Eight baldness cures that could soon put an end to your hair loss woes
The bald truth: 40pc of men have noticeable hair loss by the age of 35 CREDIT: ALAMY
19 JANUARY 2017 • 11:04AM
Good news, hair loss sufferers: science is making giant strides towards an answer to your troubles.
Already there are options on the market, although these often fall into one of two prohibitive categories – simply ineffective or dramatically expensive. New drugs and techniques are in development that could change this: keep your eyes open and your ears peeled in 2017, and you might just see the launch of a new baldness cure that makes your hair stand on end.
1. Hair multiplication, Japan
The most anticipated hair loss treatment in the near future springs from a Japanese partnership (announced in 2016) between the country’s RIKEN Research Institute, Organ Technologies and electronics behemoth, Kyocera.
The research team, which will be led by Dr Takashi Tsuji, has made countless ground-breaking discoveries related to hair loss in the past decade. This time, they plan to extract and then multiply a patient’s hair follicles via cell culturing, then transplant them onto balding regions of the scalp. This 'hair multiplication' process will solve the main drawback that exists with current hair transplant technology: an insufficient supply of donor hair at the back of the scalp.
The Japanese team is aiming for a commercial product release in 2020 and we'll likely get important updates from 2017 onwards.
My take: Pretty exciting. This one is at the cutting edge of regrowth technology.
2. Cultivated cell transplant, Japan
Again, the Japanese are leading the way. This technique, which cosmetics giant Shiseido will soon subject to phrase 3 clinical trials, sees dermal sheath cup cells – a blanket that wrap a follicle at its root – extracted from existing hairs, multiplied, and then transplanted.
My take: A cultivated cell transplant process involves cutting off a much smaller section of skin than is usually needed for hair transplants, which is very encouraging indeed.
3. JAK inhibitors for Androgenetic Alopecia, US
Over in the US, Aclaris Therapeutics are set to test Janus Kinase Inhibitors, which inhibit the activity of a family on enzymes, on men with Andro Genetic Alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia) after seeing impressive results on patients with Alopecia Areata (AA). 95 percent of balding men suffer from Androgenetic Alopecia (due to male hormones, in particular DHT), whereas only 1-2pc of men are believed to suffer from the AA variant, so the world will be watching this one with interest.
My take: It's early days, but the initial signs are encouraging.
4. Skin perturbation + topical application, US
Follica, another US firm, focuses on unique skin perturbation and topical compound technology. Only minimally invasive, the skin perturbation device removes the very top layers of the skin which prompts the skin cells beneath them to revert to a stem-like state. Then, a topical compound is applied which stimulates the growth of new hair follicles.
What’s so spectacular about this treatment is that it’s designed to work on clients who have lost their hair. Once the skin is disrupted, the cells that are mobilised to heal the area are forced to choose: make epidermis (more skin) or make hair. The aim is obviously to encourage the latter and the name of this regenerative effect is ‘hair follicle neogenesis’.
The company plans to complete trials in 2017 and has set a best-case product release date of 2018.
My take: Follica claims to have consistently created new hair follicles in mice and humans but until clinical trials have been completed, it’s best to remain cautiously optimistic.
5. Hair Stimulating Complex (HSC), US
And still in the US, Histogen plans to start testing its hair stimulating complex product on patients in Mexico in 2017, and possibly also in China as they have a new local partner there.
HSC is a soluble formulation which is injected into the hair loss area, with the aim of prompting follicle stem cell proliferation. Two company-sponsored clinical trials have already been conducted and, according to the Histogen website, “in the Pilot trial, 84.6pc of patients receiving just one HSC treatment showed a significant increase in terminal hair count and hair thickness at 12 weeks”.
My take: Encouraging for those who seek a non-surgical treatment. Basically, if you can cope with needles, then you can handle HSC.
6. Reactivating Wnt signalling pathways, US
In 2016, Samumed released phase 2 clinical trial data for SMO4554, a topically applied drug that tackles male pattern hair loss. It works by reinstating disrupted Wnt signalling pathways – proteins that send signals into a cell and give it instructions. With normal function resumed, the hair growth can restart
My take: Fascinating because it makes such sense. Phrase 3 clinical trials, hopefully this year, should tell us more.
7. Dutasteride, Japan & Korea
Dutasteride has been approved to treat hair loss in Japan and South Korea for a few years now. It remains to be seen if 2017 will finally be the year when it is also approved in the E.U. and the U.S. The drug inhibits dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone that destroys hair follicles and is at the root of most people's male pattern baldness.
My take: This drug’s hair growth effects are significantly superior to those of Finasteride so if you can get your hands on some through your hair loss practitioner, it’s currently the way to go.
8. Bimatoprost, Ireland
Allergan’s bimatoprost prostaglandin analog hair growth product – applied to the scalp – received a lot of positive publicity in 2015, when it was shown to work well in lengthening and thickening eyelashes in women. However, to do the same for scalp hair might not be realistic, or even if possible, as it would require much higher doses and result in greater side effects.
My take: This one has gone quiet of late – Allergan haven't released any info on the current status of the product in trials. These things often take longer than expected to launch onto the market – it may be that bimatoprost has already been binned, or it may be able to raise it's hairy head again.
What's important for the men and women out there who suffer from hair loss is that there are a lot of companies working towards way to tackle the issue, and their solutions are tested extensively. Rest assured, there are some promising products that we shall be able to get our hands on – or get onto our scalps – in due course.
The bald truth: 40pc of men have noticeable hair loss by the age of 35 CREDIT: ALAMY
19 JANUARY 2017 • 11:04AM
Good news, hair loss sufferers: science is making giant strides towards an answer to your troubles.
Already there are options on the market, although these often fall into one of two prohibitive categories – simply ineffective or dramatically expensive. New drugs and techniques are in development that could change this: keep your eyes open and your ears peeled in 2017, and you might just see the launch of a new baldness cure that makes your hair stand on end.
1. Hair multiplication, Japan
The most anticipated hair loss treatment in the near future springs from a Japanese partnership (announced in 2016) between the country’s RIKEN Research Institute, Organ Technologies and electronics behemoth, Kyocera.
The research team, which will be led by Dr Takashi Tsuji, has made countless ground-breaking discoveries related to hair loss in the past decade. This time, they plan to extract and then multiply a patient’s hair follicles via cell culturing, then transplant them onto balding regions of the scalp. This 'hair multiplication' process will solve the main drawback that exists with current hair transplant technology: an insufficient supply of donor hair at the back of the scalp.
The Japanese team is aiming for a commercial product release in 2020 and we'll likely get important updates from 2017 onwards.
My take: Pretty exciting. This one is at the cutting edge of regrowth technology.
2. Cultivated cell transplant, Japan
Again, the Japanese are leading the way. This technique, which cosmetics giant Shiseido will soon subject to phrase 3 clinical trials, sees dermal sheath cup cells – a blanket that wrap a follicle at its root – extracted from existing hairs, multiplied, and then transplanted.
My take: A cultivated cell transplant process involves cutting off a much smaller section of skin than is usually needed for hair transplants, which is very encouraging indeed.
3. JAK inhibitors for Androgenetic Alopecia, US
Over in the US, Aclaris Therapeutics are set to test Janus Kinase Inhibitors, which inhibit the activity of a family on enzymes, on men with Andro Genetic Alopecia (Androgenetic Alopecia) after seeing impressive results on patients with Alopecia Areata (AA). 95 percent of balding men suffer from Androgenetic Alopecia (due to male hormones, in particular DHT), whereas only 1-2pc of men are believed to suffer from the AA variant, so the world will be watching this one with interest.
My take: It's early days, but the initial signs are encouraging.
4. Skin perturbation + topical application, US
Follica, another US firm, focuses on unique skin perturbation and topical compound technology. Only minimally invasive, the skin perturbation device removes the very top layers of the skin which prompts the skin cells beneath them to revert to a stem-like state. Then, a topical compound is applied which stimulates the growth of new hair follicles.
What’s so spectacular about this treatment is that it’s designed to work on clients who have lost their hair. Once the skin is disrupted, the cells that are mobilised to heal the area are forced to choose: make epidermis (more skin) or make hair. The aim is obviously to encourage the latter and the name of this regenerative effect is ‘hair follicle neogenesis’.
The company plans to complete trials in 2017 and has set a best-case product release date of 2018.
My take: Follica claims to have consistently created new hair follicles in mice and humans but until clinical trials have been completed, it’s best to remain cautiously optimistic.
5. Hair Stimulating Complex (HSC), US
And still in the US, Histogen plans to start testing its hair stimulating complex product on patients in Mexico in 2017, and possibly also in China as they have a new local partner there.
HSC is a soluble formulation which is injected into the hair loss area, with the aim of prompting follicle stem cell proliferation. Two company-sponsored clinical trials have already been conducted and, according to the Histogen website, “in the Pilot trial, 84.6pc of patients receiving just one HSC treatment showed a significant increase in terminal hair count and hair thickness at 12 weeks”.
My take: Encouraging for those who seek a non-surgical treatment. Basically, if you can cope with needles, then you can handle HSC.
6. Reactivating Wnt signalling pathways, US
In 2016, Samumed released phase 2 clinical trial data for SMO4554, a topically applied drug that tackles male pattern hair loss. It works by reinstating disrupted Wnt signalling pathways – proteins that send signals into a cell and give it instructions. With normal function resumed, the hair growth can restart
My take: Fascinating because it makes such sense. Phrase 3 clinical trials, hopefully this year, should tell us more.
7. Dutasteride, Japan & Korea
Dutasteride has been approved to treat hair loss in Japan and South Korea for a few years now. It remains to be seen if 2017 will finally be the year when it is also approved in the E.U. and the U.S. The drug inhibits dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of testosterone that destroys hair follicles and is at the root of most people's male pattern baldness.
My take: This drug’s hair growth effects are significantly superior to those of Finasteride so if you can get your hands on some through your hair loss practitioner, it’s currently the way to go.
8. Bimatoprost, Ireland
Allergan’s bimatoprost prostaglandin analog hair growth product – applied to the scalp – received a lot of positive publicity in 2015, when it was shown to work well in lengthening and thickening eyelashes in women. However, to do the same for scalp hair might not be realistic, or even if possible, as it would require much higher doses and result in greater side effects.
My take: This one has gone quiet of late – Allergan haven't released any info on the current status of the product in trials. These things often take longer than expected to launch onto the market – it may be that bimatoprost has already been binned, or it may be able to raise it's hairy head again.
What's important for the men and women out there who suffer from hair loss is that there are a lot of companies working towards way to tackle the issue, and their solutions are tested extensively. Rest assured, there are some promising products that we shall be able to get our hands on – or get onto our scalps – in due course.
