens Extract

Hair loss studies point towards Sophora Flavescens as not only a potent inhibitor of Type II 5alpha-reductase, but also as an important regulator of growth factors.

The following study found that Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) and Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF), both growth factors integral for hair growth, were up-regulated:

The hair growth promoting effect of Sophora flaves…[J Dermatol Sci. 2002] – PubMed Result

Toco-8

Toco-8 consists of the proper ratio of mixed Vitamin E tocotrienols that our bodies can make the best usage of. In a small study conducted by Primordial Performance, it was found that Toco-8 consumed internally can help in the fight against hair loss. Externally, it may be of even further benefit. Below is a link to a few live radio interviews with Primordial Performance President Eric Potratz regarding Toco-8 and the patented hair loss study:

Toco-8 – Balanced Tocotrienol & Tocopherol Vitamin E supplement [Radio Interview]

Niacinamide

Topical Niacinamide has been shown to improve the condition of aged skin, helping to restore youthfulness and vitality. This may translate over to a healthier scalp that can improve the probability of thicker hair and potential regrowth. The following study demonstrates the effects of topical Niacinamide when applied to the face:

Wiley InterScience

Niacin also acts as a vasodilator, which is similar in action to Minoxidil (sans the side-effects). A description of Niacin’s vasodilation effects can be found here:

The role of niacin in detoxification

Trial begins tentatively June, 2009

All of the ingredients have been sourced, and now it’s time to gather the volunteer base. The HairGen trial is free to participate in, with the exception of shipping and handling charges, and will last for approximately 6 months.

If you’re interested in being a part of the trial, there will be approximately 180 spots.

To enter the trial, please make sure that you meet the following requirements –

1. Abstain from introducing/discontinuing any hair loss drugs or topical treatments from the beginning to end of the Hairgen Trial. (Approx. for the next 6 months)
2. Submission of the requisition form (See below)
3. Submission of a close up picture(s) of the scalp Submit information

Once approved for the trial, you will be provided with a link to purchase the Hairgen testing kit.

————————————————–

Requisition Form

First Name –

Last Name -

Age -

1. Are you currently taking any prescription hair loss drugs?

1a) If so, what drugs and how long have you been using these drug(s)?

1b) Do you plan on continuing to use these drugs for the next 6 months?

2. Are you currently using any topical hair loss products?

2a) If so, what products and how long have you been using these products?

2b) Do you plan on continuing to use these products for the next 6 months?

3. Do you have other known health issues or allergies? (heart, thyroid, adrenal, endocrine issues, etc.)

4. What Norwood level of hairloss are you currently experiencing? If unsure, please refer to the following site for information on Norwood scales: Hair Loss – Norwood Scale – How bald am I?

5. Are you going to be making changes to your diet or exercise program in the next 6 months?

5a) If so, please explain in detail these changes.

6. Do you have someone that can take close-up pictures of your scalp during the next 6 months?

————————————————-

Send all submissions to hairgen@primordialperformance.com

Step by step overview:

Hi, I’m doctor Rob Jones of Toronto, Ontario. What I’m going to do in the next few minutes in this short video is demonstrate a Platelet Rich Plasma / PRP therapy.

The people that are most going to benefit from this are people either with thinning hair, with terminal hairs on top of their head, or it’s also been used on patients with alopecia areata.

I was down to visit Dr. Greco a few weeks ago and saw some amazing results. I’ve also talked with Dr. Choy in Vancouver who is using a different technique, and hope to visit him in the next few weeks to observe his technique.

But today we’re going to be using Dr Greco’s technique, and hopefully we’ll sort of show a short video clip of each step of the way so you can see what it’s like to have the procedure done.

The area i’m going to have treated is my crown area and just in front of my crown. It’s a multi-step procedure so we’ll show a short video clip of each stage.

The first step of the procedure is getting the blood out. Now what we do is with the butterfly is just put it into a peripheral vein and just draw out about 60cc of blood.

And thats what we’re doing here. As you can see Trisha is now removing the blood.

Very simply and painless.

The next step is to put the blood into the centrifuge as Trisha is doing here.

So the next stage in the procedure is the numbing of the top of the head. So Linda is using just probably about 10ccs of Carbocaine just to numb up the top of the head so she can roll it and put in the PRP. This is fairly painless. You might feel a little pin prick, but not too bad.

This is a picture of the Platelet Rich Plasma just after its been separated. Now, as you can see, the platelet portion is the small white layer just above the blood, above the red blood cells, and below the plasma.

Now what Trish is going to do is inject a spinal needle to withdraw a portion of the plasma, so when we mix the platelets with the plasma, it’s more concentrated.

The next step is to use the roller to cause microabrasions to the top of the scalp. Linda is now rolling the top of my scalp. It’s painless because its been numbed with—

and the last part of the procedure is to inject the Platelet Rich Plasma, which Linda is going to do now.

We’ve already fixed it up and put it into a syringe. We have about 6cc that we’ll inject into the area at the top of my head in the crown area.

I’ve now finished the PRP procedure and i thought i’d just show people what the top of my head looks like so you can see what the area looks like immediately after the
procedure. It’s been probably 20 minutes — half hour since the treatment was completed.

Hi I’m now 18 hours after my PRP treatment and i’ve washed this morning, so I’ve taken away any signs of the treatment I had yesterday. I just like to sort of demonstrate how clean this procedure is and how easy it is to return to work the day after. As you can see from the top of my head, I’ve had a shower, cleaned off the PRP, it’s impossible to tell that I’ve had any treatment done.

So i could return to work without any difficulty today. There’s a little bit of tenderness and numbness on the top of my head, but beyond that, I feel perfectly normal and perfectly able to return to my normal daily routine.

If you’re interested in following how my progress is in the next few months, go to my site, drrobertjones.com, and my progress as well as the progress of other patients will be closely monitored through my blogs.

Read More about Platlet Rich Plasma on Tressless > Learn

• Surgically Advanced Follicular Extraction (FUE)
• Colin Jahoda, who implanted his own hair onto his wife, Amanda Reynolds
• Angela Christiano, author and Alopecia Areata researcher
• Ken Washenik of Aderans
• Bald lab mice
• George Cotsarelis of Follica, speaking about Wnt
• Bessam Farjo and Intercytex, who says trials should be complete this year.
• James Harris and hair transplant machines

Link to article

thanks, AJ

Without pinning himself to a timeline, the good doctor’s estimate for Follica’s treatment looks very possible for launch within the next five years. “It’s impossible to know for sure, but within the next several years — two to three — there’ll be a trial where we’ll use a procedure with the compound to see if it works in humans,” says Cotsarelis. “There will be the usual regulatory stuff after that, so perhaps in four to five years we’ll have something we can offer people.”

link to article

Read more about Follica on the Tressless Wiki

Follica CEO Daphne Zohar heads up the publicity with an overview on Xconomy.com:

“Our research has been progressing in a very positive way. We have had significant interest from the venture community and while we just closed the Series A round a few months ago, and weren’t planning on bringing in more money for a couple of years, we recognize that additional funds enable us to move more quickly.

Xconomy finishes up with a seven month old overview Zohar gave:

Daphne Zohar

“What’s so beautiful about the approach, [Zohar] says, is that translating it into a treatment for humans involves only devices and drugs that are already on the market. A doctor would first use a microdermabrasion tool, say, or a laser to remove the top layers of the skin—as is already commonly done in a number of dermatologic and cosmetic procedures—knocking some cells back into a primitive state. The doctor can then use this newly created therapeutic window to inject drugs that push the cells to develop along one pathway or another and grow hair or skin.

she then tries to get you into her van without actually giving you any candy:

Zohar won’t reveal what drugs Follica is using, except to say that they are small molecule drugs normally taken orally for purposes with no relation to hair growth.”

Sorry Daphne, but between articles, your application to WIPO already gave the big reveal:

and you thought Hot Pockets were bad. For the record, Gefitinib and Erlotinib are both oral drugs used to treat various cancers.

Interestingly, the WIPO application also discusses a “kit” at length, strongly suggesting that Follica will aim to provide a Do-It-Yourself home applicator:

Any of the above kits can optionally include instructions for applying the composition to the head of a subject (e.g., to the scalp, cheek, chin, lower face, or eyebrow), for applying the composition to the skin of a subject once or twice daily, for applying the composition to the skin of a subject for at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or even 10 consecutive days, for administering the composition during the night, or administering the composition during the day.

Some major questions remain with Follica’s technique, including the quality and the capacity of the new hair to resist DHT. Follica reps appear confident on this issue, but it still remains to be seen. That said, Follica has some heavyweights behind it and we are finally entering an era of hair future-science.

Read more about Follica on the Tressless Wiki

As an aside, have any of you noticed that every single mainstream article is followed up by sentiments regarding how vociferous and eager the hairloss community is?

My story about Follica’s debut last January and its quest for a baldness cure sparked a long-running (440 comments and counting as of this writing) conversation among the startup’s would-be customers that’s still quite lively all these months later.

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Joseph Greco, PhD, describes his positive experience coat­ing grafts with PRP as well as placing the gel into recipient sites and the donor area. In a personal communication, Greco told me that he recently saw two patients in whom PRP was used in their transplant 6 months prior. “My first impression was that they looked as though they were at 9 to 10 months rather than 6 months. The transplanted hair appeared more mature, with more aesthetic density than most patients do at that time.” Of course, this is anecdotal data but from some­one with as much as experience as Joe, I have to put some stock in that.

Link to PDF

Dr. Robert Jones now has access to Acell’s Extracellular Matrix (ECM) products for wound healing. Anyone interested in signing up as a test patient, please email hairsite@aol.com immediately for details.

From Hairsite

Read more about ACell on the Tressless Wiki