Researchers are investigating the use of stem cells as a safer, more natural means to treat baldness.
Scientists began looking into the possibility after removing patches of skin from mice and studying how the mice healed afterward.
Over time, cells that hadn't originally been responsible for growing hair follicles began to express that very trait, as a result of genes located in stem cells that generate follicles during the development of mice.
The hair growth happened naturally after their skins were wounded.
Mice that were genetically engineered to produce higher quantities of the proteins that activate the genetic pathways that spur follicles grew twice as many hairs, after wounding, as would normally be found on untreated, unwounded mice.
Nature May 16, 2007Four years ago, I wrote about other technologies in the making that would enable men and women to regrow their hair more safely and without drugs or transplants. It looks like an effective method of doing so may finally be on the way.
Stem cells for hair replacement would certainly seem a novel and relatively safe way to achieve hair growth, and it will be exciting to see how this develops.
If you haven't lost your hair yet, but are simply worried about it, one of the best things you can do to prevent hair loss is eat the foods your body burns best according to its unique nutritional type. A poor diet high in sugars and grains will typically increase your insulin levels, which has been associated with hair loss.
For those of you who have already suffered hair loss, however, this stem cell technique may prove to be a good option. The success of the technique apparently isn't governed by age, meaning you could be a baby-boomer or a recent college graduate and benefit from this natural solution when it is further developed.
There are other natural treatments for baldness as well, and you can look at the comments from other Mercola.com readers below.
Of course, you can take another approach and not worry about it at all. I used to be concerned about my rapidly decreasing scalp follicles, but I just made a choice to take the position that it was not a big deal. However, this is not as easy to do for a woman in our culture, so I certainly can understand a more aggressive approach in that case.
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