The medical term is Androgenetic alopecia but many of you know it as male or female pattern baldness.
It’s the most common type of hair loss and more than 30 million women and 50 million men are affected by it. There’s been years of research but there still in no cure available today.
Scientists are getting closer to finding the cause which could lead to new treatments. University of Texas researchers identified a protein that tells cells in the skin to become hair. When this protein was removed in mice, the hair stopped growing and the mice became bald. Another study at the University of Edinburgh found hair growth could be restored quickly by inhibiting enzymes called JAK that live in hair follicles.
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute has developed a way to generate new hair with stem cells. Human pluripotent stem cells are turned into dermal papilla cells. When implanted into mice, new hair growth occurred. Research using this technique in human is next.
Hair loss in men and women happen for different reasons, and treatment depends on the cause.
Partha’s RX:
- If hair loss is bothering you, or if you have sudden or patchy hair loss, see your doctor. Most hair loss is hereditary, but others are temporary or caused by an underlying condition.
- Before trying any hair loss treatment, talk to your doctor first to define the cause and best treatment options.
- When washing, brushing and styling your hair, be gentle and use a wide-toothed comb to help prevent pulling out hair.
- Current treatments include over-the-counter medications like Minoxidil or Finasteride. There’s also hair transplants and low-level laser therapy. These only manage hair loss, they’re not a permeant solutions.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder where you have clumps of sudden hair loss that start with one or more circles of bald patches. Follicle damage is usually not permanent. A small study found treating patients who had moderate to severe alopecia areata with the medication ruxolitinib had hair regrowth of 92%.
