April 2023 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”
The study found that aging hair follicle stem cells change behavior, leading to hair loss, but drugs targeting these cells may help restore hair growth.
Stress can lead to hair loss by affecting hair-follicle stem cells, and this loss is harder to recover from if one has male pattern baldness (MPB). Treatments like finasteride and minoxidil are used to address hair loss, but stress-related hair loss differs from androgenic alopecia.
The conversation discusses a patent filed by Shiseido for cloning Dermal Papilla (DP) cells to treat hair loss. The method involves using viral vectors to maintain the cells' growth-inducing properties, differing from Replicel's approach with Dermal Sheath Cup (DSC) cells.
A breakthrough in hair follicle cultivation using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has been achieved, producing large hair follicles suitable for transplantation. Clinical trials for this hair multiplication technology are planned in partnership with Yinguan Biotechnology.
Tretinoin may worsen hair loss by inducing premature hair follicle regression. It can be used with minoxidil to increase absorption but should not be used alone.
Hair loss is linked to cellular physiology and the IGF-1 to TGF-B1 ratio, not just androgen sensitivity. The theory lacks evidence, while finasteride and minoxidil are effective treatments.