Humans have been developing secret recipes to treat baldness since ancient times. For example, Ancient Egyptians used mixtures of dates, dog paws, and donkey hooves, while Native Americans utilized agave juice. Now, scientists have developed a new molecule that can awaken dormant hair follicles to reverse hair loss.

Balding is one of many middle-aged crises men would rather avoid; it's caused by various factors including natural aging, stress, hormonal imbalances, and genetics. Despite medical advancements, only a few remedies are effective for more than 30% of patients, leading many people to turn towards dubious home remedies or expensive hair transplant surgeries.

Recently, the team from UCLA identified a small molecule named PP405 that can awaken long-dormant but undamaged hair follicles. Specifically, scientists have developed this PP405 molecule designed to inhibit proteins responsible for putting hair stem cells into dormancy. This awakens these dormant stem cells; in 2023 they conducted their first human trial where participants applied an external form of the drug on their scalps at bedtime over a week and achieved promising results.

While genetic factors leading to baldness cannot be avoided, lifestyle changes can help improve hair health including balanced diets rich with essential vitamins (such as Vitamin D, zinc, iron) and proteins. High-stress environments also contribute significantly to hair loss; learning relaxation techniques such as exercise helps alleviate stress which in turn improves the situation.

(Pixabay source for main image)