HAIR LOSS AND REGENERATION PERFORMED ON ANIMAL MODELS
July 2016
in “Medicine and Pharmacy Reports”
TLDR Animal models are crucial for learning about hair loss and finding treatments.
The 2016 document reviews the state of hair loss and regeneration research, focusing on the two FDA-approved treatments at the time: Minoxidil and Finasteride. It discusses the biological and psychological aspects of hair loss, the importance of the dermal papilla in hair growth, and the need for better standardized methods for evaluating hair loss and regrowth. Finasteride, a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, was shown to stop hair fall in 48% of cases and stimulate regrowth in 51% of cases, with a minimum of 4 months of daily use required and cessation of effects upon stopping treatment. The document also explores other potential treatments like Arginin, Aminexil 1.5%, SP94 peptide, vitamins B5 and B6, Thermal Spring Water, and Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). It emphasizes the value of animal models in hair research due to ethical and practical limitations in human studies and concludes that these models are essential for understanding hair diseases and developing cures.
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