Do We Need Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Hair Follicle Neogenesis to Cure Common Hair Loss Disorders?
May 2008
in “
Hair transplant forum international
”
androgenetic alopecia effluvium alopecia areata hair follicle stem cells hair follicle neogenesis miniaturized hair follicles hair cycle control therapy stem cell protection therapy immune privilege restoration therapy exogen inhibition vellus-to-terminal conversion hair follicle fibroblast trafficking balding hair loss hair regrowth
TLDR Common hair loss disorders may not need stem cell therapy, but could benefit from other treatments like hair cycle control and immune restoration therapy.
In 2008, Ralf Paus, a renowned researcher in hair biology, argued that common hair loss disorders such as androgenetic alopecia, various causes of effluvium, and alopecia areata are not fundamentally a stem cell problem, nor do they involve a significant loss of hair follicles. He suggested that these conditions are reversible and that the miniaturized hair follicles in balding scalp skin regions have the potential to regenerate large hair shafts. Paus questioned the need for stem cell-based therapies for these common hair loss disorders, arguing that they might be an overkill and could potentially lead to complications such as malignant degeneration of injected epithelial stem cells. He also expressed skepticism about the cosmetic results of such therapies. Paus concluded that while hair follicle stem cell therapy has a future, it may not lie in the management of common alopecias. Instead, he advocated for research into hair cycle control therapy, stem cell protection therapy, immune privilege restoration therapy, exogen inhibition, and vellus-to-terminal conversion by directing hair follicle fibroblast trafficking.
