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New treatment could reverse hair loss caused by an autoimmune skin disease

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Researchers at MIT, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School have developed a potential new treatment for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss and affects people of all ages, including children.

For most patients with this type of hair loss, there is no effective treatment. The team developed a microneedle patch that can be painlessly applied to the scalp and releases drugs that help to rebalance the immune response at the site, halting the autoimmune attack.

In a study of mice, the researchers found that this treatment allowed hair to regrow and dramatically reduced inflammation at the treatment site, while avoiding systemic immune effects elsewhere in the body. This strategy could also be adapted to treat other autoimmune skin diseases such as vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis, the researchers say.

“This innovative approach marks a paradigm shift. Rather than suppressing the immune system, we’re now focusing on regulating it precisely at the site of antigen encounter to generate immune tolerance,” says Natalie Artzi, a principal research scientist in MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an associate faculty member at the Wyss Institute of Harvard University.

Artzi and Jamil R. Azzi, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, are the senior authors of the new study , which appears in the journal Advanced Materials . Nour Younis, a Brigham and Women’s postdoc, and Nuria Puigmal, a Brigham and Women’s postdoc and former MIT research affiliate, are the lead authors of the paper.

The researchers are now working on launching a company to further develop the technology, led by Puigmal, who was recently awarded a Harvard Business School Blavatnik Fellowship.

Direct delivery

Alopecia areata, which affects more than 6 million Americans, occurs when the body’s own T cells attack hair follicles, leading the hair to fall out. The only treatment available to most patients — injections of immunosuppressant steroids into the scalp — is painful and patients often can’t tolerate it.

Some patients with alopecia areata and other autoimmune skin diseases can also be treated with immunosuppressant drugs that are given orally, but these drugs lead to widespread suppression of the immune system, which can have adverse side effects.

“This approach silences the entire immune system, offering relief from inflammation symptoms but leading to frequent recurrences. Moreover, it increases susceptibility to infections, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer,” Artzi says.

A few years ago, at a working group meeting in Washington, Artzi happened to be seated next to Azzi (the seating was alphabetical), an immunologist and transplant physican who was seeking new ways to deliver drugs directly to the skin to treat skin-related diseases.

Their conversation led to a new collaboration, and the two labs joined forces to work on a microneedle patch to deliver drugs to the skin. In 2021, they reported that such a patch can be used to prevent rejection following skin transplant. In the new study, they began applying this approach to autoimmune skin disorders.

“The skin is the only organ in our body that we can see and touch, and yet when it comes to drug delivery to the skin, we revert to systemic administration. We saw great potential in utilizing the microneedle patch to reprogram the immune system locally,” Azzi says.

The microneedle patches used in this study are made from hyaluronic acid crosslinked with polyethylene glycol (PEG), both of which are biocompatible and commonly used in medical applications. With this delivery method, drugs can pass through the tough outer layer of the epidermis, which can’t be penetrated by creams applied to the skin.

“This polymer formulation allows us to create highly durable needles capable of effectively penetrating the skin. Additionally, it gives us the flexibility to incorporate any desired drug,” Artzi says. For this study, the researchers loaded the patches with a combination of the cytokines IL-2 and CCL-22. Together, these immune molecules help to recruit regulatory T cells, which proliferate and help to tamp down inflammation. These cells also help the immune system learn to recognize that hair follicles are not foreign antigens, so that it will stop attacking them.

Hair regrowth

The researchers found that mice treated with this patch every other day for three weeks had many more regulatory T cells present at the site, along with a reduction in inflammation. Hair was able to regrow at those sites, and this growth was maintained for several weeks after the treatment ended. In these mice, there were no changes in the levels of regulatory T cells in the spleen or lymph nodes, suggesting that the treatment affected only the site where the patch was applied.

In another set of experiments, the researchers grafted human skin onto mice with a humanized immune system. In these mice, the microneedle treatment also induced proliferation of regulatory T cells and a reduction in inflammation.

The researchers designed the microneedle patches so that after releasing their drug payload, they can also collect samples that could be used to monitor the progress of the treatment. Hyaluronic acid causes the needles to swell about tenfold after entering the skin, which allows them to absorb interstitial fluid containing biomolecules and immune cells from the skin.

Following patch removal, researchers can analyze samples to measure levels of regulatory T cells and inflammation markers. This could prove valuable for monitoring future patients who may undergo this treatment.

The researchers now plan to further develop this approach for treating alopecia, and to expand into other autoimmune skin diseases.

The research was funded by the Ignite Fund and Shark Tank Fund awards from the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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MIT researchers have developed microneedle patches that are capable of restoring hair growth in alopecia areata patients, reports Ernie Mundell for HealthDay . The team’s approach includes a, “patch containing myriad microneedles that is applied to the scalp,” writes Mundell. “It releases drugs to reset the immune system so it stops attacking follicles.” 

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Surprise Hair Loss Breakthrough: Sugar Gel Triggers Robust Regrowth

Scientists have accidentally stumbled upon a potential new treatment for hereditary-patterned baldness, the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women worldwide.

It all started with research on a sugar that naturally occurs in the body and helps form DNA: the ' deoxyribose ' part of deoxyribonucleic acid.

While studying how these sugars heal the wounds of mice when applied topically, scientists at the University of Sheffield and COMSATS University in Pakistan noticed that the fur around the lesions was growing back faster than in untreated mice.

Intrigued, the team decided to investigate further.

They took male mice with testosterone-driven hair loss and removed the fur from their backs. Each day, researchers smeared a small dose of deoxyribose sugar gel on the exposed skin, and within weeks, the fur in this region showed 'robust' regrowth, sprouting long, thick individual hairs.

The deoxyribose gel was so effective, researchers found it worked just as well as minoxidil, a topical treatment for hair loss commonly known by the brand name Rogaine.

"Our research suggests that the answer to treating hair loss might be as simple as using a naturally occurring deoxyribose sugar to boost the blood supply to the hair follicles to encourage hair growth," says tissue engineer Sheila MacNeil from the University of Sheffield.

Hereditary-patterned baldness, or androgenic alopecia , is a natural condition caused by genetics, hormone levels, and aging, and it presents differently in males and females.

The disorder impacts up to 40 percent of the population , and yet the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved two drugs to treat the condition thus far.

While over-the-counter minoxidil can work to slow hair loss and promote some regrowth, it doesn't work for all those experiencing hair loss.

If minoxidil isn't effective, then male patients can turn to finasteride (brand name Propecia) – a prescribed oral drug that keeps testosterone flowing through the body. It's not yet approved for female patients.

Finasteride can slow hair loss in about 80 to 90 percent of male patients , but it needs to be taken continuously once it is started. The drug can be associated with unwanted, sometimes severe side effects , such as erectile dysfunction, testicular or breast pain, reduced libido, and depression .

"The treatment of androgenetic alopecia remains challenging," MacNeil and her colleagues, led by biomaterial researcher Muhammad Anjum from COMSATS, write in their published paper.

Together, the team designed a biodegradable, non-toxic gel made from deoxyribose, and applied the treatment to mouse models of male-pattern baldness.

Minoxidil was also tested on balding mouse models, and some of the animals received a dose of both sugar gel and minoxidil for good measure.

Compared to mice that received a gel without any medicine, those that received a gel with deoxyribose sugar began to sprout new hair follicles.

Both minoxidil and the sugar gel promoted 80 to 90 percent hair regrowth in mice with male pattern baldness. Combining the treatments, however, did not make much more of a difference.

Photographs were taken at various stages throughout the 20-day trial, and the effect is clear.

Researchers aren't sure why the deoxyribose gel stimulates longer and thicker hair growth in mice, but around the treated site, the team did notice an increase in blood vessels and skin cells.

"The better the blood supply to the hair bulb, the larger its diameter and the more hair growth," explain the researchers.

If the deoxyribose gel also proves effective in humans, it could be used to treat alopecia or even stimulate hair, lash, and eyebrow regrowth following chemotherapy.

"This is a badly under-researched area, and hence new approaches are needed," argue the authors.

The current experiments were only conducted among male mice, but further research might find the use of these natural sugars could also work for female mice experiencing testosterone-driven alopecia, too.

"The research we have done is very much early stage," admits MacNeil, "but the results are promising and warrant further investigation."

The study was published in Frontiers in Pharmacology .

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Cure for hair loss? Breakthrough study may pave the way for new treatment

A single molecule may hold the key to battling male- and female-pattern hair loss, recent research suggests.

In mouse experiments, scientists showed that the molecule, dubbed SCUBE3, could spark hair growth in dormant mouse follicles, and even in human ones that had been grafted onto mice. The research was described in a study published in Developmental Cell.

Hair follicles in people who are bald still have the machinery to sprout new strands, study co-author Maksim Plikus, Ph.D., professor of developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine, told TODAY.

All follicles have stem cells at their base that work together to produce strands of hair, Plikus said. In people who are bald or have thinning hair , some of those stem cells don’t seem to be working, he added.

“When it comes to growing hairs, follicle stem cells need to become activated,” Plikus said. “Once activated, they divide into daughter cells that mature and come together to form a strand.”

“Most people when they lose their hair wonder if the follicles are gone,” Plikus said. “They are there, but they are dormant. The reason they are inactive is that they are not hearing signaling molecules.”

That's where SCUBE3 comes in: The molecule carries the message that tells the follicles to activate. Plikus and his colleagues showed in their experiments that when mice were given microinjections of SCUBE3, their hair grew in thick . Even human follicles that were transplanted into the mouse skin turned on when exposed to SCUBE3. The findings suggest that, in people with thinning hair, there isn’t enough SCUBE3 present.

Plikus compares a head covered with dormant follicles to a huge factory filled with 3D printers that are idling and ready to print, but are waiting for someone to push their start buttons.

It’s likely, Plikus said, that it would take very small amounts of SCUBE3 to activate dormant human hair follicles. Moreover, he suspects that treatments would need to be given only two or three times a year.

While the research on SCUBE3 is promising, getting from mouse experiments to a human treatment for baldness isn’t guaranteed, and even if SCUBE3 turns out to grow hair in people, it takes a long time to take a treatment through all of the clinical trials needed to get Food and Drug Administration approval, Plikus said.

“Right now, we are very excited about it,” Dr. Brian Abittan, director of skin and hair rejuvenation at the Mount Sinai Health System, told TODAY. “With this SCUBE3 molecule, we’re hoping to have a more precise understanding of the signaling that controls hair growth. It would be great to have another pathway to treatments.”

But, Abittan said, this is still in the preclinical stage of development.

There is still a long way to go before this could become a baldness treatment, Rui Yi, Ph.D., professor of pathology and dermatology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, told TODAY. “There is a big difference between a human and a mouse. Mice have short hair that grows just long enough to cover their bodies.”

Before doing a clinical trial, the researchers probably will need to do more safety testing, Yi said.

Linda Carroll is a Peabody Award-winning journalist who is a contributing health and medicine writer for NBC News and TODAY. She is co-author of three books: “The Concussion Crisis: Anatomy of a Silent Epidemic”, “Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt Who Conquered the Sport of Kings” and “Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing’s Greatest Rivalry”.  

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Fda approves second yale-researched treatment for alopecia areata.

A side by side comparison of the same patient before and after treatment.

Just a year after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first treatment for severe alopecia areata, the federal agency has approved a second treatment for the disfiguring skin disease — both the result of pioneering research by the same Yale dermatologist.

On June 23, the FDA announced its approval for the use of ritlecitinib — a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor — to treat alopecia areata in both adolescents and adults. The medicine, taken orally, goes by the product name Litfulo.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by sudden, often disfiguring, loss of hair. It is the second most common cause of hair loss, affecting up to 7 million people in the United States.

Dr. Brett King , an associate professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, worked with pharmaceutical company Pfizer to conduct a series of clinical trials with ritlecitinib. He worked with Eli Lilly and Company on clinical trials for the earlier medicine — baricitinib (which goes by the product name Olumiant), approved as a treatment for patients with severe alopecia areata in June 2022 .

King’s groundbreaking work with JAK inhibitors, which were originally designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis and myelofibrosis (a rare blood cancer), has shown significant potential to treat an array of intractable skin diseases, including eczema, erosive lichen planus, vitiligo, granuloma annulare, and sarcoidosis.

King spoke with Yale News about this latest FDA approval.

How does FDA approval for ritlecitinib change the treatment landscape for people with alopecia areata?

Brett King: Ritlecitinib [Litfulo] changes the treatment landscape for people with alopecia areata enormously. Last year, history was made when baricitinib [Olumiant] was FDA approved for the treatment of adults with severe alopecia areata. But alopecia areata affects people of all ages and, indeed, it commonly affects children of all ages. Ritlecitinib is approved in patients ages 12 years and older.

Childhood and adolescence are such vulnerable times, and children and adolescents have so much to do and learn and become during these years. It is challenging enough to be a kid, but when alopecia areata happens and suddenly one has big bald spots or is completely bald and missing eyebrows, the normal trajectory of that kid’s life, and the family’s life, too, can be derailed. Kids withdraw from sports and other social activities, and even from school. Extreme sadness and anxiety are common. It is awful. There is a way out of the darkness, however, and that is to regrow the hair that was lost, to restore the person as they had been prior to alopecia areata.

Normalcy is so important for everybody, but especially when we are developing. So it is easy to understand what a monumental breakthrough it is to have a medicine, ritlecitinib, approved for adolescents. Ritlecitinib restores normalcy and will make life better — literally will change life — for so many people.

When can patients in the U.S. expect ritlecitinib to be available for use?

King: Hopefully in the days or weeks ahead.

You have been at the center of two FDA approvals for major treatments of alopecia areata in two years. Has that sunk in yet — and how does that make you feel?

King: These new medicines for alopecia areata are historic, and I feel super fortunate to be a part of their development. Being a doctor is amazing because I get to share in the lives of others, hopefully making those lives better. It happens one person at a time, though. To have played a central role in the development of treatments for alopecia areata and other diseases — treatments that doctors around the world will give to thousands and thousands (or even millions) of people to make their lives better — is really incredible. We are all a part of something bigger than ourselves, and for me this experience highlights that as well as the possibility that we can change the world.

What are you working on next?

King: The next horizon is approval of these and other treatments for younger patients. Remember, alopecia areata is not uncommon in pre-adolescents. Also, JAK inhibitors do not work for everybody with alopecia areata, and so work needs to be done both to understand why that is and to develop treatments other than JAK inhibitors. The goal is for everybody to be able to have effective treatment. We have come so, so far but we still have a ways to go. It’s exciting.

• New Alopecia Areata treatment aims to help adults and adolescents
• FDA approves alopecia areata treatment with roots at Yale
• New trials for alopecia areata treatment are a success

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Can we finally reverse balding with these new experimental treatments?

Male pattern baldness could soon be a thing of the past, with new hair loss treatments beginning to show tantalising results

By Joshua Howgego

26 September 2023

baytunc/Getty Images

I’LL level with you: a part of me didn’t want to write this story. When I first realised that I was losing my hair, I found it important to mention it often in conversation. I was so embarrassed about it that I was trying some sort of reverse psychology. But I soon realised that if there was one thing less attractive than my balding head, it was how much I was talking about it. I am joking, of course: there is nothing wrong with being bald. Still, for me, the prospect is terrifying. My hair is a big part of my identity, so to lose it is crushing.

I’m not alone. By the age of 50, between 30 and 50 per cent of men have begun to experience male pattern baldness . Despite there being plenty of handsome hairless men out there – I’m looking at you, Thierry Henry – studies suggest that people tend to perceive bald men as less attractive and less friendly . And we don’t need science to tell us that this can be deeply upsetting.

So although I have dialled down the discussion of my growing bald patch, I have been quietly digging into the science of hair loss – and what I found is worth shouting about. It is common knowledge that some treatments can slow hair loss. What is less known is that as we are coming to understand the reasons why male pattern baldness causes people to lose their hair, we are finding new strategies to restore it. There may soon be a way to not just slow balding, but reverse it.

In a field where tales of miracle cures are ten a penny, it is important not to overpromise. Still, there is a sense that the science of hair is advancing at breakneck speed. “People are now starting to get excited that we’re reaching a tipping point,” says biologist Maksim Plikus at the University of California, Irvine.

What is baldness?

There are many reasons why people lose hair from their heads. It can happen suddenly after an infection or chemotherapy. Sometimes, people can lose patches of hair through an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata. But the most common type is androgenetic alopecia, or male/female pattern baldness. In men, we know that the condition, in which hair loss begins around the crown and forehead, is related to male sex hormones, but we don’t understand the exact trigger.

The female version tends to cause an overall thinning that rarely progresses to total baldness. It is also thought to be caused by sex hormones, but again the mechanics elude us.

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Through the ages, people have looked to a variety of unlikely remedies for baldness , from donkey hooves in ancient Egypt to fresh air and exercise in Victorian England. A quick look online and the modern-day choices are just as bamboozling: scalp rollers, caffeine shampoo, laser combs, microneedling, to name a few. The latest trend is rosemary oil, with TikTok full of young men exhorting its powers. (Personally, I’m not minded to try it, on the basis that I don’t want to smell like a roast potato.) Some of these treatments may do limited good for some people, but there is little scientific evidence that they slow or reverse balding. Those that do can have side effects and don’t always work for everyone (see “Two drugs that help treat hair loss (well, a bit)” below ).

Thierry Henry. By age 50, 30 to 50 per cent of men experience pattern baldness

CHRISTOPHE SAIDI/SIPA/Shutterstock

Determined to make sense of it all, I visited hair and scalp expert Hugh Rushton at his clinic on London’s Harley Street. He talked me through the basics of how hair loss works. First, you need to know that each hair goes through a growth cycle, growing for several years before taking a break for about three months and then falling out. About 10 to 15 per cent of hair is in this resting state at any one time. As male bodies age, healthy hairs can go through a process called miniaturisation, where they turn from regular “terminal hairs” into baby-fine “vellus hairs”, which are almost invisible.

What causes baldness?

We have known for a while that the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which stimulates the development of male characteristics, plays a key role in this process. DHT prompts follicles to miniaturise, and if you can reduce it, balding can be slowed. Over the past few years, though, researchers have made spectacular progress in understanding the complex biology surrounding hair growth and loss and the many biological components involved.

It was cell biologist Karl Koehler at Harvard University who made a pivotal breakthrough around a decade ago. Back then, he and his team were trying to grow a type of cell found in the inner ear using stem cells. However, it turns out that these ear cells are closely related to skin cells, and the researchers found that they always got some patches of skin growing as a side product. At first, this was a pain. “It was this weed in our garden that we were trying to get rid of,” says Koehler. Then they realised that these fragments of skin, if left to grow, would form two layers – the dermis and epidermis – and, eventually, even hair follicles. They had inadvertently created a skin organoid, with all its attendant parts.

Koehler and his team refocused their efforts on culturing skin, tweaking the chemical recipe they fed the cells to steer them into the optimal pathway. In 2018, they published a paper demonstrating their success developing mouse skin , and in 2020, they repeated the feat with human skin .

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It takes about 50 to 70 days to culture a stem cell into a small patch of skin with hair. The skin forms in a bulb-like shape, about 4 millimetres wide. Koehler says he has already grafted these bulbs onto the backs of mice, where the skin begins to grow hairs. The first application could be as a way to test drugs to treat skin conditions, he says. But it is tempting to wonder whether this could be a way of grafting hair onto a bald head.

Hair transplants already exist, of course, but they have drawbacks. Follicular unit extraction, or FUE, for instance, takes follicles from the sides and back of the head, where the hair is still growing, and transplants them onto a balding area. The trouble with FUE, aside from the cost, is that it merely redistributes hair so cannot transform an empty scalp into a luxuriant mane.

A cure for baldness

With Koehler’s hairy skin organoids, we are talking about growing new hairs, which is quite the breakthrough. You could easily imagine it being used to reverse baldness. “We’re definitely thinking about this,” says Koehler. There will, however, be hurdles, like growing the skin larger and overcoming graft rejection – the skin would probably have to be grown from stem cells taken from the transplant recipient. “It’s going to be hugely expensive and not fast – not on the timescale some balding men might like,” says Koehler. But perhaps there is an easier option.

At the root of each hair there is a group of dermal papilla cells , which are involved in regulating hair growth. We know that in some hair follicles, such as those on the head, these crucial cells are lost with each successive hair growth cycle, until they are all gone. As a result, the signals telling hairs to grow cease and hairs miniaturise. So why not replace dermal papilla cells? That is what Colin Jahoda at Durham University, UK, thought several decades ago. He took these cells from the coat hair of mice and injected them into the rodents’ ears, which have much finer hair. The ear hair quickly grew longer and thicker.

In the early 2000s, regenerative medicine entrepreneur Paul Kemp founded a company that investigated whether injection of dermal papilla cells into the human scalp could stimulate the growth of entirely new hairs. The researchers found that it worked, but the new hairs were thin. However, at the same time, they observed that thinning hairs got thicker. The treatment went through stage I and II clinical trials, which showed that it was safe. But then for reasons that are unclear, the line of research was dropped.

A hair follicle expressing proteins (red) that help it grow. These proteins could be used to help stimulate new growth

Jiyoon Lee and Karl R. Koehler

In 2015, Kemp founded HairClone to revive the work on dermal papilla cells. The plan was twofold. First, healthy dermal papilla cells would be extracted from young people and frozen in a follicle bank. Then, when those people began to thin on top, the cells would be cultured and injected back into the scalp. “The idea is that, as those cells are being lost, you’re injecting them back in,” says HairClone’s head of research, Jennifer Dillon . Unlike the skin organoids, this treatment doesn’t have the potential to restore hair to a person in an advanced stage of pattern baldness because it would only revive ageing follicles, not those that have already miniaturised. But it is a big deal because it could fix the problem of follicles dying off in the first place.

Follicle banking

HairClone has already created a follicle banking service, where people can have some of their dermal papilla cells removed and cryogenically frozen. This service is available in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. Meanwhile, Dillon is working on perfecting the process of multiplication.

Dillon says the procedure is popular among parents who want to bank their teenage sons’ follicles, so that they may avoid the hair loss their fathers have experienced. But women are banking too. Jane (not her real name) from London experienced hair thinning after an infection in 2018 and later discovered that she had breast cancer. With the prospect of losing the rest due to chemotherapy, she decided to take out an “insurance policy” and bank 100 of her follicles. “I would be gutted if they invented some way to rejuvenate hair and I had not taken the opportunity to prepare for it,” she says. The banking cost £2000 and she pays a yearly fee of £120 to keep her follicles on ice.

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The next step is to show that the injection of cultured dermal papilla cells is safe and effective. HairClone is currently offering the treatment off label in the UK. The company can’t make any claims about its efficacy, but can give it to people to collect data about the best treatment regimen ahead of clinical trials.

Maria Kasper, who studies the biology of skin and hair at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, says she hasn’t seen enough data to judge how efficiently it will work in balding human scalps. She also points out that each round of cloning tends to reduce the papilla cells’ ability to induce hair growth, which could be a challenge. “But when it works,” she says, “it would likely be a long-term solution”, with the revitalised hair perhaps lasting decades.

The secret of hair growth

Dermal papilla cells offer great promise, but perhaps we don’t need to go to the trouble of growing them. Maybe we can replicate the chemical signals they whisper to hair instead. To do so, we need to know the nitty-gritty details of exactly what makes hair grow. “That is what the last decade and a half has provided,” says Plikus.

All over the skin, there are epithelial stem cells that can go on to form other kinds of cell, including hair cells, depending on the chemical signals they receive. In theory, if you could hijack this cell signalling, you might produce a hair loss therapy. This is a fraught business, though. Two of the pathways known to enhance hair growth are called Wnt and hedgehog, so one idea would be to dial their activity up. However, their activity is also increased in many cancers.

Hair follicles grown in the lab in a step towards hair loss treatment

You can think of these signalling pathways as a bit like a row of dominoes that splits off in many directions. Push over the first domino and you set off a messy, unstoppable chain reaction that might cause cancer. But Plikus reasoned that it might be possible to set off the reaction much further down the line, where the effects are more controllable.

He and his team began exploring this by genetically engineering mice in different ways so that their hedgehog signalling pathways were dialled up. One particular mouse looked promising, growing more hair than the others. By comparing all of the signalling molecules involved with those from non-engineered mice, they identified a protein called SCUBE3 that was boosted at a late stage in the hedgehog pathway. Investigations showed that this molecule is also switched on in human hair follicles at the start of a growth cycle.

Balding vaccine

Plikus says you could imagine SCUBE3 being injected into the scalp, or perhaps being administered as an mRNA therapy, where cells are given the instructions to make the protein, similar to how some covid-19 vaccines work . The first thing is to understand whether SCUBE3 would be safe as a drug. A spin-off company called Amplifica has now begun early-stage clinical trials to establish this.

But Plikus isn’t done there. He has already produced another potential drug candidate, based on the bizarre fact that skin moles often encourage vellus hairs to turn thick and long . Perhaps, he thought, he could divine their secrets and use them to reverse baldness.

In June, he and his colleagues published work showing that a molecule called osteopontin was an important signal that drives the growth of these thick hairs in moles . “What’s particularly exciting with this molecule is that nature has performed a natural experiment for us,” says Plikus. Hairy moles appear on people with a wide variety of genetic make-ups, so we know that the effects of osteopontin aren’t likely to be limited to a small group of people.

But the reason for optimism in this field isn’t about any one treatment. Rather, it is that our burgeoning understanding of the signals that drive hair growth and loss suggests that there will be many ways of intervening in the process. That increases the odds of finding one strategy that works.

In my stronger moments, I tell myself I should shave all my hair off and be done with it – or just stop worrying about it. Then again, there is a wider perspective on all this. Most mammals have hair all over their bodies, but we humans lost the majority of ours aeons ago. In that context, maybe I can console myself with the notion that the hair on our heads is really just a remnant of a bygone age.

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TWO DRUGS THAT HELP TREAT HAIR LOSS (well, a bit)

Male pattern baldness happens when an enzyme called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) prompts hair follicles to give up the ghost (see main story). Finasteride , sold as Propecia, among other names, is a medicine that stops one of the body’s ways of converting testosterone into DHT. It is most effective when taken in the early stages of balding. However, it has some side effects and only works for as long as it is being taken. It isn’t effective for everybody, not least because the body has other ways of making DHT that can, for reasons not well understood, kick in for some people and not others. Finasteride can’t be used to treat female pattern baldness.

Then there is minoxidil , sold as Rogaine, among other names. Exactly how it works isn’t clear, but it is thought that it extends the natural hair growth cycle in men and women, so that you have more hairs growing on your head at any one time. Again, the results last only as long as the product is used and they can peak after a few months and then decline.

Joshua Howgego is a features editor at New Scientist

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Reversing Baldness: Surprising New Molecular Mechanism Discovered for Stimulating Hair Growth

Findings may offer a road map for the next generation of therapies for androgenetic alopecia.

Researchers have discovered that senescent pigment cells in skin moles can stimulate robust hair growth, challenging the belief that these cells impede regeneration. The study showed that molecules osteopontin and CD44 play a key role in this process, potentially opening new avenues for therapies for common hair loss conditions.

The process by which aged, or senescent, pigment-making cells in the skin cause significant growth of hair inside skin moles, called nevi, has been identified by a research team led by the University of California, Irvine. The discovery may offer a road map for an entirely new generation of molecular therapies for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.

The study, published on June 21 in the journal Nature,  describes the essential role that the osteopontin and CD44 molecules play in activating hair growth inside hairy skin nevi. These skin nevi accumulate particularly large numbers of senescent pigment cells and yet display very robust hair growth.

Androgenetic alopecia , also known as male or female pattern baldness, is the most common type of hair loss affecting both men and women. It’s a genetic condition that involves the progressive thinning of hair follicles, which leads to the production of finer and shorter hair strands over time. In men, this condition often presents as a receding hairline and balding on the top of the head, while in women, it typically manifests as overall hair thinning, especially at the crown of the head.

“We found that senescent pigment cells produce large quantities of a specific signaling molecule called osteopontin, which causes normally dormant and diminutive hair follicles to activate their stem cells for robust growth of long and thick hairs,” said lead corresponding author Maksim Plikus, UCI professor of developmental and cell biology. “Senescent cells are typically viewed as detrimental to regeneration and are thought to drive the aging process as they accumulate in tissues throughout the body, but our research clearly shows that cellular senescence has a positive side to it.”

The growth of hair follicles is well regulated by stem cell activation; these cells divide, enabling follicles to produce new hair in a cyclical manner. After each bout of hair growth, there’s a period of dormancy, during which the follicle’s stem cells remain inactive until the next cycle begins.

The study involved mouse models with pigmented skin spots that had hyperactivated hair stem cells and displayed accelerated hair growth, strongly resembling the clinical observations documented in human hairy skin nevi. Further detailed analysis of senescent pigment cells and the nearby hair stem cells revealed that the former produced high levels of a signaling molecule called osteopontin, for which hair stem cells had a matching receptor molecule called CD44. Upon molecular interaction between osteopontin and CD44, hair stem cells became activated, resulting in robust hair growth.

To confirm the leading role of osteopontin and CD44 in the process, mouse models lacking either one of these genes were studied; they exhibited significantly slower hair growth. The effect of osteopontin on hair growth has also been confirmed via hairy skin nevi samples collected from humans.

“Our findings provide qualitatively new insights into the relationship between senescent cells and tissue’s own stem cells and reveal positive effects of senescent cells on hair follicle stem cells,” said first and co-corresponding author Xiaojie Wang, UCI associate specialist in developmental and cell biology. “As we learn more, that information can potentially be harnessed to develop new therapies that target properties of senescent cells and treat a wide range of regenerative disorders, including common hair loss.”

The team included healthcare professionals and academics from the U.S., China, France, Germany, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

“In addition to osteopontin and CD44, we’re looking deeper into other molecules present in hairy skin nevi and their ability to induce hair growth. It’s likely that our continued research will identify additional potent activators,” Plikus said.

Reference: “Signalling by senescent melanocytes hyperactivates hair growth” by Xiaojie Wang, Raul Ramos, Anne Q. Phan, Kosuke Yamaga, Jessica L. Flesher, Shan Jiang, Ji Won Oh, Suoqin Jin, Sohail Jahid, Chen-Hsiang Kuan, Truman Kt Nguyen, Heidi Y. Liang, Nitish Udupi Shettigar, Renzhi Hou, Kevin H. Tran, Andrew Nguyen, Kimberly N. Vu, Jennie L. Phung, Jonard P. Ingal, Katelyn M. Levitt, Xiaoling Cao, Yingzi Liu, Zhili Deng, Nobuhiko Taguchi, Vanessa M. Scarfone, Guangfang Wang, Kara Nicole Paolilli, Xiaoyang Wang, Christian F. Guerrero-Juarez, Ryan T. Davis, Elyse Noelani Greenberg, Rolando Ruiz-Vega, Priya Vasudeva, Rabi Murad, Lily Halida Putri Widyastuti, Hye-Lim Lee, Kevin J. McElwee, Alain-Pierre Gadeau, Devon A. Lawson, Bogi Andersen, Ali Mortazavi, Zhengquan Yu, Qing Nie, Takahiro Kunisada, Michael Karin, Jan Tuckermann, Jeffrey D. Esko, Anand K. Ganesan, Ji Li and Maksim V. Plikus, 21 June 2023, Nature . DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06172-8

This work was supported in part by LEO Foundation grants LF-AW-RAM-19-400008 and LF-OC-20-000611; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant AN-0000000062; W.M. Keck Foundation grant WMKF-5634988; National Science Foundation grants DMS1951144 and DMS1763272; and National Institutes of Health grants U01-AR073159, R01-AR079470, R01-AR079150, R21-AR078939 and P30-AR075047. Additional backing came from Simons Foundation grant 594598 and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Shared Research Laboratory Grant CL1-00520-1.2.

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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

What ever happened to that drug that was designed to treat something else, but restored color to grey hair as a side effect? I read an article about it several years ago, but they wouldn’t say what the drug was as apparently it was something not safe for general use, but the scientists thought perhaps it wasn’t the main ingredient that brought back hair color in like 87% of the people that used it. Then, of course, I/we never heard anything about it EVER again. One wonders if the hair coloring industry made sure it wasn’t investigated further as it would wipe out a lot of sales of old age hair coloring products.

I’d guess that Big Pharma would be favorite in a tussle with the hair-color industry, Albus! There must be some other reason.

Maybe, but I don’t know how interested Big Pharma is in products that are “use once and never again” as this color restoring effect was reportedly more or less permanent, not something that would require an ongoing prescription, unlike hair coloring which becomes very expensive and needed on a regular basis to maintain the color. Despite “grey” being promoted as “distinguished” by some, the fact is we associate it with “old” and thus it’s a negative connotation particularly for women when dating at an older age.

Let’s face it. Big Pharma doesn’t want “cures” for ANYTHING. They want “managed conditions” that require ongoing treatment forever so you you keep paying out $$$$$$$$ the rest of your life. That’s what keeps their shareholders happy and you miserable. And it’s only going to get worse over time. AI might help find cures, but it’s just as likely to be used to find “treatments” that don’t cure, but keep you coming back for more.

I didn’t realise it was a one-and-done thing, Albus. You evidently know more about this than I do – which, frankly, is not difficult. I’d be quite happy if I could grow anough hair to comb it over my bald patch again, which I had to quit doing in 2009 because of all the laughter.

Really have yo write “women and men” no matter how awkward it sounds. 🤣🤣 Who ever wrote this must be a woke feminist.

I’ll volunteer for any trials

Looking forward to see hair re growth research and results ,india has huge problem even globally , there are more than 2 dozen oil companies making herbal treatments and making money

Hoping for positive results with great expectations, half our nation is going bald at a very young age , wish you guys the best , Keep it up

Too much hair fall & scalp little shinning

Looking forward to be a beneficial of the great minds result on reversing baldness.

Thank for this breakthrough

June 25th 2023 I’m the only.male out of my family that is losing hair. I’m up for free trials.

innovative methods to be overwhelmed after success and without side effects. Workout age not known. Regards

Looking forward to be beneficial for reverse baldness.

Good. If this method is effective,I will be a volunteer for free trial

I read something about rubbing semen on your scalp to restore hair growth, it has all the nutrients and growth factors in. I have been doing this for years and my hair is full and lush, I also had several false pregnancies too but I think that may just be a side effect.._

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The Key to Locks: Columbia Team’s Breakthrough Led to Hair Loss Treatment

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For over a decade, Columbia geneticist Angela Christiano , PhD, has attended the annual meeting of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, where hundreds of individuals affected by the hair loss disorder gather to support one another and learn about the latest scientific research. The meeting is a safe space where patients with alopecia, many of whom have lost all their hair, joyfully remove their wigs and head coverings for the three-day celebration, without fear of shame or judgment.

But this year’s meeting was a bit different. Christiano had trouble recognizing conference attendees she’s known and worked with for years, because many of them now have full heads of hair.

For people with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that can cause hair loss so complete that people even lose their eyebrows, the change in appearance was dramatic.

drug_restores_hair_growth_in_patients_with_alopecia_areata

It was also a direct result of Christiano’s groundbreaking research on the condition, which led the FDA in June to approve the first systemic treatment specifically developed for severe alopecia areata.

“It’s a strange feeling. It’s what every geneticist dreams of, to find the genes for a condition and develop a treatment that can directly benefit patients. But it’s extremely rare that it actually works out that way,” says Christiano, who has studied alopecia areata for more than 20 years, motivated by her own bout with the disease.

Mysterious origins

Unlike hormone-driven male pattern baldness, alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicle and shuts down hair production.

When Christiano began working on it, though, nobody knew exactly what caused the problem.

Starting with a series of basic research studies on the genetics and cell biology of hair growth, Christiano and a multidisciplinary team of collaborators produced a steady stream of advances, first in the lab and then in the clinic.

The first major clue came in 2010, from a study led by Christiano’s team that looked through the genomes of a thousand patients. The study, published in Nature, uncovered a gene that, when abnormally expressed, produces a known "danger signal" that causes the body to recognize the hair follicle as foreign. 

The genome study was also crucial since the findings also explained why previous efforts to treat the condition hadn’t worked.

“Drugs for other autoimmune skin diseases had been tested in alopecia, but they had largely failed,” Christiano says.

“At that point, we realized that was because alopecia doesn’t share genetic pathways with other autoimmune skin diseases.”

Taming killer T cells

The genome study led the team to focus on investigating a particular kind of "killer" T cell recruited by the danger signal, which became central to understanding the mechanism of hair follicle destruction.

Columbia alopecia team . Dermatologist Julian Mackay-Wiggan (left), immunologist Raphael Clynes (center), and geneticist Angela Christiano (right) made key discoveries that have led to a new drug for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that can cause severe hair loss. Photo: Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Christiano is not an immunologist, so she needed to enlist an expert to help make inroads into understanding the behavior of these cells. She approached Raphael Clynes, MD, PhD, at that time a faculty member in the Department of Medicine, who was an expert in studying the same kinds of killer T cells in type 1 diabetes and in cancer. 

Clynes looked at the list of genes from the genome study and images of the "swarm" of killer T cells surrounding the hair follicle and suggested that inhibiting enzymes known as JAK kinases might be one way to treat the disease.

The team showed that small molecule drugs called JAK inhibitors could shut down signaling inside the killer T cells. Amazingly, by inhibiting the JAK pathway, the team found they could reverse alopecia areata in a mouse model of the disease.

Dramatic regrowth of hair

Armed with photos of mice with alopecia that had regrown all their hair, Christiano next approached her colleague Julian Mackay-Wiggan, MD, a Columbia dermatologist who specialized in hair disorders and had an interest in early-stage clinical research.  

Excited by the early results in the mice, Mackay-Wiggan began treating a few patients with alopecia areata using JAK inhibitors that were already FDA-approved for other disorders. The first few patients experienced dramatic regrowth of their hair, just as the researchers had observed in the mice. Christiano’s team reported these groundbreaking studies in 2014.

Building on these early results, Mackay-Wiggan conducted additional Columbia clinical studies that showed that 75% of patients experienced significant hair regrowth after treatment with two different JAK inhibitors.

Pharma attention

Soon after the Columbia team reported its findings, additional case reports began appearing in the published literature that replicated the results in alopecia patients from around the world.

Because there were no FDA-approved drugs for alopecia when their work began, it didn’t take long for pharmaceutical companies to turn their attention to developing JAK inhibitors specifically for alopecia treatment. These efforts led to newly approved Olumiant from Eli Lilly, Incyte (previously approved for rheumatoid arthritis and hospitalized patients with COVID-19), and two additional JAK inhibitors being developed by Pfizer and Concert Pharmaceuticals and now in late-stage clinical trials.

Christiano welcomes the pharmaceutical companies’ new attention to alopecia areata after the condition had long been neglected and was frequently dismissed as a cosmetic problem.

For patients with complete hair loss, the barrage of stares and intrusive questions can be demoralizing and psychologically devastating. “It’s the stigma of unwanted attention; how do you quantify that?” says Christiano. “The impact of this treatment on patients has been truly transformative.”

Male pattern baldness next?

While Olumiant and other new JAK inhibitors are often life-changing for patients who respond well to them, the treatments are still far from perfect.

“These are potent immunosuppressive drugs, so there are safety considerations to be taken into account when assessing the risk/benefit ratio for individual patients,” says Christiano. After the treatment ends, some patients’ alopecia relapses for reasons the researchers don’t fully understand. In addition, about a third of patients don’t respond to the drugs.

Fortunately, Christiano has no intention of resting on her laurels. Her lab is hoping to understand what causes the condition to relapse after JAK inhibitor treatment.

And by continuing to investigate alopecia areata with new tools and techniques, her team is developing both new biological insights and more potential ways to attack the disease process. “We’re now looking upstream of the JAK signaling pathway to see if other mechanisms can lead to the common endpoint of alopecia areata,” she says.

Christiano’s team also hopes to extend these insights and apply the same approaches to treat other types of hair loss.

Hair follicles grown in a dish in the Christiano lab. Made possible with 3D printing technology, engineered human hair follicles created in this way could generate an unlimited source of new hair follicles for patients undergoing robotic hair restoration surgery. Read more .

In one recent study, for example, Christiano’s team found that JAK inhibitors also reawaken dormant hair follicles , a problem common to male and female pattern baldness.

They also discovered a previously unknown type of immune cell that puts hair follicles into a dormant state by secreting a substance called oncostatin M and that the hair cycle can be reactivated by blocking this pathway.

While translating these results into effective treatments for hair loss will likely take years, it’s a process Christiano now knows well.

More information

Angela M. Christiano, PhD, is the Richard and Mildred Rhodebeck Professor of Dermatology, vice chair of research in the Department of Dermatology, and professor of genetics & development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She also serves as an Advisory Dean for Basic Science Faculty. In 2020, Christiano was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Raphael Clynes, MD, PhD is currently vice president of translational biology at Xencor Inc.

Julian Mackay-Wiggan, MD, MPH, is currently in practice in the Siperstein Dermatology Group. 

Angela Christiano and Raphael Clynes are co-inventors on several patents filed by Columbia University on the use of JAK inhibitors in treating hair loss disorders, which have been licensed to Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. Angela Christiano is a shareholder of Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. and has served as a consultant/scientific advisor for Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc., Almirall, S.A., Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc., Bioniz Therapeutics, Inc., Dermira, Inc., Intrinsic Medicine, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Pfizer, Inc. She is a shareholder of Intrinsic Medicine, Inc., has received research grant support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., and Sanofi Genzyme S.A. and serves on/chairs the scientific advisory boards for the Dystrophic EB Research Association of America and the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. She previously served as president of the Society for Investigative Dermatology and currently serves as president of the American Hair Research Society. She is a scientific co-founder of Rapunzel Bioscience.

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Going bald? Lab-grown hair cells could be on the way

These biotech companies are reprogramming cells to treat baldness, but it’s still early days.

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Biologists at several startups are applying the latest advances in genetic engineering to the age-old problem of baldness, creating new hair-forming cells that could restore a person’s ability to grow hair.

Some researchers tell MIT Technology Review they are using the techniques to grow human hair cells in their labs and even on animals. A startup called dNovo sent us a photograph of a mouse sprouting a dense clump of human hair—the result of a transplant of what the company says are human hair stem cells.

The company’s founder is Ernesto Lujan, a Stanford University–trained biologist. He says his company can produce the components of hair follicles by genetically “reprogramming” ordinary cells, like blood or fat cells. More work needs to be done, but Lujan is hopeful that the technology could eventually treat “the underlying cause of hair loss.”

We’re born with all the hair follicles we’ll ever have—but aging, cancer, testosterone, bad genetic luck, even covid-19 can kill the stem cells inside them that make hair. Once these stem cells are gone, so is your hair. Lujan says his company can convert any cell directly into a hair stem cell by changing the patterns of genes active in it.

In biology, we “now understand cells as a ‘state’” rather than a fixed identity, says Lujan. “And we can push cells from one state to another.” 

Reprogramming cells

The chance of replacing hair is one corner in a wider exploration of whether reprogramming technology can defeat the symptoms of aging. In August, MIT Technology Review reported on a stealthy company, Altos Labs , that plans to explore whether people can be rejuvenated using reprogramming. Another startup, Conception , is trying to extend fertility by converting blood cells into human eggs.

A key breakthrough came in the early 2000s, when Japanese researchers hit on a simple formula to turn any type of tissue into powerful stem cells, similar to ones in an embryo. Imaginations ran wild. Scientists realized they could potentially manufacture limitless supplies of nearly any type of cell—say, nerves or heart muscle.

In practice, though, the formula for producing specific cell types can prove elusive, and then there’s the problem of getting lab-grown cells back into the body. So far, there have been only a few demonstrations of reprogramming as a way to treat patients. Researchers in Japan tried transplanting retina cells into blind people. Then, last November, a US company, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said it might have cured a man’s type 1 diabetes after an infusion of programmed beta cells, the kind that respond to insulin.

The concept startups are pursuing is to collect ordinary cells such as skin cells from patients and then convert these into hair-forming cells. In addition to dNovo, a company called Stemson (its name is a portmanteau of “stem cell” and “Samson”) has raised $22.5 million from funders including from the drug company AbbVie. Cofounder and CEO Geoff Hamilton says his company is transplanting reprogrammed cells onto the skin of mice and pigs to test the technology.

Both Hamilton and Lujan think there is a substantial market. About half of men undergo male-pattern baldness, some starting in their 20s. When women lose hair, it’s often a more general thinning, but it’s no less a blow to self-image.

These companies are bringing high-tech biology to an industry known for illusions. There are plenty of bogus claims about both hair-loss remedies and the potential of stem cells. “You’ve got to be aware of scam offerings,” Paul Knoepfler, a stem-cell biologist at UC Davis, wrote in November .

Tricky business

So is stem-cell technology going to cure baldness or become the next false hope? Hamilton, who was invited to give the keynote at this year’s Global Hair Loss Summit , says he tried to emphasize that the company still has plenty of research ahead of it. “We have seen so many [people] come in and say they have a solution. That has happened a lot in hair, and so I have to address that,” he says. “We’re trying to project to the world that we are real scientists and that it's risky to the point I can’t guarantee it’s going to work.”

Right now, there are some approved drugs for hair loss, like Propecia and Rogaine, but they’re of limited use. Another procedure involves cutting strips of skin from someplace where a person still has hair and surgically transplanting those follicles onto a bald spot. Lujan says in the future, hair-forming cells grown in the lab could be added to a person’s head with a similar surgery.

“I think people will go pretty far to get their hair back. But at first it will be a bespoke process and very costly,” says Karl Koehler, a professor at Harvard University.

Hair follicles are surprisingly complicated organs that arise through the molecular crosstalk between several cell types. And Koehler says pictures of mice growing human hair aren't new. “Anytime you see these images,” says Koehler, “there is always a trick, and some drawback to translating it to humans.”

Koehler’s lab makes hair shafts in an entirely different way—by growing organoids. Organoids are small blobs of cells that self-organize in a petri dish. Koehler says he originally was studying deafness cures and wanted to grow the hair-like cells of the inner ear. But his organoids ended up becoming skin instead, complete with hair follicles.

Koehler embraced the accident and now creates spherical skin organoids that grow for about 150 days, until they are around two millimeters across. The tube-like hair follicles are clearly visible; he says they are the equivalent of the downy hair that covers a fetus.

One surprise is that the organoids grow backwards, with the hairs pointing in. “You can see a beautiful architecture, although why they grow inside out is a big question,” says Koehler.

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Why You’re Losing More Hair and the New Science to Help Regrow It

Forty percent of us will have visible hair loss by the time we’re 40 (it tends to get worse from there). Whether the root cause is from menopause, Ozempic, Covid, genetics, or plain ol’ aging, these innovations can make a real difference in the state of your mane.

Our editors handpick the products that we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

We can venture a guess: While the vast majority of women will simply have finer, thinner hair, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 40 percent will, in fact, have visible loss by the time they’re 40. “Most women start thinning in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, but many ignore it until they have lost 40 to 50 percent of their hair. It’s harder to notice because women thin in a more sporadic pattern than men,” says Lars Skjøth, founder and lead researcher of Harklinikken , the Danish company that has been pioneering in the space by creating bespoke extracts for the scalp since 1992. When women do notice it? In a recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Nutrafol, two-thirds of respondents agreed that the way their hair looks can completely change how they feel about themselves. And the average woman experiencing hair thinning thinks about it 15 times a day. If this hits home, read on for the latest stop-the-shed advice.

The first step is diagnosing your hair follicles

The most prevalent type of hair loss among women is androgenic alopecia, which is caused by genetics and hormonal changes, says Michele Green, MD , a New York–based cosmetic dermatologist. It typically begins with a gradual thinning and widening of the part, then continues into diffuse thinning on the top of the head.

But there are certainly other possibilities. Alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that can be triggered by stress or illness, causes patchiness or allover loss. Traction alopecia occurs from wearing tight or restrictive hairstyles repeatedly. And, lastly, telogen effluvium is a sudden and excessive hair shedding that occurs when the resting (telogen) and shedding (exogen) phases are accelerated. This is the type of hair loss that Covid spurs.

Bridgette Hill , a trichologist based in Florida, says Covid-related hair loss among her clients has been rampant. “The body responds to Covid by creating a proinflammatory state, which leads to tissue damage that may trigger telogen effluvium,” Hill explains. Adds Skjøth: “Approximately one-third of our clients have experienced Covid-related hair shedding that lasts anywhere from two to 12 months.” Meanwhile, while there is no evidence of semaglutides (like Ozempic or Wegovy) causing hair shedding, many people using the drug have reported it; understandable considering that rapid weight loss can tip off telogen effluvium as well.

Based on the above, you may have a hunch as to which type you have, but it’s best to consult with your gynecologist and/or a dermatologist about getting blood work done. According to Green, a complete blood count (or CBC) will give an overview of blood cell activity including inflammation; antinuclear antibodies (ANA) can be tested to ID autoimmune disorders; looking at thyroid hormones (like T3 and T4) can determine if there’s a link to thyroid diseases; iron levels can be measured (iron deficiency can lead to hair loss); and levels of various sex hormones (including testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and prolactin, the hormone for milk production) can be checked.

Diet, stress, pregnancy, and menopause make things worse

Our diets (if they are more processed than packed with nutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin D) and lack of adequate sleep can show up on our hair, and the same goes for stress. “Stress results in the release of epinephrine and increases cortisol levels, which directly affects the body’s hormones and hair follicles,” says Hill. “High cortisol levels result in fewer hormones that aid in hair growth, and a shift in hormones can trigger reactions on the scalp.”

Hormones—and hormonal changes, particularly those that happen around pregnancy and menopause–are a frequent culprit in hair loss. “There is a delicate balance of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone that impacts healthy scalp and hair growth, and research has proven that even the slightest shift in these hormones can lead to severe hair shedding and loss,” says Hill. One of the most common times for women to experience shedding is postpartum. “During pregnancy, estrogen is elevated, allowing the follicle to remain in the growth phase longer,” says Skjøth. “After delivery, a sudden drop in estrogen causes many hair follicles to enter the resting phase resulting in a large increase in shedding.” That usually starts a couple of months after giving birth and then a pre-pregnancy growth cycle returns within 15 months for two-thirds of women—but not all.

.css-meat1u:before{margin-bottom:1.2rem;height:2.25rem;content:'“';display:block;font-size:4.375rem;line-height:1.1;font-family:Juana,Juana-weight300-roboto,Juana-weight300-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:300;} .css-dqv6fo{margin:0rem;font-size:1.625rem;line-height:1.2;font-family:Juana,Juana-weight300-upcase-roboto,Juana-weight300-upcase-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:0.0075rem;text-transform:uppercase;}@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-dqv6fo{font-size:2.25rem;line-height:1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-dqv6fo{font-size:2.375rem;line-height:1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-dqv6fo{font-size:2.75rem;line-height:1;}}.css-dqv6fo em,.css-dqv6fo i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;}.css-dqv6fo b,.css-dqv6fo strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;} The stress of pregnancy and birth can accelerate genetic hair loss.

The other hormonal cascade, a more gradual one, occurs during the menopause transition , when most women will find their hair becoming finer, growing more sluggishly, and falling out easily. “During menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, which increases the effects of androgens (or male hormones) that cause hair loss,” says Green. Those androgens (DHT specifically) bind to the hair follicles, disrupting their normal growth cycle.

Here’s what can help

The use of a phototrichogram (a tool that analyzes and quantifies hair loss) is expanding our understanding and leading to innovation, says Hill. A recent study on mice conducted by University of California Irvine found that softening stem cells and boosting the production of a specific microRNA propels hair growth in just—get this—10 days. While translating the findings into viable treatments for humans will take time, the results are very promising. Until then:

One of the new treatments garnering the most buzz is the Alma TED +, an ultrasound medical device that uses a combination of acoustic sound waves and air pressure to deliver growth ingredients below the scalp’s surface (TED is short for transepidermal delivery). Unlike some other in-office hair loss treatments, this one doesn’t hurt and is minimally invasive. The brand’s clinical results showed that 96 percent of people had an increase in hair growth following a second treatment.

The latest at-home topical comes from years of research into how to reverse the impact of hair loss by tapping into the body’s olfactory receptors, which we happen to have not just in our nose but also in our skin and hair follicles. “We identified the molecule sandalore [the synthetic version of sandalwood] as something that can actually stimulate these receptors—and when it does, hair anchorage and retention increases,” says Nioxin ’s director of R&D, Ingo Reimann. In a randomized double-blind study conducted on men and women, the new product had a noticeable impact on hair shedding in eight weeks; analysts measured the effect by pulling and counting hairs and 93 percent of participants reported stronger hair, less breakage, and fewer hairs in their brushes.

Though not new, topical minoxidil, an FDA-approved vasodilator that studies have shown to reverse follicle miniaturization, is often used as a first-line approach for female pattern hair loss, says Leah Millheiser , MD, an ob-gyn and chief medical officer of Evernow: “Oral minoxidil also has some data to support its use in women, although not FDA-approved.” Oral or topical finasteride decreases DHT levels and is approved for use in men but often prescribed off-label to women.

Green also points to the continued efficacy of treatments like PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections, particularly for those with early-onset hair loss; red light therapy, which can stimulate the creation of new capillaries and now has clinical studies to prove its efficacy for treating female pattern baldness; and oral spironolactone, an anti-androgen prescription that can be very useful for patients with PCOS. “For some women, menopausal hormone therapy [commonly known as HRT] may also be effective if their hair loss is due to the imbalance in hormones that occurs during perimenopause,” adds Millheiser.

Your At-Home Hair Growth Options

Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam

Harklinikken Hair Gain Extract

Nioxin Ultimate Power Serum

CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device

Fiorella Valdesolo is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor, and the co-founder of Gather Journal .

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• Can robotic artificial intelligence improve hair restoration?
• Raffy Karamanoukian, MD FACS, Levon Karamanoukian & Peter Laimins, MD | Santa Monica, CA
• Thursday, August 8, 2024

Adult men and women will naturally encounter changes in hair thickness and hair density with age. This process of hair loss is known as adult alopecia and varies by individual. Researchers have definitively linked most cases of adult-onset alopecia to normal aging, genetics and overall health.

For those patients experiencing alopecia, clinicians usually recommend a medical evaluation by a board-certified plastic surgeon who is an ASPS member to assess the causes of hair loss. If your physician finds no disease-related conditions affecting hair growth, he or she may recommend a procedure known as a hair restoration .

During hair restoration, surgeons harvest individual hair follicles from one area of the scalp and transplant them to other areas that are experiencing hair loss. It is very common to remove healthy hair follicles from the back of the head and transplant these hair follicles to the hairline and crown through a process known as follicular unit extraction (FUE).

Advancements in robotic technology and artificial intelligence have further improved the results of FUE hair transplantation by more accurately harvesting and implanting hair follicles during a hair transplant. These revolutionary processes allow experts to optimize results and improve efficiency.

What is robotic hair restoration?

Robotic hair restoration was developed in Silicon Valley and uses artificial intelligence to enable a laser-guided robot to extract individual hair follicles and then transplant those hair follicles to physician-guided hairline designs.

In the past, the extraction of hair was performed by removing a strip of the scalp and moving it to the balding area in a procedure known as follicular unit transplantation (FUT), or manually extracting individual hair follicles using hand-held tools and moving them to the balding area of the scalp.

What is the robotic hair restoration system called?

The ARTAS® system was developed as a collaboration of physicians, robotic engineers and software developers to facilitate and optimize the harvesting and implantation of hair follicles in the scalp. There are over 190 patents related to the design and manufacturing of the equipment, which is used by advanced hair restoration experts worldwide.

How does artificial intelligence play a role in robotic hair restoration?

Artificial intelligence allows the robotic device to assess the position, angle, orientation and density of hair follicles from the donor and recipient areas. In doing so, it allows stereoscopic mapping of the scalp so that the hair follicles are best preserved during the harvesting of hair and the transplantation of the follicles.

Both a physician and technician work alongside the device to optimize functionality and to implement the accuracy and reproducibility of results. The goal of the artificial intelligence system is to improve the precision of hair transplantation techniques.

Robotic hair transplantation uses technology to facilitate the process of removing donor hair and transplanting it back into the scalp. It is not necessarily a faster or quicker type of procedure, but one that minimizes variability by standardizing how the implants are removed, sorted and implanted back into the hairline.

Is everyone with hair loss a candidate for hair transplantation?

If you are experiencing hair loss as an adult, there are many factors that influence the rate and severity of the problem. Your medical history, family history of hair loss and your age can affect how much hair you have as an adult.

A hair transplant surgeon will determine your treatment options based on whether you have enough donor hair to transplant or if it is a better idea to undergo less invasive treatment for hair stimulation.

Can the robot do the hair transplantation alone?

Robotic hair transplantation is an evolving technology that is being utilized in modern medicine. The company that produces the first and only robotic AI machine, known as ARTAS®, continues to develop the technology to further optimize results.

Currently, the robotic technology works alongside a physician to remove donor hair and re-implant it in the hairline. The physician will continue to make decisions on the candidacy of a patient, the amount of hair to be removed and transplanted plus the distribution of the hair along the hairline and scalp.

As these technologies evolve, we will continue to see growth in hair transplantation techniques as the methods move from purely surgical options to less invasive approaches that utilize technology to plan and implement the procedure. Robotic hair transplantation is currently being used in practice and will continue to be a valuable addition to the arsenal of options available for hair restoration.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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Hair Oh Yeah: Merging Traditional & Innovative Hair Restoration

As we navigate the evolving realm of hair restoration, Hair Oh Yeah in Bellevue, Washington, emerges as a leading center that combines groundbreaking advancements with care. Beyond state-of-the-art treatments, this spa embodies an approach that supports the 80 million Americans who face hair loss by merging cutting-edge techniques with compassion.

Exploring the Complexities of Hair Loss

The American Academy of Dermatology sheds light on a statistic: 50 million men and 30 million women experience hair loss. However, it is crucial to understand that hair loss goes beyond numbers. It is intricately connected to self-esteem, societal perceptions, and mental well-being.

Various factors contribute to hair loss, from predisposition and hormonal fluctuations to postpartum changes, medications, and stress. AARP's disclosure about medications—ranging from blood pressure regulators to antidepressants—having effects like hair loss underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach that encourages exploring alternatives without such consequences.

Embracing the Ultrasonic Revolution

Amidst a world filled with numbers and statistics, individual stories of transformation shine brightly as they highlight the impact of treatments. One captivating narrative revolves around a practitioner whose luscious hairline used to be her pride and joy.

Over time, she noticed her hairline receding and patches of her scalp becoming visible. In her line of work, where appearance is crucial for endorsing treatments, her hair loss became a concern for how she presented herself.

She experimented with solutions and various serums. None of them yielded satisfactory results. Her quest for a solution led her to Hair Oh Yeah, where the treatments she received proved to be life-changing. Her hair started to show signs of regrowth and regained the density it had during her youthful days. Surprisingly, some gray strands even reverted to their original color, indicating a rejuvenation of the hair follicles. Today, she proudly displays not only success but also a personal triumph through her flourishing hair.

The field of dermatology is currently undergoing a shift thanks to the introduction of the TransEpidermal Delivery (TED) system leading the way. This innovative technique utilizes frequencies to deliver serums into the hair follicles without any need for surgery.

This remarkable process commences with an Italian-made serum infused with growth factors and polypeptides. While ultrasonic waves enhance blood flow, the serum works at a level to improve hair follicle health and stimulate growth.

When it comes to addressing hair loss concerns, there are options. Conventional methods, like Micro-Needling and PRP injections, involve causing trauma to the skin as part of their treatment process.

During the skin healing process, it is possible that the channels responsible for delivering serums may close, potentially reducing their effectiveness. TED's approach is noteworthy because it is non-invasive and ensures a successful delivery of treatments.

When it comes to serum components, it's important to highlight that serums not only improve hair health but also play a role in enhancing overall hair quality. These serums contain VEGF, which promotes the formation of blood vessels in the area. This leads to blood flow and a better supply of nutrients to the hair follicles. Additionally, serums are packed with acids and phytonutrients, both of which are crucial for promoting hair growth.

When comparing treatment effectiveness, TED treatments tend to yield impressive results. They generally show over double the outcomes compared to Micro-Needling and PRP injections.

Key factors to consider when considering hair loss treatments include:

Hair transplantation is often considered by individuals as a solution. Depending on the chosen technique—either Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or the pricier Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)—costs can range from $7,000 to $20,000. Hair Oh Yeah offers an effective alternative to hair treatments called TED treatments. These sessions typically cost between $1,000 and $1,400. The exact price can vary depending on factors like the number of sessions and location. For instance, in Bellevue, WA, a package of three TED treatments is priced at $2,850. Other treatment options available at the Bellevue Medspa include PRP injections and micro-needling, which range from $850 to $1,050 and $750 to $850 per session.

One unique aspect of Hair Oh Yeah's approach is its use of technology. By employing AI-powered cameras during each session, they capture images of the scalp. These high-resolution images are not just photographs; they contain data. The AI processes these images to extract patterns and variations, converting them into metrics. This provides insights into hair regrowth progress—tracking everything from follicle growth to the thickness of individual hairs. By taking such a data-driven approach, Hair Oh Yeah enhances transparency in their treatment process. Which builds trust among patients.

In addition to its expertise and competitive pricing, what truly sets Hair Oh Yeah apart is its patient-centered approach.

Offering a hassle-free experience, their methods stand out from treatments that may involve discomfort or recovery periods. This emphasis on comfort not only enhances satisfaction but also presents a practical solution for individuals leading busy lives.

Prioritizing Patient Comfort

Dealing with hair loss often brings anxiety, discomfort, and a strong desire to regain self-confidence. Traditional hair restoration methods have sometimes been associated with pain, lengthy recovery times, and the nervous anticipation of results. However, TED provides a glimmer of hope for those seeking a path toward hair restoration.

While traditional approaches may seem daunting, TED offers more than a solution for hair loss; it creates an experience. Imagine being enveloped in the soothing ambiance of a clinic where gentle machine sounds and the faint scent of antiseptics fill the air. Picture therapy sessions that feel like spa visits, where every moment brings relaxation rather than clinical procedures. This starkly contrasts with treatments that can be uncomfortable or even painful.

The Distinctiveness of Hair Oh Yeah

Hair Oh Yeah surpasses treatment provision; it embodies the essence of patient-centered care as it should truly be.

Tailored Consultations – Acknowledging the uniqueness of every hair journey, our spa takes pride in personalizing treatments to ensure effectiveness for each individual.

Cutting Edge Innovations – We constantly stay ahead of the curve by incorporating the breakthroughs in dermatology into our range of services.

Approach – Apart from our expertise, what sets our spa apart is our commitment to creating an empathetic environment. Our patients don't just receive treatments; they enter with understanding and support.

We understand that external beauty is closely connected to well-being. That's why we take an approach by addressing both the emotional aspects of hair loss. In the field of hair restoration, places like Hair Oh Yeah shine not only for providing solutions but also for offering a comforting haven where science seamlessly blends with the nurturing power of human interaction.

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Top 10 hair transplant clinics in turkey (2024) research report published by hairclinics.org.

BOSTON, August 11, 2024 --( BUSINESS WIRE )--HairClinics.org is pleased to announce the publication of its latest research report, "Top 10 Hair Transplant Clinics in Turkey for 2024." This comprehensive guide provides valuable insights into the leading hair restoration clinics in Turkey, a country renowned for its expertise and innovation in hair transplant procedures.

Check the full research report into the top 10 hair transplant clinics in Turkey for 2024 as published on HairClinics.org.

The article highlights the top clinics selected based on their stellar reputations, the expertise of their surgeons, and positive feedback from patients on platforms such as Reddit and other hair restoration forums. Each clinic on the list is recognized for offering high-quality care and advanced techniques, ensuring patients receive the best possible outcomes.

"We are excited to share this research with individuals seeking reliable and effective hair restoration solutions," said Andrew Mathews, a spokesperson for HairClinics.org. "Our goal is to help patients make informed decisions by providing detailed information about the best clinics in Turkey."

The featured clinics include renowned names such as Dr. Keser Clinic, Hairline Clinic (HLC), and Diamond Hair Clinic, each known for their unique approaches and personalized care. The article also provides key details about each clinic, including the year established, head surgeon, price level, procedures offered, and patient sentiments.

HairClinics.org encourages potential patients to use this guide as a starting point and to conduct further research to find a clinic that best suits their individual needs.

For more information and to read the full report, visit HairClinics.org .

About HairClinics.org: HairClinics.org is a trusted online resource dedicated to providing comprehensive information and guidance on hair restoration options around the world. The information provided in this press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. HairClinics.org does not endorse or recommend any specific clinic or medical provider. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any decisions regarding hair transplant procedures.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240811099898/en/

Andrew Mathews ( [email protected] )

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Can Herbs Help With Hair Growth?

• Do Herbs Help?
• Herbs for Hair Growth
• Other Natural Treatments
• Will Herbs Help You?
• How to Use Them?

Hair Growth Tips

Most people experience some level of hair thinning or hair loss in their lifetime. In many cases, such as following pregnancy or illness, hair will start to regrow on its own. However, it can also become a longer-term issue.

There's no shortage of products that claim to grow or thicken hair. Research suggests natural options such as certain herbs may also help regrow hair.

This article covers herbs, spices, and other plants that may help hair to grow.

Nestea06 / Getty Images

What Causes Hair Loss or Thinning?

Some hair loss ( alopecia ) is described as scarring, which means hair follicles are permanently destroyed. It's more common to have non-scarring hair loss, which can be:

• Patterned (progressive, symmetric thinning)
• Focal (loss of hair in patches)
• Diffuse (even loss across the scalp)

Patterned hair loss is usually hereditary and caused by exposure to the male sex hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), with onset after puberty. Focal hair loss is typically the result of an autoimmune disorder called alopecia areata . Diffuse hair loss can occur for many reasons, including:

• Iron-deficiency anemia
• Major surgery
• Malnutrition
• Medications such as fluoxetine, isoniazid, lithium, propranolol, retinoids, valproate, and warfarin
• Rapid weight loss
• Severe illness
• Stopping oral contraceptives that contain estrogen
• Thyroid disease
• Vitamin D deficiency

Do Herbs Help With Hair Loss?

Some studies show that certain plant extracts and phytochemicals can help promote hair growth or prevent hair loss . However, strong clinical evidence from human studies is lacking.

There are no firm guidelines on how much, in what form, and for how long to use medicines for hair loss. If you take them, discuss complementary treatments with a medical professional. Even natural ingredients can interact with drugs.

The Best Herbs for Hair Growth Based on Science

People have been using natural products for hair loss since ancient times. Various phytochemicals and their active elements can promote hair growth.

One study found that applying lavender oil stimulated hair growth in mice. The result was hair that grew thicker and faster than average. However, using topical products containing lavender may cause an allergic skin reaction. In addition to stimulating hair growth, lavender has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects when used as aromatherapy. It also helps promote good sleep, which can help you recover from illness.

Horsetail contains silica (silicon dioxide), which research suggests can improve hair growth in women with temporary thinning hair. This study involved taking oral silicon tablets twice a day for 90 days. Another study found that taking silicon daily for nine months strengthened hair and made it less vulnerable to breakage. However, more research on safety and effectiveness is needed.

While some research suggests that red clover can improve hair and skin, more rigorous studies are needed. Red clover has not been proven to benefit any health condition. Avoid red clover supplements if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

Stinging Nettle

Stinging nettle has long been used in foods and as a medicine for various ailments due to its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. It's also a popular ingredient in hair care products. However, research into stinging nettle and hair growth is lacking.

Research suggests that rosemary oil may help promote hair growth. One trial found that after six months of use, rosemary was as effective as minoxidil 2% ointment (sold as brand-name Rogaine) in increasing hair growth.

Ginseng helps regulate the expression and activity of proteins involved in hair-cycling phases. This suggests it may stimulate hair growth and help prevent hair loss.

There's evidence that topical peppermint oil can increase the number of hair follicles and follicle depth in mice after four weeks of use. However, there isn't enough human research to know if it helps promote hair growth.

Topical aloe vera lotion treats seborrheic dermatitis , which can lead to hair loss. Aloe vera is also an ingredient in many shampoos and conditioners. In a study that combined aloe ferox gel, oregano oil, and finasteride (a drug to treat male-pattern hair loss), researchers found that it could effectively treat alopecia.

Animal studies show that ethanol extracts from hibiscus leaves may increase hair growth. While hibiscus may have healthy properties, it has not been proven to increase hair growth in humans.

Sage is popular for cooking and medicinal purposes, including skin healing. Sage extract has been found to enhance hair growth in male mice, but more human studies are needed.

A Word From Verywell

Although more research is needed, castor oil may help with hair growth. It contains ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid that may increase blood flow to the scalp and promote healthier hair.

Other Evidence-Based Natural Treatments for Hair Loss

While more human research is needed on herbs for hair growth, there are other evidence-based natural treatments for hair loss.

Onion Juice

Research suggests sulfur and phenolic compounds in topical onion juice may stimulate hair regrowth. Researchers compared treatment with onion juice to placebo (a substance with no therapeutic effect, given to people in a clinical trial control group) in participants with alopecia. After eight weeks, 87% of those using the topical onion juice experienced hair regrowth vs. 13% in the placebo group. The unpleasant odor was the most common side effect.

Saw Palmetto

In one study, oral and topical  saw palmetto  oil reduced hair fall, increased hair thickness, and promoted hair regrowth in people with alopecia.  Saw palmetto is thought to block the production of DHT, which may be useful in treating male- and female-pattern baldness.

Pumpkin Seed Oil

In a study, participants with female pattern baldness applied topical pumpkin seed oil for three months and saw a significant improvement in hair regrowth. However, more research is needed.

Green tea is packed with healthy antioxidants and has long been used for medicinal purposes. One study found that hair density and thickness improved with a combination of green tea and sophora fruit extracts after 24 weeks. Drinking up to 8 cups per day of green tea is believed to be safe.

Rose Petals

Research suggests that rose water may help protect collagen and elastin from breaking down. Rose petals also have anti-inflammatory effects that may help the skin and scalp.

Moringa seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals. Seed extracts have antibacterial properties and help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. It's commonly used in skin and hair care products. In animal studies, moringa seed oil was found to have properties that help with alopecia due to its fatty acid and phytosterol compounds.

Are Herbal Hair Treatments Right for You?

People have been using herbal hair treatments for a long time. Some may help strengthen hair, slow hair loss, or promote new growth, but they're not likely to grow a full head of hair. And what works for one person won't necessarily work for another. Also, while many are safe, some can cause unwanted side effects. Beware of hair growth products that promise quick or amazing results.

If you're experiencing hair loss, a dermatologist (specialist in conditions of the hair, skin, and nails) can help determine the right treatments.

How to Use Herbs for Hair Growth

Talk to a healthcare provider before taking herbs as a dietary supplement for hair growth. Many can interact with medications or be harmful when pregnant or breastfeeding. Using herbal shampoos, rinses, and other topical treatments may be the safest option.

In some cases, changing your hairstyle may help. Frequently wearing styles that pull on your hair, such as tight ponytails, cornrows, and hair extensions, can contribute to hair loss.

Research suggests that topical shampoos and conditioners containing caffeine could help prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Topical caffeine also shows promise, but more studies are needed.

Other hair growth tips include:

• Use shampoo that's gentle to hair and scalp.
• Use conditioner or detangler to reduce breakage.
• Avoid hot oil treatments, home coloring, perming, chemical straightening, and relaxing.
• Limit the use of blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons, and hot combs.
• Quit smoking , as it causes inflammation that can make hair loss worse.
• Maintain a nutrient-rich diet.

Before taking any supplement to improve hair growth , see a healthcare provider to determine if you're deficient in vitamins or minerals. On the other hand, too many nutrients, such as  selenium , vitamin A, and vitamin E, are linked to hair loss.

Hair may start to regrow on its own when hair loss is caused by an event like having a baby, surgery, or illness.

Research suggests that some herbs and natural products may help promote hair growth . For the most part, though, large-scale controlled studies on humans are lacking. Most people can safely use topical herbal products on the scalp and hair.

But there's some risk of scalp irritation or an allergic reaction. Herbal or other dietary supplements taken orally can interfere with medications or cause unintended side effects. If you have hair loss, consult with a healthcare provider.

Walter K.  Common causes of hair loss .  JAMA . 2022;328(7):686. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.12461

Choi JY, Boo MY, Boo YC. Can plant extracts help prevent hair loss or promote hair growth? A review comparing their terapeutic efficacies, phytochemical components, and modulatory targets .  Molecules . 2024; 29(10):2288. doi:10.3390/molecules29102288

Park S, Lee J. Modulation of hair growth promoting effect by natural products . Pharmaceutics . 2021;13(12):2163. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13122163

Lee BH, Lee JS, Kim YC. Hair growth-promoting effects of lavender oil in c57bl/6 mice . Toxicol Res. 2016;32(2):103-108. doi:10.5487/TR.2016.32.2.103

National Institutes of Health. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Lavender .

Yogi W, Tsukada M, Sato Y, et al. Influences of lavender essential oil inhalation on stress responses during short-duration sleep cycles: a pilot study . Healthcare . 2021;9(7):909. doi:10.3390/healthcare9070909

Ablon G. A 3-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the ability of an extra-strength marine protein supplement to promote hair growth and decrease shedding in women with self-perceived thinning hair . Dermatology Research and Practice . 2015;2015:1-8. doi:10.1155/2015/841570

Araújo LA de, Addor F, Campos PMBGM. Use of silicon for skin and hair care: an approach of chemical forms available and efficacy . An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91:0331-0335. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20163986

Lipovac M, Chedraui P, Gruenhut C, et al. Effect of red clover isoflavones over skin, appendages, and mucosal status in postmenopausal women . Obstetrics and Gynecology International . 2011;2011:1-6. doi:10.1155/2011/949302

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.  Red clover .

Devkota HP, Paudel KR, Khanal S, et al. Stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica  L.): Nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and food functional properties .  Molecules . 2022; 27(16):5219. doi:10.3390/molecules27165219

Panahi Y, Taghizadeh M, Marzony ET, Sahebkar A.  Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial .  Skinmed . 2015 Jan-Feb;13(1):15-21. PMID: 25842469

Choi BY.  Hair-growth potential of ginseng and its major metabolites: A review on its molecular mechanisms .  Int J Mol Sci . 2018;19(9):2703. doi:10.3390/ijms19092703

Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC.  Peppermint oil promotes hair growth without toxic signs . Toxicological Research . 2014;30(4):297-304. doi:10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.297

Qadir MI.  Medicinal and cosmetological importance of aloe vera .  J Nat Med . 2009;2:21-26.

Hosny KM, Rizg WY, Alfayez E, et al.  Preparation and optimization of aloe ferox gel loaded with Finasteride-Oregano oil nanocubosomes for treatment of alopecia .  Drug Deliv . 2022;29(1):284-293. doi:10.1080/10717544.2022.2026534

di Martino O, Tito A, De Lucia A, et al. V. hibiscus syriacus extract from an established cell culture stimulates skin wound healing . Biomed Res Int . 2017;2017:7932019. doi:10.1155/2017/7932019

Putra IB, Jusuf NK, Sumantri IB. The potency of hibiscus rosa-sinensis linn. Leaves ethanol extract as hair growth . Open Access Maced J Med Sci . 2020;8(A):89-92.

Abu-Darwish MS, Cabral C, Ferreira IV, Gonçalves MJ, Cavaleiro C, Cruz MT, Al-bdour TH, Salgueiro L. Essential oil of common sage (Salvia officinalis L.) from Jordan: assessment of safety in mammalian cells and its antifungal and anti-inflammatory potential . Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:538940. doi:10.1155/2013/538940 

Jin GR, Zhang YL, Yap J, Boisvert WA, Lee BH. Hair growth potential of Salvia plebeia extract and its associated mechanisms . Pharm Biol. 2020 Dec;58(1):400-409. doi:10.1080/13880209.2020.1759654

Hosking AM, Juhasz M, Atanaskova Mesinkovska N. Complementary and alternative treatments for alopecia: a comprehensive review . Skin Appendage Disorders . 2018;5(2):72-89. doi:10.1159/000492035

Sudeep HV, Rashmi S, Jestin TV, et al.  Oral and topical administration of a standardized saw palmetto oil reduces hair fall and improves the hair growth in androgenetic alopecia subjects - A 16-week randomized, placebo-controlled study .  Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol . 2023;16:3251-3266. doi:10.2147/CCID.S435795

Ibrahim IM, Hasan MS, Elsabaa KI, Elsaie ML. Pumpkin seed oil vs. minoxidil 5% topical foam for the treatment of female pattern hair loss: A randomized comparative trial . J of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2021;20(9):2867-2873. doi:10.1111/jocd.13976

Ham S, Lee YI, Kim IA, et al.  Efficacy and safety of persimmon leaf formulated with green tea and sophora fruit extracts (BLH308) on hair growth .  Skin Res Technol . 2023;29(9):e13448. doi:10.1111/srt.13448

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Green tea .

Thring TS, Hili P, Naughton DP. Antioxidant and potential anti-inflammatory activity of extracts and formulations of white tea, rose, and witch hazel on primary human dermal fibroblast cells . J Inflamm (Lond) . 2011;8:27. doi:10.1186/1476-9255-8-27

Lee M, Nam TG, Lee I, et al. Skin anti‐inflammatory activity of rose petal extract (Rosa gallica) through reduction of MAPK signaling pathway . Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(8):2560-2567. doi:10.1002/fsn3.870

Islam Z, Islam SMR, Hossen F, et al.  Moringa oleifera is a prominent source of nutrients with potential health benefits . Int J Food Sci. 2021 Aug 10;2021:6627265. doi:10.1155/2021/6627265

Korassa YB, Saptarini NM, Mustarichie R, et al. Anti-alopecia activity of moringa (Moringa oleifera lamk.) seed oil against dihydrotestosterone-induced rabbits . International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics . 2023:19-24.

American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hairstyles that pull can lead to hair loss .

Völker JM, Koch N, Becker M, Klenk A. Caffeine and its pharmacological benefits in the management of androgenetic alopecia: a review . Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2020;33(3):153-169. doi:10.1159/000508228

American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair loss: Tips for managing .

American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment .

By Ann Pietrangelo Pietrangelo is a health writer who has authored two books: one focused on multiple sclerosis and the other on triple-negative breast cancer.

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Does Biotin Promote Hair Growth?

How Does Biotin Affect Hair Growth?

Biotin deficiency, other causes of hair loss.

• How To Promote Hair Growth
• When To Seek Care

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Biotin, also known as vitamin H, B-7, or coenzyme R, is part of the B-complex group of vitamins. It helps your body turn food into energy and metabolize fats and proteins. You can find biotin in foods such as meats, liver, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables like sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli. It’s also available as a supplement—both alone and in B-complex supplements.

Biotin is often marketed in supplements to encourage hair growth and prevent hair loss. While research on biotin's benefits and abilities is mixed, some evidence supports biotin's role in hair health. For instance, some research has found that high doses of biotin have improved a rare hair disorder in kids.

Biotin is an essential vitamin that is readily available in foods and produced naturally in the gut. Having normal levels of biotin will help your body produce keratin, a protein that helps promote healthy hair and nails. Because of this function, researchers have theorized that adding biotin to your regimen could help promote hair growth . Research also shows a lack of biotin in your system may lead to hair loss.

Biotin's potential role in preventing hair loss does not automatically mean it will stimulate hair growth. There is not enough evidence to directly link biotin supplementation to hair growth.

However, some research has shown biotin can help reduce hair loss. One study found that women who had thinning hair showed improvement in hair thickness and growth after taking a multivitamin containing biotin. Because the supplement contained several vitamins and minerals, it's difficult to determine if biotin alone was responsible for the improved hair texture.

Another study found that supplementing with biotin following gastric sleeve surgery helped significantly reduce hair loss in 22% of the people with low biotin levels (five out of 22 people). Fourteen people reported a small effect.

While biotin may support hair loss prevention, other factors may also contribute.

Although biotin deficiency is rare, especially in people without health conditions who eat a balanced diet, there are certain situations that can predispose people to developing a deficiency. For instance, chronic alcohol use can reduce your body’s ability to absorb biotin. Research has shown that 15% of people with chronic alcoholism have low biotin levels.  

Low biotin levels are also common during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As many as one-third of pregnant people develop some form of biotin deficiency—even when they take biotin supplements. People who are lactating also tend to experience a decrease in biotin levels despite taking supplements.

Babies can be born with a rare disorder known as biotinidase deficiency. This condition prevents their body from releasing biotin, leading to biotin deficiency even when they take in adequate amounts of the vitamin.

Low biotin levels can also occur in people taking antiepileptic medications such as Carbatrol (carbamazepine), Phenytek (phenytoin), and Luminal (phenobarbital). Likewise, taking oral antibiotics for a long time or taking Acutane (isotretinoin) for acne can lead to biotin deficiency.

Older people and smokers (particularly women) are more likely to develop biotin deficiencies.

One of the first signs of a biotin deficiency can include thinning hair and hair loss all over your body. Other symptoms may include:

• Scaly, red rash around your eyes, nose, mouth, and perineum
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Brittle nails
• Acidic urine
• Skin infections
• Neurological issues like depression, lethargy, hallucinations, and paresthesias (tingling sensation in the limbs)

There are many reasons someone could be experiencing hair loss or hair thinning. Other than biotin deficiency , potential causes for hair loss include:

• Genetic or hereditary factors
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Cancer drugs and other medications
• Illnesses like the flu or COVID
• Chronic stress
• Hormone imbalances
• Scalp infections
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Poisons like arsenic, thallium, mercury, and lithium

Chronic health conditions that can cause hair loss include:

• Alopecia areata (a condition that causes partial or complete hair loss)
• Scarring alopecia (hair follicle damage that leads to permanent hair loss)
• Scalp psoriasis (an autoimmune skin condition that leads to itchy red patches or scaly plaques)
• Thyroid disease
• Lupus (an autoimmune condition that attacks healthy cells)

Perms, color treatments, relaxers, hair pulling, and tight hairstyles or friction can also lead to hair loss.

Other Ways To Promote Hair Growth

Losing your hair or experiencing hair thinning can be overwhelming and stressful. Depending on the cause of your hair loss, there are a few things you can do to promote hair growth . Keep in mind that no single treatment works for everyone, so you may need to experiment to see what works for you.

Here are a few options to consider:

• Change your hairstyle: Wearing certain hairstyles during the day or while sleeping could lead to hair loss or hair thinning. If you wear tight styles, consider trying a looser, more relaxed style that doesn't pull on your hair—like a low ponytail or loose braid. You may also want to avoid perms, color treatments, and relaxers.
• Try taking Rogaine (minoxidil): This over-the-counter (OTC) medication has been shown to promote hair growth. However, it does require an ongoing commitment to the treatment. If you stop using the medication, you will lose your progress.
• Use at-home laser treatments: Laser caps and combs are available to treat hair loss at home. And though research is limited on these devices, the results are promising. One study of more than 200 people with hereditary hair loss who used this treatment reported thicker, fuller hair after 26 weeks.
• Massage your scalp: One team of researchers found that a four-minute daily scalp massage with a mechanical scalp massager resulted in thicker, fuller hair. More research is needed to determine the exact role of scalp massage on hair growth, but the results are promising and there is little risk using the device.
• Experiment with microneedling: You can buy OTC microneedling tools or purchase a microneedling service at some dermatologists' offices or spas. Some research shows the process can promote hair growth, especially when combined with minoxidil. Ask your dermatologist before trying microneedling because it can worsen some scalp conditions.
• Consider using essential oils: One study found that rosemary essential oil can be just as effective as minoxidil in stimulating hair growth. You will need to use rosemary essential oil with a carrier oil to ensure it doesn't irritate your scalp.
• Talk to a dermatologist about treatments: Procedures like in-office laser therapy, corticosteroid injections, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments all show promise in treating hair loss and promoting hair growth.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Several factors can cause hair loss. Visit a board-certified dermatologist for an evaluation and accurate diagnosis if you notice you are losing more than 50-100 hairs a day, have bald spots, scalp irritation, a widening part, or noticeably thinning hair.

Your dermatologist will perform an exam, look at your scalp, and test the strength of your hair. They also may order bloodwork, a scalp biopsy, and other tests to help them make a diagnosis. Once they determine the cause of your hair loss, they can help create a treatment plan for you.

Biotin and Thyroid Testing

Biotin doesn't affect thyroid function or hormone levels in the body. However, it can interfere with thyroid function testing because biotin is sometimes used in testing methods. As a result, taking a biotin supplement can skew thyroid test results and lead to an inaccurate diagnosis.

A Quick Review

Biotin is a B vitamin that helps your body produce keratin—the protein responsible for healthy hair and nails. Biotin is readily available in several foods and is made naturally by your gut flora. Biotin deficiency is rare and most people do not need supplementation.

However, some research indicates that biotin supplementation may be useful in preventing hair loss, though it may do little to promote hair growth. If you're experiencing hair loss, talk to a dermatologist about your options for promoting hair growth before reaching for a biotin supplement.

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Trüeb RM. Serum biotin levels in women complaining of hair loss .  Int J Trichology . 2016;8(2):73-77. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.188040

Glynis A. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy of an oral supplement in women with self-perceived thinning hair .  J Clin Aesthet Dermatol . 2012;5(11):28-34. PMID:23198010.

Şen O, Türkçapar AG. Hair loss after sleeve gastrectomy and effect of biotin supplements . J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A . 2021;31(3):296-300. doi:10.1089/lap.2020.0468

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American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair loss: Who gets and causes .

Desai K, Miteva M. Recent insight on the management of lupus erythematosus alopecia .  Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol . 2021;14:333-347. doi:10.2147/CCID.S269288

American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment .

Ramírez-Marín HA, Tosti A. Role of oral minoxidil in patterned hair loss .  Indian Dermatol Online J . 2022;13(6):729-733. doi:10.4103/idoj.idoj_246_22

Koyama T, Kobayashi K, Hama T, Murakami K, Ogawa R. Standardized scalp massage results in increased hair thickness by inducing stretching forces to dermal papilla cells in the subcutaneous tissue .  Eplasty . 2016;16:e8. PMID:26904154

Li Pomi F, Papa V, Borgia F, et al. Rosmarinus officinalis and skin: Antioxidant activity and possible therapeutical role in cutaneous diseases .  Antioxidants . 2023;12(3):680. doi:10.3390/antiox12030680

Ylli D, Soldin SJ, Stolze B, et al. Biotin interference in assays for thyroid hormones, thyrotropin and thyroglobulin .  Thyroid . 2021;31(8):1160-1170. doi:10.1089/thy.2020.0866

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Transformational technologies shaping the market for hair repair

Published: 7 August 2024

Consumers are increasingly looking for products that repair damage and return their hair’s healthy look and feel. Discover how Unilever is using its expertise from decades of research to shape products that strengthen hair fibres inside and out.

Hair damage is a growing concern among consumers. Search the hashtag #HairDamage on TikTok and you’ll find 282.8 million videos tackling issues ranging from split ends to reduced volume and shine.

There are a variety of reasons for this. For example, more people are choosing longer hair styles, as well as colour treatments.

The impact of pollution and hair styling tools are other factors. And because of this, we’re seeing an increase in the number of hair care products people use, as well as a growing demand for solutions that repair hair damage.

Share of basket is also on the rise, with Nielsen Research reporting that the world’s top nine markets for hair care products have seen sales of products that manage damage rising €139 million year on year from 2022 to 2023.

“Hair is the ultimate asset of self-expression,” says R&D Hair Fibre Care specialist Stephen Maguire. “But achieving your desired hair style is also dependent on the condition your hair is in.”

Unlocking the secret to stronger hair

Hair is made up of 90% keratin protein, 7% water and 3% lipids.

“Each hair fibre has two main parts: the cuticle on the outside and the cortex on the inside, which is made of keratin strands bonded together throughout the length of the fibre,” Stephen explains.

“Keratin gives hair its strength, shape and movement. When hair is damaged by factors like heat, chemical treatments and environmental pollution, these protein bonds can break. This weakens the structure of the internal hair fibre and in turn the strength and condition of your hair.

“Historically, damage repair technologies only worked on the hair surface by masking the signs of damage,” Stephen says.

“Unilever R&D discovered a way that you could put things inside that hair fibre to repair it internally. We launched our first Fibre Active Repair Technology in Dove’s Intensive Repair products over a decade ago. Since then, we have been a pioneer in internal hair repair,” he adds.

Repairing and strengthening hair from the inside

Today, Fibre Active Repair Technology is in a range of Unilever’s hair care products such as Dove, Nexxus, TRESemmé, Sunsilk and SheaMoisture. It features in shampoos, conditioners, and serums, including rinse-off and leave-on treatments.

“Fibre Active Repair Technology rebuilds the protein bonds inside the hair fibre and improves the hair’s resilience to damage,” Stephen explains.

“It does this through a unique blend of molecules which act as protein chaperones. These penetrate deep into the hair fibres and create new bonds to replace damaged bonds inside the hair.”

Shaping pioneering research into new hair care bestsellers

The latest innovation to benefit from Unilever’s world-class research is Dove’s Bond Repair (known as Dove Bond Strength in the US).

This new range of advanced bond-strengthening products includes three active patented technologies.

Powered by Bio-Protein Care + Peptides, it works in harmony with your hair’s biology to visibly repair and restore the signs of extreme damage, resulting in stronger, smoother and shinier hair.

In the first 100 days of its launch in the US, sales of Dove Bond Strength exceeded sales expectations across major retailers, and the range enjoyed the same success with its launch in Brazil.

Protecting hair fibres from surface damage

But strengthening hair from the inside is just one part the Unilever R&D hair repair story.

“Total fibre care requires technologies that repair the fibre internally and externally,” Stephen adds.

When hair is damaged, the hair fibre’s surface becomes more hydrophilic, which means it is more porous to water. And this makes it harder for surface repair treatments to work.

“Our breakthrough Fibre Shield technology intelligently deposits on the hair surface,” says Stephen. “In short, it specifically targets those areas which have more damage.”

“When Fibre Shield is used in conditioners and rinse-off treatments, it helps the hair surface repel water again, restoring the fibre surface properties and reversing symptoms of damage,” he explains.

The technology has been used in the new Dove Bond Strength range to create Dove 10-in-1 Bond Strength Serum Mask.

Designed as a weekly treatment, it uses a patented peptide complex to fortify hair bonds and help reverse ten visible signs of damage. When the mask is left on the hair for a minute, it can transform extremely damaged hair and make it ten times stronger, softer and smoother.

We launched our first Fibre Active Repair Technology in Dove’s Intensive Repair products over a decade ago. Since then, we have been a pioneer in internal hair repair. Stephen Maguire, R&D Hair Fibre Care specialist

The future of hair care

Consumer hair habits are evolving. “We’re seeing a growing number of people increase the steps in their hair care routines,” says Stephen.

“We’re innovating at pace to ensure we continue to develop technologies that address consumer needs to strengthen and protect hair from the inside out.”

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BAR DOSKI, Omsk - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

How to keep your pet’s coat healthy

• Sarah Boudreau

13 Aug 2024

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Unless you own a Sphinx cat, you probably deal with your pet’s coat daily. Every time you pet, groom, or even feed your pet, you’re interacting with your pet’s coat health. 

What influences coat health? 

One of the biggest factors in pet coat health is nutrition. Just like in humans, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids contribute to skin and hair health, so pets with a very low-fat diet or who are malnourished may have dry, unhealthy coats. Luckily, most commercially available cat and dog foods contain enough nutrients to keep your pet's coat healthy.

Another big factor is grooming. Grooming your pet does more than just make them look nice - in addition to removing dirt, grooming gets rid of dead skin and hair, and it gives you an opportunity to examine your pet for any lesions, ticks, or other issues. 

Regular grooming also prevents mats. Matting occurs when hair (including dead hair) tangles and knots together, creating an almost solid mass of hair. A mat starts small and continues to grow, getting closer and closer to the pet's skin, creating irritated or raw skin and interfering with temperature regulation. Mats tend to occur in areas of friction, like around the collar or on the legs.  Regular grooming means you can catch mats before they grow into a painful, out-of-control mess that’s difficult to remove. 

Cats are natural self-groomers, but it's still important to groom them. Arthritic or overweight cats may have difficulty reaching all parts of their body, and even good self-groomers can develop mats. Getting your cat accustomed to grooming at a young age can pay off when the cat is older and needs more help maintaining its coat.  

Shedding 101

All pet owners deal with shedding to some degree, but different breeds shed different amounts.  

Generally, dogs tend to grow heavy coats in the winter and shed them during the spring, though a moderate amount of shedding occurs year-round. 

Double-coated dogs also go through an additional shedding period in the fall. Double-coated dogs have two layers of fur: an undercoat that regulates temperature and a topcoat that protects the skin from dirt and the elements. When a double-coated dog "blows their coat," they shed their undercoat.

Cats also go through one or two cycles of hair loss and growth per year, but indoor cats tend to forgo those cycles due to the stable temperature of their environment. 

In addition to the natural progression of the seasons, factors that influence shedding include: 

Hair loss in pets

Shedding is a normal part of your pet's life, but a patchy or balding coat is sign of an underlying a health problem.

There are several factors that can lead to hair loss (also known as alopecia), including:

Allergies . Allergies can cause skin inflammation that can lead to hair loss, and they can also itchiness and secondary infections that cause a pet to rub their fur out.  

Behavioral problems. Cats experiencing stress groom to soothe themselves, but this can lead to over-grooming. 

Hormonal imbalances. Imbalances such as hypothyroidism can cause a patchy coat.

Fleas and mites. These parasites can lead your pet to chew and scratch at their skin. 

“In addition, some pets are allergic to the saliva of a flea and even just one flea bite can cause a pet to be itchy all over for days to weeks and cause huge swaths of hair loss,” said Mary Songster-Alpin, clinical assistant professor in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital small animal community practice. 

“This is called ‘flea allergy dermatitis’ and the treatment involves using an effective flea and tick preventative on all pets in the home all year long to keep all of the pets 100% flea free.”

If your pet has patches of missing fur, make an appointment with your veterinarian to get to the bottom of the problem.

Andrew Mann

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New UH Study Targets Early Signs of Vision Loss in Diabetic Patients

$3.3 Million Research Could Unlock Early Detection Methods to Prevent Blindness

By Laurie Fickman — 713-743-8454

A $3.3 million study at the University of Houston College of Optometry will track the health of patients with prediabetes and diabetes to find out who might develop eye problems and be at risk for future vision loss. The study is being led by Wendy Harrison, associate professor, and is underwritten by the National Eye Institute.

Vision loss in type 2 diabetes results from diabetic retinopathy, caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye. The disease can appear without warning.

“The ability to predict which patients are most at risk could constitute a significant advance in diagnosis and management of diabetes, which has reached epidemic proportions,” said Harrison.  “Early diagnosis and detection, especially if location-specific, could aid in delaying diabetic retinopathy and over the long term, saving sight.”

Diabetes is the number one cause of vision loss in working-age Americans. Also alarming, about 44% of American adults have prediabetes and it is not currently known when and how prediabetes affects the eye. Many patients with prediabetes are unaware of their condition.

Although patients with prediabetes are known to have impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and elevated hemoglobin A1c, there is still a significant gap in understanding how and when prediabetes impacts eye health.

“It is important that we close this gap as there are no treatments in the eye outside of glycemic control for early type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and to learn which type of glucose processing changes are most related to eye disease,” said Harrison.

Harrison’s team is undertaking unique research, never done before, in that they will study both the front and the back of the eye and different types of glucose dysfunction. The team includes the laboratories of Rachel Redfern, Maria Walker and Kaitlyn Sapoznik in Optometry and Marc Hamilton in Health and Human Performance. Ted Zderic, Julia Benoit, Deborah Hamilton and Bismark Owusu-Afriyie also have key roles in the project.

To explore how glucose dysregulation affects the vascular and neural retina, cornea, and tear film, the team will investigate whether tests like fat distribution, activity levels, and oral glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes patients are linked to or can predict ocular health.

“Our central hypothesis is that local retinal oxygenation is altered by changes in glucose tolerance. This drives the relationship between vessel changes and retinal function, in local retinal areas,” said Harrison.

After comparing the subjects, the team will follow up with them after one-and two- years to assess ocular and metabolic changes over time.

“We expect that differences in impaired glucose tolerance and phenotypes will alter ocular testing over time, especially in prediabetes," said Harrison.

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Do cats experience grief? New research suggests they might

Joe Hernandez

Researchers found that cats showed signs of grief, such as eating and playing less, after a fellow pet had died. Getty Images hide caption

If a human or another animal close to them dies, does a cat grieve the loss?

That was the question a team of researchers from Oakland University in Michigan set out to answer when they surveyed hundreds of cat owners about their cat’s behavior after another cat or dog in the household passed away.

The data showed that cats exhibited behaviors associated with grief — such as eating and playing less — more often after the death of a fellow pet, suggesting they may in fact have been in mourning.

“It made me a little more optimistic that they are forming attachments with each other,” said Jennifer Vonk, a professor of psychology at Oakland University, who co-authored the study, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science .

“It’s not that I want the cats to be sad,” Vonk went on, “[but] there is a part of us, I think, as humans that wants to think that if something happens to us our pets would miss us.”

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Though animals from elephants to horses to dogs have been shown to express signs of grief, less is known about the emotional life of the domesticated house cat. Vonk said she knew of only one other study on grief in domestic cats.

For their research, Vonk and her coauthor, Brittany Greene, surveyed 412 cat caregivers about how their feline companion acted after another pet in the house died.

They found that, after the death of a fellow pet, cats on average sought more attention from their owners, spent more time alone, appeared to look for the deceased animal, ate less and slept more.

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Vonk said they didn’t observe “huge changes,” but the behavior changes they did see mirrored those that had previously been observed in dogs, which have evolved in a more social way than cats.

“For me, the most compelling finding is that when cats were reported to change their behavior in ways that would be consistent with what we would expect for grief,” Vonk said, “it’s predicted by things like the length of time that the animals lived together or the amount of time that they had spent together engaged in various activities or the quality of their relationships.”

Vonk acknowledged that there are some caveats to the research. An owner may have been projecting their own feelings of sadness on their surviving cat when reporting their symptoms, or the cat may have been trying to console the grief-stricken human. (Cat owners who felt more grief themselves reported more grief in their surviving cats, researchers found.)

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The cat subjects may also have been behaving differently in response to a new household dynamic with one fewer pet, she added.

The researchers said more studies in this area would be necessary before drawing any conclusions. But Vonk, a cat owner herself, said her and Greene’s data suggest that cats may experience emotions akin to grief and sadness in ways that weren’t previously known.

“It does make me think maybe it’s more likely than I thought before that cats do have those feelings,” she said.