Hair Regeneration and Rejuvenation: Pipeline of Medical and Technical Strategies

January 2022 in “ Stem cell biology and regenerative medicine ”

Summik Limbu, Paul Kemp

androgenetic alopecia hair follicle dermal papilla dermal sheath cells hair neogenesis hair follicle miniaturisation cell therapy hair loss hair regeneration hair rejuvenation

TLDR New treatments are needed for hair loss, and cell therapies might reverse hair thinning.

The document reviews the development of medical and technical strategies for treating androgenetic alopecia, a prevalent type of hair loss. It notes that while adult mouse dermal follicular cells have shown the ability to generate new hair, no cell therapy for this condition is currently available in the market. The potential of hair follicle dermal papilla and dermal sheath cells to create new hair follicles is highlighted. However, early 2000s clinical trials by Intercytex and Aderans Research Institute, while showing some hair neogenesis, did not meet expected cosmetic efficacy. The current focus is on rejuvenating existing, miniaturising hair follicles rather than regenerating them. The document concludes that alternative treatments for androgenetic alopecia are needed, and cell therapies using dermal papilla and dermal sheath cells could potentially reverse hair follicle miniaturisation.

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Research cited in this study

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Finasteride use doesn't cause sexual dysfunction in men with hair loss.

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Finasteride doesn't reduce sexual function in people with hair loss.

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