There's a possible cure for baldness and researchers recently revealed it in a recently-published study. Such a finding is associated with the fact that many people have been trying to treat a medical condition that affects millions worldwide.
According to a BGT report, baldness can be triggered by certain specific drug treatments like cancer treatment for one. Some survivors of COVID-19 have discovered that hair loss was also a symptom of the virus, although beyond the usual.
However, baldness takes place in many places minus the specific cause. According to the American Hair Loss Association, two-thirds of American men, when they reach age 35 years, are likely to experience "some degree of hair loss.
In addition, when they reach 50 years of age, up to 85 percent of men are likely to experience considerable thinning hair.
Use of Stem Cells for Hair Growth
Baldness does not affect health of an individual although it can extract a so-called "emotional toll" on people who are affected by it.
There are different therapies for baldness but there is no cure that can reverse such a process. Although now, a team of researchers in Japan might have discovered a solution for restoration of hair growth through stem cells.
The scientists used stem cells to develop hair follicles that can regrow hair after it falls out. This, according to research, is how growth of hair should function.
Experts said hair loss is natural although every strand of it needs to be replaced by a new one, regrowing in its place.
Progress With Stem Cells Detailed in Research
The RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research researchers had their paper published in the Nature Scientific research, through Futurism, "detailing their progress with stem cells on mammals."
Specifically, the research team took "fur and whisker cells" from rodents and then, cultured them in the laboratory along with other ingredients.
The study authors used over 200 combinations in all, discovering that one type of collagen paired with five factors or NFFSE medium, would result in the highest stem cell amplification rate "in the shortest period of time."
The research team from RIKEN explained that a successful treatment for hair regeneration that could cure baldness should produce hair that's recycling. Meaning, the hair can regrow after it falls out naturally.
Follicle Stem Cells and NFFSE Medium Combined
In their study, the authors incorporated bioengineered hair follicle stem cells with the NFFSE medium, and with the medium that does not have one of the ingredients.
As a result, they discovered the regenerated hair for three weeks and found that the NFFSE medium enabled the hair follicles to undergo at least three cycles of production of normal hair.
Furthermore, other medium was not almost as efficient, with 79 percent of follicles that produce only one hair cycle.
The scientists discovered too, that specific marker on the cells' surface cultured in the NFFSE medium "favored hair cycling."
According to Makoto Takeo, study author, they discovered nearly 80 percent of follicles reached three hair cycles when Itgβ5 was bioengineered as well, into hair follicle germ. On the contrary, he added, only 13 percent reached three cycles "when it was not present."
Meanwhile, the study's lead author Takashi Tsuji said, "Our culture system institutes a method for hair follicles' cyclical regeneration from hair follicle stem cells" and will help turn hair follicle regeneration treatment a reality later on.
Before commercial availability of this baldness cure, it needs to pass clinical tests. So far, the RIKEN research team has established stem cell treatment in preclinical laboratory tests.
Tsuji explained, the institute is searching for external collaborators to help develop clinical applications for the new technology related to hair growth.
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