TLDR No FDA-approved treatments for chemotherapy-induced hair loss existed in 2006; more research was needed.
The 2006 document reviewed the state of research for treatments and preventatives for chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), noting the absence of FDA-approved treatments at that time. It discussed the impact of chemotherapy on the hair growth cycle and reviewed 19 patents for potential CIA treatments, categorized into chemo/radioprotective agents and hair cycle-modulating agents. The paper also mentioned scalp hypothermia, topical minoxidil, and a synthetic compound, AS101, as potential treatments, but acknowledged that their effectiveness had not been validated in larger studies. The document emphasized the need for continued research to develop effective CIA treatments.
51 citations,
December 2003 in “The FASEB Journal” The substance AS101 can help hair grow by slowing down hair cell aging and boosting a hair growth protein.
125 citations,
September 2001 in “The FASEB Journal” Stress can cause hair loss by negatively affecting hair follicles and this effect might be reversed with specific treatments.
153 citations,
January 2001 in “Science” Using CDK inhibitors on rats showed a reduction in chemotherapy-caused hair loss, but later experiments could not repeat these results.
127 citations,
July 1996 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Minoxidil shortens baldness from chemotherapy by 50.2 days without significant side effects.
May 2019 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Age-related hair loss is linked to the decline and dysfunction of hair follicle stem cells.
24 citations,
November 2013 in “Trends in pharmacological sciences” Increasing ABC transporters in hair follicles may prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
218 citations,
January 2013 in “The Lancet Oncology” Chemotherapy causes hair loss by damaging hair follicles and stem cells, with more research needed for prevention and treatment.
9 citations,
October 2012 in “Klinik Psikofarmakoloji Bülteni-Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology” Stopping the drug olanzapine can reverse hair loss caused by it.
236 citations,
July 2001 in “Trends in Molecular Medicine” Future hair loss treatments should aim to extend hair growth, reactivate resting follicles, reverse shrinkage, and possibly create new follicles, with gene therapy showing promise.
