In a mission to understand hair loss, scientists continue to look at the issue on a regular basis. Their latest findings point to a new cause of hair loss, one that we didn’t know about before. As such, this could take us one step closer to the development of a more efficient hair loss treatment in the future.
What Is the News?
So far, the common belief was that only stem cells could affect male pattern boldness. Not anymore, though. According to a recent study at the University of California, T-cells also play a large part.
Also known as Tregs, these are immune cells found in our skin. They regulate inflammation and activate stem cells in the body. When hair loss occurs, healthy T-cells will trigger new hair growth. But their absence is now proved to be a possible cause of hair loss.
The researchers took lab mice and shaved a layer of their skin that contained T-cells. As a result, they’ve noticed that the hair on those patches of skin didn’t grow back. Yet once they reintroduced the T-cells, the hair would regrow without a problem.
How Will This Affect Hair Loss Treatment?
The research into this specific cause of hair loss is still in its very early stages. Although the first results are encouraging, there’s still a lot to examine. But if further studies back up these claims, a new hair loss treatment may be in the cards.
T-cells play an important part in the treatment of cancer. As such, some clinics are offering T-cell treatment for cancer patients. With little tweaking, they can use a similar procedure to fight hair loss in a more efficient way.
In fact, scientists are already developing a Tregs-based cure for male pattern baldness. The final product is still at least a few years away, though. So, until it appears, traditional hair loss treatment methods will have to suffice.
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T-Cells Could Be Triggers for Hair Growth. URL link. Accessed November 2017.
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