Imagine a rub-on serum that restores visible hair growth in just three weeks. That may no longer be science-fiction. Scientists at National Taiwan University (NTU) have developed a topical treatment that produced full fur re-growth in bald mice in about 20 days, raising hopes of a future cure for baldness.
How the serum works
The research, published in Cell Metabolism, focused on what happens in the skin when hair follicles regenerate. The team discovered that when the skin is injured or mildly irritated, immune cells (macrophages) move into the underlying adipose (fat) tissue, signaling fat-cells (adipocytes) to release certain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) like oleic acid (C18:1) and palmitoleic acid (C16:1). These fatty acids feed the hair-follicle stem-cells, energising them to grow new hair.
Instead of relying on irritation, the researchers then used a serum containing those fatty acids directly.
“We found that only monounsaturated fatty acids … such as oleic acids (C18:1) and palmitoleic acids (C16:1), when topically applied to skin, can also induce hair regeneration,” Prof Lin Sung-Jan from NTU said.They reported visible hair regrowth in the treated bald mice within roughly 20 days.
