Baldness Cure? Scientists Grow New Hair for the First Time
A baldness cure could be on the horizon after U.S. and British scientists discovered a new way to grow hair. The treatment, which was successful in mice, could "revolutionize" the battle against male baldness, according to reports.
The baldness cure experiments were done by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City and the University of Durham. Scientists cloned human hair follicle cells called dermal papillae, then implanted onto the backs of mice. Five out of seven times, the 3-D spheroids of cells were grafted onto the mouse skin successfully, and new hair grew on the rodents.
Animal trials don't always translate to successful results with human beings, however. Also, lead researcher Angela Christiano said there are other hurdles to overcome before the treatment can be applied to men suffering from male pattern baldness.
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"Several obstacles still remain. Angling, positioning, hair cycle, hair color- but the basics, the first step is actually showing that it can be done," she told Fox News.
This treatment differs from various other attempts at ending baldness because it has the ability to grow new cells, rather than trying to stimulate existing hair follicles. The results suggested that men could have a new hair after shots are injected directly into the head.
In addition, now that scientists can grow hair in a laboratory, they can test various chemicals and compounds on it to see what is most effective at treating hair loss.
"We'd like to think of this as an advancement in using regenerative medicine- or using the body's own cells to restore their hair," Christiano explained. "Is that a cure for baldness? Technically, I guess it is."
