Latest developments in curing baldness
No developments suggest a baldness cure is on the cards any time soon. But some scientific discoveries could help other researchers unlock one in the future. Let’s take a look at some of the latest developments.
How “caveman genes” made humans hairless
In January 2023, various UK news outlets reported that a baldness cure could be on the way following research that revealed humans’ so-called “caveman genes”. In this study, researchers discovered several genes that might explain how humans ultimately ended up becoming hairless, unlike most mammals [7].
It’s a bit of a leap to suggest this paves the way for a baldness cure. The research in question doesn’t attempt to find or test a cure for hair loss. But this study helps us better understand the evolutionary impact on human hair, which may ultimately prove useful for finding a baldness cure in future.
Stem cells, hair follicles, and the TGF-beta protein
Stem cell therapy may eventually unlock the key to a hair loss cure [8]. These adaptable cells help the body regenerate or repair itself after injury by transforming into the required cell type, or dividing to produce more stem cells.
Hair follicles, meanwhile, are the only cells in the human body that actively regenerate, regardless of injury or damage. Stem cell researcher Qixuan Wang explains the link between hair follicles and stem cells:
“Even when a hair follicle kills itself, it never kills its stem cell reservoir. When the surviving stem cells receive the signal to regenerate, they divide, make new cells and develop into a new follicle.”
Research published in June 2022 showed that a single protein — TGF-beta — has a role in both follicle development and follicle death [9]. If future research can pinpoint how this protein activates cell division, it may be possible to artificially activate follicle stem cells to tackle baldness.
Stress blocks hair growth activation proteins
An animal study published in December 2021 found that removing the adrenal glands in mice caused hair growth to improve threefold [10].
The adrenal glands produce cortisol when you’re stressed. Cortisol suppresses an essential hair growth protein known as Gas6. Removing the adrenal glands limits cortisol release, allowing Gas6 to activate hair growth.
Human adrenal gland removal isn’t on the cards. Your adrenal glands produce vital hormones that regulate metabolism and the immune system, among other essential bodily functions. But this research is important as it indicates a link between chronic stress and hair loss.
Researchers claim:
“Our work identifies corticosterone as a systemic inhibitor of hair follicle stem cell activity [and] demonstrates that the removal of such inhibition drives hair follicle stem cells into frequent regeneration cycles, with no observable defects in the long-term.”
If we can find another way to reduce the impact of cortisol on the hair follicle, we may be able to cure stress-related baldness.