Breakthrough for baldness? Sugar gel stimulates hair regrowth

Is there a sweet new solution to the bitter luck of baldness?

Scientists say they may have accidentally discovered a revolutionary cure for male pattern baldness, a genetic condition that affects up to half of men and a quarter of women by 50.

A research team from the University of Sheffield in England and COMSATS University in Pakistan stumbled upon this finding while studying how naturally-occurring deoxyribose sugar could heal wounds.

Researchers were applying the sugar to the wounds of lab mice when they noticed that the fur around the lesions regrew rapidly.

Fascinated by the development, they took their investigation further. The scientists applied a small dose of sugar to male mice with testosterone-driven hair loss, noting that it helped form new blood vessels, leading to hair regrowth.

“Our research suggests that the answer to treating hair loss might be as simple as using a naturally occurring deoxyribose sugar to boost the blood supply to the hair follicles to encourage hair growth,” said Sheila MacNeil, emeritus professor of tissue engineering at the University of Sheffield.

Researchers found the gel to be just as effective as minoxidil, a treatment for hair loss known by the brand name Rogaine.

While minoxidil has been shown to slow hair loss and promote some regrowth, it doesn’t work for everyone who experiences baldness.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs to treat hereditary-patterned baldness — minoxidil and finasteride (brand name Propecia), designed to keep testosterone flowing through the body.

Finasteride, which is approved for men but not women, has been shown to slow hair loss in 80% to 90% of male patients. However, finasteride has also been associated with side effects such as depression, erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, testicular pain and suicidal ideation.

Others who suffer from hair loss opt for laser treatments or transplant surgery. Anti-aging guru Bryan Johnson swears by a triple-pronged approach of red-light therapy, micro-needling and topical treatments.

Due to the limited options and potential side effects, the promise of a safe, noninvasive baldness gel could be a medical breakthrough.

If deoxyribose proves effective in humans, it could also be used to treat alopecia and possibly to stimulate hair, lash and eyebrow regrowth after chemotherapy.

“This is a badly under-researched area, and hence new approaches are needed,” the researchers wrote last month in Frontiers in Pharmacology.

MacNeil remains cautiously optimistic about her team’s findings, “The research we have done is very much early stage, but the results are promising and warrant further investigation.”