Scientists Have Found A New Cure For Baldness

News | Health | Trending | Did You Know

Scientists Have Found A New Cure For Baldness

Scientists in South Korea have found a cure for baldness, saving millions of men from the horrors of hair loss.

A team at Yonsei University led by Professor Choi Kang Yel created a biochemical injection, called PTD-DBM, which makes an individual's hair follicles grow back.

The scientists created a protein that causes the growth of new follicles, by treating bald areas with valproic acid, the Korea Herald reports.

The team found a protein called "CXXC-type zinc finger protein 5" that binds to another protein and prohibits new hair follicle growth. The binding protein interferes the Wnt signaling pathway that provokes hair follicle development and regeneration.

The group tested the potion on mice by shaving their fur and injecting the biochemical. It instantly worked.

"We have found a protein that controls the hair growth and developed a new substance that promotes hair regeneration by controlling the function of the protein," Choi told Esquire.

"We expect that the newly developed substance will contribute to the development of a drug that not only treats hair loss but also regenerate damaged skin tissues," he added.

The study, titled "Targeting of CXXC5 by a Competing Peptide Stimulates Hair Re-growth and Wound-Induced Hair Neogenesi," which was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology in August, said: "Through this study, we gained a lot of interesting insight into new ways to activate stem cells."

"Through this study, we gained a lot of interesting insight into new ways to activate stem cells," Choi said. "The idea of using drugs to stimulate hair growth through hair follicle stem cells is very promising given how many millions of people, both men and women, deal with hair loss."

Maya has been working at Shared for a year. She just begrudgingly spent $200 on a gym membership. Contact her at maya@shared.com