You have heard all possible cures, from hot oil spa to a healthy nutritious diet, from hair packs to avoiding styling with heat, but have you heard a lip smacking snack cure your hair woes?
The world is indeed a Pandora’s box as wonders keep happening!
Recently, scientists have conducted an experiment where they grew back hair in mice by using human stem cells. This resulted in new follicles which could grow hair. The “simple experiment” made the lab rodents little fluff balls.
Some scientists believe this technique can work on humans and it would be a revolution if it succeeds. The Japanese team became the talk of the moment when they mass produced ‘hair follicle germs’ (HFGs) in the laboratory.
The function of these cells is enabling follicle development. The amazing thing is that it has never been regenerated before.
So What Is The Secret?
The ‘McDonald’s fries’ chemical or dimethylpolysiloxane. Surprised?
The chemical was used in the culture vessel. It is used by McDonald’s for safety purposes – that is to prevent the cooking oil from foaming. It proves to be effective for the HFGs as oxygen easily passes through.
According to Professor Junji Fukuda, of Yokohama National University, “The key for the mass production of HFGs was a choice of substrate materials for the culture vessel. We used oxygen-permeable dimethylpolysiloxane (PDMS) at the bottom of culture vessel, and it worked very well.”
The method created up to 5,000 HFGs that led growth of new hair after they were transplanted into the mice. The hair loss treatments in the market cost million pounds but creating hair follicles will change the game.
Professor Fukuda says baldness is a global problem, especially for ageing individuals, and leads to low self-esteem. Hair regenerative medicine is a possible cure.
The researchers have to cross the hurdle of mass production to make it an effective therapy option. The seeded cells were in a unique ‘HFG’ chip called a 300-microwell array that was injected into the mice and generated follicles and hairs on the barren body. Lustrous black hair grew on the back and the scalp where they were transplanted.
According to them, the “regenerated hair exhibited the typical hair cycle of mouse hair”. Prof Fukuda added that “this simple method is very robust and promising” and will work for human cells too.