Hair Follicle-Inspired Therapies for Wound Healing and Scar Remodeling

July 2025 in “ Journal of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery ”

Monica Chew, Summik Limbu, Paul Kemp, Claire A. Higgins

hair follicle wound healing scar remodeling hairy skin chronic wounds scar tissue biomaterials

TLDR Hair follicles can improve wound healing and reduce scarring.

Hair follicle-inspired therapies show promise in enhancing wound healing and scar remodeling by leveraging the regenerative capacity of hair follicles. Clinical studies, including one with 28 patients, have demonstrated that hair follicle transplantation can improve wound healing in 73.8% of cases and achieve complete closure in 57.1%. These therapies, which include hair follicle-derived cells and keratin-based hydrogels, have been effective in increasing epidermal thickness, collagen remodeling, and reducing inflammation and fibrosis. Despite these promising results, current therapeutic options remain insufficient, and further research is needed to optimize these therapies for clinical use.

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408 citations , January 2017 in “Science”

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33 citations , September 2016 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

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