Hair multiplication
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Stem cells have been discovered in hair follicles and some researchers predict research on these follicle stem cells may lead to successes in treating baldness through hair multiplication, also called hair cloning. This treatment is expected to initially work through taking stem cells from existing follicles, multiplying them in cultures, and implanting the new follicles into the scalp. Later treatments may be able to simply signal follicle stem cells to transmit chemical signals to nearby follicle cells which have shrunk during the aging process, which respond to these signals by regenerating and once again making healthy hair.
It remains unclear how effective HM is going to be: It has been suggested that only future generations of HM will allow patients to grow as much hair as they want.
HM is being developed by two independent companies: ARI (Aderans Research Institute, a Japanese owned company in the USA) and Intercytex, a company in Manchester (UK).
In October 2006, UK biotechnology firm Intercytex announced they have successfully tested a method of removing hair follicles from the back of the neck, multiplying them and then reimplanting the cells into the scalp. The initial testing resulted in 70% of male patients regrowing hair. This treatment method is expected to be available to the public by 2009 (see [1][2]).
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