Healthy living
Anti-ageing
Lab-grown cells could help put hair back on your head
Receding hairlines and male pattern baldness could soon become a thing of the past as British scientists test a new treatment for hair loss using cells grown in the lab
The treatment works by taking cells that trigger normal hair growth - dermal papilla cells - from areas on the scalp where there is still hair and multiplying them in the laboratory. The new cells are then injected back into the scalp into areas that are bald or thinning to stimulate the hairs' follicles and generate more hair.
The treatment is still undergoing clinical trials but, six months after injections with multiplied dermal papilla (DP) cells, 11 of the 19 patients in the trial have grown more hair. 'We have only just finished giving the treatment to the final person in our clinical trial so it will be a year before the final follow-up results are in,' said Paul Kemp, Chief Scientific Officer for Intercytex, the biotechnology firm behind the new treatment.
DP cells are vital in the normal growth cycle of hair. They are found at the base of the hair follicle and are responsible for the formation of new hair. Thinning hair and baldness can be caused when the hair follicle narrows, producing much thinner, weaker and paler hairs than before. By multiplying an individual's own DP cells and injecting them back into areas where there is hair loss, scientists believe the cells either stimulate the growth of entirely new hairs or work to strengthen existing thin hairs, making the hair appear thicker and fuller.
'At the moment, we are not sure whether the dermal papilla cells are working to stimulate the growth of entirely new hairs or are strengthening existing hairs. We suspect it might be a combination of both but, either way, the results are the same,' says Kemp.
But while DP cells can prompt the growth of new hair, they do not stop the hair loss process, meaning a one-off treatment may not have lasting results. 'It's too early to say about how long the results would last, but it might be that people have a series of 'top up' injections every few years to slow the natural balding process down,' says Kemp. 'At the first sign of baldness, people could have some of their cells removed and frozen, ready to be multiplied and injected as and when needed in the future.'
'We are initially testing this as a treatment for male pattern baldness, as this type of hair loss is better understood,' said Kemp. 'But in the future, it could well offer benefits to women suffering genetic hair loss, too.'
Male pattern baldness is caused by hormones which generally affect the central and frontal areas of the scalp but not the entire head. By taking cells from the back or side, where hair is still growing, scientists can ensure they are multiplying cells that are resistant to hormone-related hair loss.
Currently, the only comparable treatment for hair loss is hair transplants. Transplants involve removing an area of hair from the back or side of the head where there is still hair growing and splitting the patch into tiny units of one or two hairs each. These are reinstated onto balding patches of the scalp. Although the results can be good, the treatment doesn't increase the number of hairs on the head but simply spreads out existing hairs more evenly.
'This new treatment is very exciting as it promises the growth of new hairs or at least the regeneration of thinning hairs,' says Keith Hobbs, a fellow of the Institute of Trichologists. 'For those suffering male pattern baldness, it could offer a real solution.'
'However, it's important to note that there are many different types of hair loss and no one treatment can hope to cure them all,' says Hobbs. 'Some hair loss is thought to be autoimmune, where the body starts attacking the root of the hair by mistake, causing it to fall out. In such cases, these new cells are also likely to be attacked by the body's defences, stopping them from working.'
'The best advice for people experiencing hair loss is to visit a qualified trichologist early. They can tell you the type of hair loss you have and advise you on the best treatments available.'
Useful articles
- Preventing hair loss
- Hair restorer comes a step closer
- Guide to male grooming
- Men: do you want to live to 90?
- The low-down on testosterone
- Male hormones mean longer life
Useful websites
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
