Drug-Treated Bald Mice (Photo : Reuters/UCLA/)
Researchers reported on October 23, Friday that blood cancer and rheumatoid arthritis drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) could be used in baldness treatment creams to stimulate new hair growth such as for receding hairlines. While cancer medications are often linked to hair loss, special Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors might be an effective treatment or cure for baldness.
The study was published in the journal Science Advances. It was conducted by Columbia University.
The research team had been using the FDA-approved drugs to treat a hair-loss condition known as "alopecia areata." It is caused when the immune system accidentally attacks a person's hair follicles.
While doing experiments the researchers made a fortuitous discovery. Although hair follicles produce hair by using a resting-growing cycle, the JAK inhibitors "woke up" the follicles, which resulted in new hair growth, according to The Economic Times.
JAK inhibitors function by suppressing wrong immune system responses. Thus, they effectively treat diseases such as blood cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
The FDA has approved several JAK inhibitors. They are all sold as products of the brand name Xeljanz.
Researcher Angela Christiano explained that the drugs treated the hair loss disease more effectively topically than orally. The strands grew back faster and thicker.
After researchers rubbed the medicated cream on the bald mice's skin for five days new hair cells started to sprout within 10 days, according to NBC News.
The new hair grew in well and was thick within few weeks. Such baldness remedy results are rare as some topical agents only produce patchy bunches of hair regrowth.
However, Christiano advised that men not use JAK inhibitors to treat cosmetic conditions such as male pattern baldness. A suppressed immune system could cause infections.
Columbia University said in a statement that Christiano has filed patent applications for her research paper's findings. She is a co-founder of Vixen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Christiano explained that developing hair growth drugs is challenging. For example, researchers cannot grow hair in a lab petri dish.
The three main causes of hair loss among men are genetics, stress, and vitamin deficiency. By the age of 35 about two-thirds of American men have experienced some amount of hair loss.
This video shares some ways to stop hair loss:
