Low-Intensity Ultrasound as a Potential Intervention Strategy to Protect Human Scalp Hair Follicles from Taxane-Induced Toxicity

This study examines the use of low-intensity ultrasound (LIUS) as a protective measure against paclitaxel-induced alopecia (PIA) in human scalp hair follicles. Paclitaxel, a taxane used in cancer treatment, often causes significant hair loss. The pilot study involved organ-cultured human anagen VI scalp hair follicles treated with paclitaxel and exposed to LIUS. Results indicated that LIUS significantly reduced apoptosis, mitotic disruption, and DNA damage in hair matrix keratinocytes, restoring their proliferative activity. Despite the study's limitation due to the small number of hair follicles and donors, the findings suggest that LIUS could be a safe, cost-effective method to protect scalp hair follicles from chemotherapy-induced damage, potentially reducing PIA severity. Further research is needed to confirm these effects and explore combining LIUS with scalp cooling for enhanced protection.