Stem Cells for Hair Growth

By Kai Colvin - Senior Medical Research Editor | August 29th, 2012

When one is injured or invaded by disease, your body induces an instinctive response to immediately heal and protect.

What if it was promising to accelerate this commanding response in a clinically achieving manner?

The promising region of regenerative medicine is promoting new ways to restore structure and function of damaged tissues and organs and build promising solutions for organs that become perpetually damaged.

The goal is to find a way to cure previously untreatable injuries and diseases.

One presentation for organ replacement therapy is the treatment of balding with an initial response to growing back hair resultant of hair loss.

Chief researcher, Professor Takashi Tsuji, directed a study to demonstrate regenerating functional hair regeneration from adult stem cells—a substantial progress in the development of organ replacement regenerative therapies.

Recorded in the journal of Nature Communications, the study group demonstrated that bioengineered hair follicle reconstructed from adult epithelial stem cells and dermal papilla cells can regenerate effusively functional hair follicle and hair growth.

Researchers conveyed that within three weeks 74 the bioengineered follicles, implanted on the backs of mice, induced hair regrowth, and fashioned suitable connections with nerves and the surrounding tissues.

The process involved extracting, isolating, and bioengineering pelage and vibrissa follicle germ. This study exposed the potential uses of adult tissue-derived follicular stem cells as a bioengineered organ replacement therapy.

Current treatment options for hair loss include medications that stimulate hair follicles into growing hair or reduce certain hormones associated with balding.

Hair transplantation or hair replacement is another solution for hair loss that is permanent and does not depend on ongoing, expensive medications or therapy.

Today, hair transplantation uses a technique of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). FUE is accomplished by making a small strip incision in an area where hair is plentiful, typically the back of the head. The individual follicles that are taken from the donor area are transplanted into a puncture hole in the patient's balding or thinning area. The FUE procedure also allows hair transplant surgeons to provide a natural hair growth pattern to the appearance of the hair transplant.

The study delivers an extensive impact to the advances of bioengineering technologies that will permit future regenerative therapy for hair loss causes, either bound from injury or by diseases such as alopecia and alopecia areata.

So— how can you avoid the pitfalls of hair loss today?

Seek the support of a qualified, expert hair loss surgeon whose sole focus is hair replacement. Don't be afraid to ask questions and gain valuable insight on hair loss treatments and find out whether you are the right candidate for hair transplant. Take time to explore the affordable options of hair restoration and see before and after hair transplant photos.

To learn more about Hair Transplantation, contact a Hair Transplant Clinic near you.