Call (866) 471-8869 for FREE Consultation
New Connection Found Between Human Hair Loss and Animal Fur Shedding
by Marisa Amorasak
A new study suggests that the unsightly balding many men experience may be more than a sign of unfortunate genetics—it might be related to the completely natural process of fur-shedding in animals.
Up until this point, the root cause of male pattern hair loss had been solely identified as a genetic predisposition of the hair follicles. Some men were believed to simply inherit recessive hair follicles that are more likely to fall out. While that ideology remains true, there may be another major cause of hair loss. Researchers at the University of Southern California found that hair shedding in humans may also be dependent on the tissue surrounding the hair follicles. Some animals, like cats and dogs, undergo a similar shedding process that is triggered by changes in the skin and not the hair follicles themselves.
“The hair-follicle stem cell is not only listening to the voice in the stem cell, but also from the outside,” said Cheng-Ming Chuong of University of Southern California and the lead author of the study.
Of course, men who lose their hair tend not to grow it back like animals. That’s why the hair restoration business reaps in about $3.5 million per year— to get that full head of hair back. So as much as researchers can try to compare balding men to the natural shedding processes of animals, men are still going to seek a solution to their bald spots, receding hair line, and thinning hair. Fortunately, the new research should be beneficial for future hair loss treatments and allow a larger amount of men to regrow their hair.
If more research is gathered that can support the relationship between skin and hair loss, the way male pattern baldness is treated will be revolutionized. Currently, most major hair loss treatments target the hair follicle. Minoxidil is one of the most popular medications for hair loss, and is present in Rogaine and other over the counter drugs. It rejuvenates the hair follicle, making it more apt to grow hair.
“To deal with the hair growth, you not only try to help the stem cell [in the follicle], but you can improve the ‘soil,’ like: You put a tulip bulb in a nicer soil, you will grow a nicer hair,” said Chuong.
Future hair loss treatments that target the skin will likely include topical, oral, and in-office treatments performed by hair loss experts. Currently, there are plenty of solutions available for people looking to treat the proven causes of hair loss. Rogaine slows the hair loss process starting with the hair follicles, while Propecia™ stabilizes a hormone known to cause hair loss. Hair transplants are truly the only permanent way to beat hair loss, and today’s technology has made them more natural-looking and easier than ever.
If you’d like to learn more about non-surgical hair loss treatments like Rogaine or Propecia, contact our representatives today. We can also help connect you with a certified hair loss specialist in your area that performs hair transplant surgery.
Call 866-471-8869 for FREE Consultation
