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A cure for baldness could be on the horizon.
Researchers from Taiwan University say they have discovered a serum that could potentially regrow hair in just 20 days.
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, showed that fat cells under the skin can restart hair growth.
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The researchers used mouse skin samples to monitor changes to the fat tissue under the skin, as well as to the hair follicles and the cells that help hair grow, after they caused small injuries to trigger certain reactions, according to a press release.
Researchers discovered that applying a fatty acid topical treatment to the skin promotes hair growth after skin injury. (iStock)
After skin injury, fat cells began breaking down stored fat in a process called lipolysis. Fatty acids were then released into the skin, which acted as a signal for hair stem cells to grow.
When the scientists stopped the fat cells from breaking down fat, it prevented hair from growing.
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Fatty acids were rubbed onto the mice’s skin to determine whether it would spark hair growth in these areas. The experiment was successful, triggering hair growth.
The same pattern was recognized in multiple experiments, although the research is still early and has yet to be tested on humans, the researchers noted.
The researchers concluded that this therapy has “considerable potential for treating hair loss conditions in the future.” (iStock)
In one experiment, the scientists saw hair regrowth in mice within 20 days of applying the topical treatments once a day.
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These results were only identified after skin injury. The researchers noted that controlled skin inflammation, caused by chemical irritation or “deeper dermal injury,” has previously been shown to promote hair regrowth and is “clinically utilized in treating hair loss.”
“However, the mechanisms by which dormant [stem cells] and their niche cells sense and respond to these injuries to initiate hair regeneration remain unclear,” the scientists noted in the study.
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The experiments showed that putting monounsaturated fatty acids on the skin could help hair grow, the researchers noted. As these fats naturally occur in the body and are already known to be safe, they could become a viable option for treating hair loss in the future, they added.
A dermatologist noted that more research is needed on this method as a potential treatment option for androgenetic alopecia. (iStock)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp said he considers these findings “notable” amid “intense interest” in research on hair loss treatments.
“But they are very preliminary, and because the experiments were not performed on human scalp skin, the results may not be applicable to people,” he said.
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“This study is small, and more research is needed on this method as a potential treatment option for androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss, the most common type in both men and women).”
Until this potential method is approved for clinical use in humans, Camp encourages those experiencing hair loss to focus on currently available and “well-studied” treatments, as well as scheduling an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist for evaluation.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.