Key Hair Related Genes Discovered

September 22, 2023

A new study analyzed the contribution of rare variants to male pattern hair loss (MPHL) etiology. The research team performed gene-based and single-variant analyses in exome-sequencing data from 72,469 male UK Biobank participants. While rare variants make only a minor contribution to general MPHL risk, the scientists identified a total of five significant gene associations.

January 10, 2023

Humans Still Have the Genes for a Full Coat of Body Hair

Several readers recently sent me links to new findings in relation to human and mammalian hair genes. Apparently, human still have the genes for a full coat of hair (or fur), which is not surprising to me. I have no shortage of body hair, although the hair on my back is mostly fine non-terminal hair. Men with excessive body hair tend to go bald more extensively and at a younger age.

The scientists (Dr. Nathan Clark, Dr. Amanda Kowalczyk and Dr. Maria Chikina) behind this latest work state that:

“It could eventually lead to new ways to recover hair after balding”.

This study was a first-of-its-kind comparison of genetic codes from so many animals (62). The research team surveyed 19,149 genes and 343,598 regulatory regions across the mammalian species. It is quite extraordinary that so many different mammals (including humans) have used different strategies to deactivate a common set of genes. All in order to shed their hair and fur.

Make sure to also read my posts on CRISPR and on gene modification via NgAgo.

March 1, 2016

Hair Related Genes

A major discovery was just announced today and widely covered by the global media (e.g., see the BBC article, Telegraph summary and Washington Post article).

The main Nature Communications human hair genome diagram pasted below is quite a visual.

Hair Genes
Hair genes. Genetic link for a monobrow. Nature 531, 143 (2016).

Key genes for grey hair, monobrows, hair thickness, hair shape and more were discovered by a team led by Dr. Kaustubh Adhikari. The global media has largely focused on the grey hair issue.

Interestingly, the team did all their research in Latin America, the global hotspot of human genetic diversity due to the region’s large populations of Caucasoids/Whites, Natives/Indians and Negroids/Blacks. Brazil is also home to the largest population of Japanese (Mongoloids) outside of Japan. An impressive 6,630 volunteers were studied. Key discoveries:

  • The IRF4 gene’s presence seems correlated with an earlier loss of hair color. Also see my posts on the cure for grey hair and grey hair reversal.
  • Unibrows (or monobrows) are associated with a gene called PAX3.
  • The EDAR gene is associated with straight scalp hair and sparse facial hair — both of which are common features in East Asian men.
  • The PRSS53 gene is linked to curly hair.

Some interesting quotes:

“The finding could mean that changing hair or eye color could be possible without using dyes. It would simply be a matter of taking a drug which changed the expression of certain genes to alter appearance, turning blondes into brunettes or preventing grey hair.”

“Preventing grey hair is a possibility and even reversing grey hair might not be impossible. Once we know more about the pigmentation process, and all the genes involved it should be easy to find a protein or enzyme to up-regulate or down-regulate the activity.”

One interesting implication for the cosmetics industry is that hair appearance could in the future be modified as it is formed underneath the skin. As opposed to after exiting from the skin surface, which is the current norm with hair dyes and hair straighteners.

160 thoughts on “Key Hair Related Genes Discovered”

    1. Once the cure is here, this blog will die out. Enjoy these lessons in biology from an amateur like myself while they last:-)

      1. I definitely appreciate all of the information admin! Thank you. I look forward to reading this blog every day :)

        1. Thanks Daniel. I am grateful for the 20 percent of my readers who are appreciative and at least somewhat optimistic:-)

          1. Thank you for covering all of this. I look at this blog as a way to filter out the constant nonsense reported by non-reputable “news” sites, and I really appreciate that you take the time to do this. I don’t post much, but I want it to be known that your reporting on this sort of stuff really is appreciated.

            It’s unfortunate that many people see these comments as a way to vent their frustrations, and I really wish it would stop because there sometimes is valuable discussion to be had.

          2. I read your posts everyday and appreciate your work. You doing an amazing thing trying to help us and keep hoping for a cure, keep up the great work for the ones like us that visit your page and read every article.

      2. Admin please tell me what can we expect in next few years?
        Can we expect cure in this life?
        What is your opinion ?
        I am so sad.

    1. How about you wait the required 16 weeks before complaining? Minox takes around 4 months to show some decent results and probably more for maximum results. Initial shed is to be expected. Keep calm and keep using.

  1. Is there any mentioning on which genes cause baldness and how might those genes be altered or regulated to prevent or reverse it? In the diagram it shows baldness being linked to two different genes however the quotes at the end only address hair color.

      1. Thanks! But this just suggests that the outcome of a person’s MPB might be able to be predicted but the real question remains how might this information lead to an effective treatment/cure for MPB?

  2. Hope soon get in to your blog and read “cure for hair loss/baldness found” thanks for the information admin.

  3. Medicine, you know everything, and then what… nothing. Can do nothing with the knowledge. It’s an amazing thing !!

    1. Understanding the problem is a necessary part of fixing the problem.

      You pessimists are ridiculous. These findings are the steps along the way to the fix you’re so desperate to have, but every time one comes out there’s people complaining that they haven’t instantly fixed the problem in one study.

      It’s like watching someone building you a house and every day complaining that its not finished yet and what the builder is doing is useless because you can’t live in a half finished house. How about being appreciative that someone is doing the hard work while you sit around complaining?

      Do you honestly think bitching about scientific research not being instantaneous does anything constructive? Do you think these scientists are deliberately wasting time and are just waiting for enough random whiners on the internet to complain before they really start working?

    2. We don’t know everything about it, that’s the point. The more knowledge that’s gained, the more of a chance there is for a solution to be found. Basic problem solving.

  4. NICE STUDY GUYS:

    World Renowned Researcher Confirms Pivotal role of Inflammation and Fibrosis in MPB

    This is what we have been saying for years. Inflammation, and eventual fibrosis are ultimately what causes hair loss in both MPB and FPB, not DHT per se. DHT simply initiates this process.

    Reducing DHT and /or blocking its binding to receptors can be readily accomplished with either pharmaceuticals (Propecia, Dutasteride, or Spironolactone) or Natural compounds such as Black Tea(Theaflavin) Extract, a combination of either Mega Green Tea Extract and Super Absorbable Soy Isoflavones, or PalmettoGuard with Astaxanthin.

    Many prefer to use natural compounds because of the numerous additional health benefits and the side effects associated with these particular drugs.

    This research article points out that simply blocking or reducing androgen actions is often not enough to resolve hair loss. Inflammation and its eventual consequence, fibrosis must be dealt with as well.

    Inflammatory Phenomena and Fibrosis in Androgenetic Alopecia

    Ralph M. Tr�eb
    Department of Dermatology
    University Hospital of Zurich
    Zurich, Switerland

    Abstract

    In androgenetic alopecia the genetically predisposed hair follicles are susceptible to androgen-stimulated hair follicle miniaturization, leading to replacement of large and pigmented hairs by barely visible depigmented hairs. The result is a progressive decline in visible scalp hair density that follows a defined, age- and sex-dependent pattern. Major advances have been achieved in understanding peculiarities of the androgen metabolism involved. Nevertheless, clinical practice has shown that simply blocking androgens has only limited success. On histologic examination, the miniaturization of terminal hairs is frequently associated with perifollicular inflammatory phenomena, and eventually fibrosis. Therefore, sustained microscopic follicular inflammation with connective tissue remodeling, eventually resulting in permanent hair loss, is considered a significant cofactor in the complex etiology of androgenetic alopecia.

    Several of our long standing, and in some cases patented, hair loss treatment recommendations directly address the perifollicular inflammation alluded to in the above research:

    Emu Oil: topically applied, immediately ameliorates inflammation , and it is this anti-inflammation effect that is thought to be behind its hair growth stimulation effects.

    Emu Oil Hairloss and Frontal Regrowth

    Optimized Resveratrol combined with Super BioCurcumin: a patented oral hair growth treatment combination from Italy that its research team found cured both perifollicular and neurogenic inflammation.

    The Hair Growth and Anti-aging Properties of Resveratrol /Curcumin

    Super Absorbable Tocotrienols: a patented hair growth treatment that in addition to stimulating hair growth via its� anti-oxidant/anti-inflammation effects, raises testosterone in men. For this reason it is often used by those coming off of Propecia.

    Tocotrienols from Red Palm Oil Induce Hair Growth

    Mega Green Tea Extract/Grape Seed Extract/ Taurine /Zinc combination: A patented combination by L�Oreal sold in Europe under the name �Hair Mass.� It counters hair loss by quelling peri-follicular inflammation and with the addition of Taurine, fibrosis.

    A Hairloss Treatment Pill for Men and Women from L’Oreal

    Even though I use all of the above, these treatment compounds are also effective as standalone treatments. However if your treatment regime only involves lowering and/or blocking DHT at its receptor sites, your results as this research stated, may have limited success.

    For optimal results you want to address not only DHT, but inflammation and fibrosis as well.

  5. and yes i spent about $3,500 on that regimen. I still take some of it for the mild barrely noticeable health benefits that might play out more noticeably in 10-20-30 years.

    Like admin I think there are plenty of blasé options we have at the moment but the pipeline stuff (replicel, sam, histogen, seti, follicum, etc are the big ticket items

    1. BY THE WAY I AM TAKING PROPECIA AND USING NIZORAL SHAMPOO AND I WILL START SOON MINOXIDIL 5 %, WITH A LASER HAIR COMB HOME SESSIONS.

          1. Sorry, it’s just that messages typed in all capital letters are typically interpreted as yelling/shouting. I’m guessing English isn’t your first language so apologies if I sounded a bit rude.

  6. Thank you admin, things are getting improved in hair loss research.
    Getting the cure is not easy and everyone should know this point.
    Just plan for the worst and hope for the best

  7. With all of these interconnections among genes I would not be surprised at all if when a hairloss cure is discovered we also will have a cure for arthritis, eczema, some cancers, and other diseases. Thus, research into hairloss is not the vain and superficial pursuit some prominent heads claim it to be (Bill Gates).

  8. DHT, DHT, DHT……here are my thoughts and my experience regarding DHT. After using gym supplements to enhance testosterone and muscle growth (all legal) I later found that I had completely messed my hormones up and I was now HYPER reactive to any external substance that that increases or decreases testosterone. This includes Zine, olive extract, grape seed extract, antibiotics, caffeine, omega 3-6, B, C and D vitamins (supplements) and Magnesium (this really kills my hairline). Now I have taken DHT “blockers” and “inhibitors” and my conclusion is this. If you are reactive to drugs that effect your hormone levels, do not take anything that will inhibit DHT production! Inhibiting DHT is more or less the same as inhibiting Testosterone (and I’m geussing you wouldn’t like to do that). DHT is responsible for muscle growth, energy levels and sex drive . I’m geussing the reason your worried about loosing your hair in the first place is because you worry about how others (of the same or opposite sex) will judge you. My thoughts is that if you can no longer maintain your hair line embrace the fact that you can influence your testosterone level. Take supplements such as olive leaf extract, vitamin B and zinc. The olive leaf extract will decrease your cortisol levels (reducing stress), the vitamin B and Zinc will increase your sex drive and your confidence! (Remember confidence is ultimately linked to sex drive) and if you like you can combine these with Mankuka honey which is a natural anti depressant and mood enhancer! Above all else remember you are not your hair! (As hard as it may seem).

    I apologise for the rant guys, but ultimately the Fonz does not approve anything that ultimately blocks/inhibits DHT production (if like me you react to these external substances). I pray that one day we will see a solution to HL/MPB like Replicel that works around DHT and does not destroy it.

    -Fonzey-

    1. … “I’m geussing the reason your worried about loosing your hair in the first place is because you worry about how others (of the same or opposite sex) will judge you.”

      Well, I cannot speak for all, but for me it’s not this.. I think it affects the way we ourselves judge us, I like me best with hair, much better.. and not being able to look in the mirror and see the hair I’ve had, the looks I had before, style it the way I liked, change it, I had beautiful hair man… maybe it’s not like that for everyone, but for me it’s not the judging or what the others think, it’s me, my not feeling good like that. I really miss that, really it’s sad not being able have that. It’s so simple, it’s only hair.. and it’s so important, for me.

      1. Julian,
        I think that is the thing man. You gotta like you for you. We are the hardest on ourselves and most vain when it comes to our own appearances (well most of the time – I had an ex that told me I was vain for looking in the mirror too much… checking to make sure my hair was in order, but she didn’t know that).

        With that said, if you don’t see the positive qualities of who you are then no one will. Yes, we all want hair and piece of mind that we are going to be able to control every part of our body. But we can’t. If you aren’t able to focus on other parts of your life and build on those, even while you have hair loss, you aren’t going to be a happy person whether you have hair or not. It’s not fun hearing this because it isn’t easy to do when watching your hair fall down the drain but you gotta let go a little and focus on the things you can control. I have my bad days too where I can’t stop looking in the mirror, shoving my hair this way and that way to try to see what is going to go next but there comes a time to let it go and continue life. Yep, maybe with less or no hair but you can do it. I have amazing friends that have after going bald. Friends that are in happy relationships with amazing jobs. Yeah they lost their hair but they didn’t lose their life.

        Here’s the best part. If you are here for the same reason I am… at most we have 3.75 years left before we have a cure or viable treatment. That should help keep your head up if nothing else… be “ugly, bald, etc.” whatever you want to call it for 3.75 more years… and then get the treatment that comes out and stop caring. As admin says, this blog is going to fade out as soon as a legit treatment comes out… he is providing extra news to keep us entertained. Most importantly, if you chill the hell out, if Histogen comes out with their treatment in Mexico first you have a place to stay at when you come to get the treatment. And while you’re here we can have fun getting smashed on Mezcal to celebrate the end of all the bullshit.

  9. Imagine guys …what if Apple cures hair loss… would be great and will be called iHair…every year we get a new update like color fixed, angle and density….what am I thinking like 2 am in the morning…

  10. admin you should personally meet apple ceo…gift him a basket of actual apples and talk to him about our issues…tell them to do something about it..lol

  11. Keep going Admin. The fact that you post regularly actually gives me hope. I started my interest by following Intercytex. I thought they had the cure and I was even trying to buy shares. Glad I didn’t as they went bankrupt. But I felt let down after that, hoodwinked. This blog doesn’t let me down. I prefer following this blog that hitching my wagon to any one commercial venture!!

  12. Tweet from Samumed:

    ‏@GaryChoy1
    Come visit us at Booth 201 at #AAD2016 in Washington, D.C. to learn about #SM04554 for #hairloss and #androgeneticalopecia

    1. The employee of Samumed actually has quite some more tweets about SM04554:

      Congrats to our scientists, clinical and medical staff @samumed_llc for advancing Tx for #hairloss #alopecia https://lnkd.in/bhacHAi

      it’s from November 23th 2015

    1. Only two days untill we found out:

      ” Samumed’s 12 minute summary of phase II clinical trial results of its SM04554 topical hair loss product on March 5th.”

      If only this was like putting MiracleGrow on your lawn. Fingers crossed.

  13. Thanks for the work you are doing Admin. I’ve just been lurking for a bit and decided to finally post. 25 yo and started losing hair at the temples about 2 years ago and similarly to the guys here I value my hair a lot. It actually hurts to look in the mirror and see my hair get progressively thinner. I’m just trying to be patient but I’m hopeful that in the next few years we will at the very least have better treatments. So that we can preserve as much hair as possible as we wait for a cure. I’m even considering studying biomedical engineering to somehow weave my way into the hair loss research arena. We need a cure for this!

  14. Well, im not getting my hopes too high up. But it does seem like they have somewhat good news. I’ll agree with the guy on Follicle Thought that its usually a good sign that a company wants to be on stage and present their results and from what I heard this conference is pretty prestigious.

    1. – If they can grow new hairs to their pre-existing size
      – Stop and prevent future miniaturization of hair

      Then it would be a success. I mean, by the first point i mean something that just doesn’t thicken hairs, gives you new follicles and stimulates growth.

      @egghead I think CRISPR will be the ultimate cure, but so far out that people will stop caring by then.

  15. Could be the SM works better using Dermaroller/dermapen? Hmmm.

    Hi from Spain. Svenson clinics are scammers.

      1. they sell their products with high costs and the pacient never will have everithing they promise him. Bad doctors and inneficency products.

  16. Will be very interesting to see what Samumed present tomorrow. Let’s hope it earth shattering stuff. Anything better than current treatments would be earth shattering, especially if it grew new hair.

    A few days later, it’s worth noting that Daphne Zohar will be speaking at the Cowen and Company 36th Annual Health Care Conference. It’s a pretty big deal but there’s no details on what will be presented. I still think we will see some big Follica news this year. Hopefully good news. I know folks get down on them being so quiet but I still cling to the thought that if you were on to a game changer, you’d keep as low key as possible until you were ready to strike.

    Let’s hope Samumed put some pressure on them by releasing some great results!

      1. Not sure if you’re trolling on purpose or not but no, that’s an old article in which, if I’m not mistaken, they declined an interview.

        Follica isn’t years away, I’d say we’ll find out this year, given the patent news last year, what exactly Follica have to offer. I hope it’s good but it may not be what we’re hoping for. Cautious optimism is needed.

  17. Mike I say this in a professional al manner..why would cotsarelis pursue follica at the time if he involved with seti?

  18. btw guys , do you think it’s possible to take stem cells from a hair follicle and transplant it into other part of our head? i mean, the same than an hair transplant but with stem cells, what do you think guys?

    1. Cris, stem cells are intact in a bald area already. There’s no need nor logic in transplanting them if they’re there. What’s missing in the bald area are progenitor cells. That was discovered by George Cotsarelis some time ago, you should know it.

      There is a Spanish company promoting this theory or pseudo technique that they transplant stem cells to restore bald scalps but that is EXTREMELY suspicious because it defies this known fact.

  19. Had an interesting chat with my doc earlier following a blood test. I’m hypothyroid but take meds for it, but still can’t seem to slow down hair fall. Checked DHT and T levels, basically both within normal range, though for a young, fit guy who does strength training and eats well, my T levels were less than I’d like. Spoke to him about it, and he said he feels hair loss is more down to the T:DHT ratio than just DHT itself. Thus, I’m going to try and boost my T levels. His take is also that it is largely genetic but if you reduce inflammation, you reduce the follicle response to triggers.

  20. It’s genetic but it isn’t only your genes telling your body that you should become bald, telling your follicles to retire. By genetic it means that it is an inherited excessive sensibility or reaction from your follicles to the harmful (to their integrity) proprieties of androgen hormones, mainly DHT.

    1. This is proven once castrated men, no matter if they had bald ancestors, or genes if you prefer, don’t go bald anymore, because they cease to produce androgen hormones. That’s the reason Finasteride works, although it doesn’t inhibit DHT 100%… and that’s why it doesn’t stop the balding, it just slows it down, at most times.

  21. Hey everyone I am back lol. I took the admin advice and took some time off this blog as I was just getting depressed and worked up from hair loss. Best thing I ever did, thank you admin:) I stopped thinking about my hair and focused on other things. I just read through all the new posts. Pretty cool to see they are mapping out genes for hair. Not surprised at all about brezula. I had a gut feeling it would be crap since they are focusing on acne before baldness. Looks like it’s worst that Rogaine lol. I am very excited about Samumed presentation tomorrow. As most of you know I always supported them and find them to be a quick and efficient biotechnology company. There quick movement through trials is promising and the fact that they are sponsoring and presenting first under latest breakthrough treatments in dermatology in a main dermatological conference is HUGE! They claim to create new follicles avd show signs of new hair growth avd density in a month. I think this will be Rogaine on steroids. How much hair will we see? Can we get from a nw 6 to a nw3? Who knows but my gut tells me they have something really good:) I was actually going to go to the event since I am DC right now on business till next wed but the price to get in to the conference is like 2,000 bucks lol. Not paying that haha. I want Samumed to succeed and win the race for the next baldness treatment. Their progress and way of business is excellent and they deserve to bring in the profits. As for other players, jak won’t work unless Christiano has some secret cocktail that works for mpb and she is keeping a tight lip on it. Who knows? I still have faith in follica…don’t ask why I just do lol. Anyways its Friday night and I am going to grab some ass! Fingers crossed for Samumed tomorrow:)

    1. LOL – grab some ass. A balding dude? Oh, that’s right – Backpage. Anyway, F this sh*t! We need a cure. Enough already. Bring on the JAK or something. I just can’t take anymore!

  22. Thanks guys:) It’s nice to see you all again. I have to worst hang over lol. Party to hard last night lol. I think Samumed has already presented their results today. Let’s see when it will published on their website or in a press release from the event. Fingers crossed!

  23. Samumed posted shitty results. Back to back blows between CB and SM just knocks out two potential treatments to look forward to. HT still our best option for the next 5-10 years.

  24. @Baldybalding, you were at the conference or how do you know this? Please link us up if you have reliable info.

  25. “The result is preliminary, and doctors who reviewed the presentation ahead of publication for Forbes characterized the results as promising, but also raised concerns about whether or not it would hold up in larger studies…Drug maker Samumed, based in San Diego, says that it will be taking the medicine, code named SM04554, into larger studies aimed at getting approval from the Food and Drug Administration..One concern here is that the drug is more effective at a lower dose than a higher one.”

    The bottom line is that they need to do further studies :p

  26. http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2016/03/05/experimental-drug-shows-early-promise-in-treating-male-baldness/#1970942c1600

    10% regrowth. Definitely a disappointment. No mention of taking it to Phase 3 only a mention of a retrial for proper dosing purposes. It performs better at a lower dose compared to a higher dose which usually isn’t a good sign. However I read some where that they have another trial ending in April, maybe Admin can find something on that. Would like to hear your thoughts on this too Admin. What does disappointing trial mean and where do we go from here?

    1. what is this 10%? new hair.. I mean, it is important to know if want affects the growth of existing hair, making it stronger or not, this is as important or more than the creation of new hairs.

  27. Well, Id like to hear the actual results from Samumed themselves. But, if this is what it seems like then im pretty sure I’ll talk to my doctor very soon about starting Procepia…sigh!!!!!!

  28. I wonder what would happen with the combination of Follicas method, dermabrasion, with WNT stimulation – Samumed. In fact I think Follicas procedure involves the use of WNT as well.. But they’re mute, we can’t know nothing from them.

  29. @julian, honestly who gives a f***. If Samumed really has nothing to offer then thats pretty much it…no new treatments worth mentioning will come out in the forseeable future, which only means good years wasted for all of us obsessing bout shit that wont change. Its finasteride or hairloss. Sorry, not trying to remove hope but I really cant see what other options we have besides Fin. Im gonna wait for proper info on SM and if it is what it seems like then I’ll try Fin and stop following development in HL treatments…its simply too stressful and depressing

    1. Man, c’mon.. Fin is here from 20 years ago… why are you still considering it.. why haven’t you been using it??? Try fin?? c’mon

      1. wait till you are slick bald.. won’t be of any use anymore.. fin is to be taken preventively… before this whole shit starts you know… If you didn’t do it, you was a dumb ass stupid ok.. sorry

  30. This is extremely depressing. This is definitely a dark day. This was our only hope. What are we supposed to do now?

  31. Another new studies in 2016…Seems like Syndrome Post-Finasteride is very real…

    a) Emotional Consequences of Finasteride: Fool’s Gold.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26868914

    b) An observational retrospective evaluation of 79 young men with long-term adverse effects after use of finasteride against androgenetic alopecia.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26763726

    Do you understand me when i say: Hair Loss industry is a really shame? OK.

    Paul.

    1. Paul, fin is good… you lose it.. sorry.. should have started early and you’d have saved a lot of hair… now is too late… so, take it.

  32. Before we all get depressed let’s see what Samumed posts on their site from the conference. This is a pretty report from forbes. They still grew hair lol. Not a complete bust. If it can stop further loss and thicken dying hairs and grow 10 more hairs per cm then it may be something :) we all know it ain’t going to be a cure lol

  33. Guys don’t forget that it was a 3 month trial. It’s too early to say anything considering how hair cycling works. And they’re reporting %10 regrowth on high NWs. I say it’s not bad news, at least for low nws.

  34. Hello, does anyone know a company or a lab who is developping a drug or something that can change hair texture/shape ? Thx.

  35. About what I expected. No better than minoxidil. We have one hope for a massive cure all in my opinion within the next 3-5 years and that is JAK-STAT inhibition working in concentrated doses and topically in patients with AGA. This has a much better shot than many want to give it on working in AGA. Works via immune response and inflammation. Benoxeprofen cured 3 men with AGA and it was also an anti inflammatory (NSAID).

    1. Benoxaprofen was withdrawn from the market due to dangerous side effects.

      I assume you’re referring to this study:

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1498062/?page=1

      where only 2 men out of 5 showed reversal of male pattern baldness. None of them were “cured”. All 5 showed signs of hypertrichosis though, as well as a range of other, more serious side effects.

      The mechanism of action of Benoxaprofen produces hair growth is unknown. There are lots of anti-inflammatories that do nothing for hair loss so its unlikely to be because of anti-inflammatory properties.

      Anyway JAK inhibitors have absolutely nothing to do with NSAIDs. They’re not chemically similar nor do they have similar effects.

      JAK inhibitors work on people with auto-immune alopecia because it stops the immune system from attacking hair follicles. JAK inhibitors increase the risk of infections for this reason. When follicles are attacked by the immune system they go into telogen phase, so they stop growing hair and what has grown falls out. When the immune system is suppressed with JAK inhibitors the hair follicles are can enter into the anagen phase once again. This is why you can have dramatic hair loss from auto-immune alopecia and dramatic hair gain when it is treated.

      In AGA hair follicles are still entering the anagen phase, although for less time than in healthy follicles. The problem is the follicle itself is miniaturizing due to the effect of androgens on androgen receptors in the follicle. This is why in AGA hair slowly thins before stopping growing completely whereas in autoimmune alopecia hair falls out dramatically without the warning of thinning.

      JAK inhibitors have shown absolutely no ability to reverse follicle miniaturization. At best they could help prolong the anagen phase, but again there’s no evidence they can work like this on follicles that aren’t being suppressed by the immune system.

      People who think JAK inhibitors are going to work on AGA just because they work on auto-immune alopecia are deluding themselves.

  36. @mjones, your right:-) Im also not depressed, yet. Your on Fin right? Do you know anyone whos been taking a 0.25 dose twice a week? Im aware that its not as efficient as the full 1 mg per day but I’ve been reading alot about it and it seems like it could be a solution to slow my HL and not get all kinds of nasty sexual sides.

  37. Any idea if they posted pics? We still have jak, surprise from follica, histigen lol, sisheido . Either way even if it did work we would probably have to wait 3 yes for approval to market. At that time sisheido might be an option . Any news from that Italian drug that grows hair from 5 yrs ago? Supposedly that’s coming out next year. Watch that be better than samuned lol

  38. @matt, why with the JAK again? Its pointless. No trials are being done atm treating hl using JAK so why do you think it could be out in 3 – 5 yrs? Its nothing but hot air. The ONLY company with a hairloss product whos been doing trials fast and not coming up with lame excuses for years worth of delays is SM and they might not even go into phase 3 and might not even have a product…

  39. @Spanky. Yes I’m on fin for 14 yrs. 1mg a day. Just take the full dose once a day in the morning after eating breakfast. Worked like a charm. Minot sides for the 1st year but they went away. Sides were slight soft erections but personally that was only with one girl and I think it was psychological because a year later another girl and I was plowing her 4x a times a day. Just eat healthy, exercise 3x a week, cardiovascular and free weight and limit alcohol to only 3 to 5 drinks a week. Don’t smoke! Take hair vitamins like maxi hair country life. This all worked for me. Now I losing ground but I’m going to throw in some more minox, need to bump up my vitamin d levels since they are low and pray:) prayer always works :) Lower stress levels to.

      1. Julian return to school…please read the study…

        b) An observational retrospective evaluation of 79 young men with long-term adverse effects after use of finasteride against androgenetic alopecia. 2016 scientific paper.

        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26763726

        And yes Hair Loss industry is a really SHAME. Millions of men and women think the same.

  40. @mjones, okay cool. Sounds like you got off cheap regarding sides (and hard with your gf, lol ). Im not sure I’ll go on a full dose but im getting more and more interested in actually trying the treatmemt. Did you have a bad shedding. Also, if I get a bad shedding AND sides which forces me to stop talking the drug does that mean that the hair lost during the shedding period is lost forever?

  41. julian
    MARCH 4, 2016 AT 12:47 PM
    Cris, stem cells are intact in a bald area already. There’s no need nor logic in transplanting them if they’re there. What’s missing in the bald area are progenitor cells. That was discovered by George Cotsarelis some time ago, you should know it.

    There is a Spanish company promoting this theory or pseudo technique that they transplant stem cells to restore bald scalps but that is EXTREMELY suspicious because it defies this known fact.
    —————————————————————————-

    Okey Julian, but there is something wrong in the stem cells they are not dead, but they arent working as supost to be working in the balding areas, if you take the stem cells from a healthy area and you transplant them to the balding area, maybe it’s work, i dont know, we’ll see..

    im from Spain by the way, so in september (maybe early) we’ll know how is going on that technique, who knows maybe is a kind of cure..

    1. It is not a cure.. It is another way to transplant hairs from the sides/back without losing stem cells. The results in my opinion are impressive for a high NW, but yeah.

      1. Okey Breezy, it’s not a cure, but in theory, if you keep the same amount of hair in the donor area, and get more hair in the receiving area, and you can go for the Stem cell transfer everytime you want, you can fix the problem, so… it’s kind of cure but without injections, topical, pills or whatever, it’s like an hair transplant but with steam cells, sounds good , isnt?

  42. @spanky. I never had a shed phase with propecia. So I can’t answer your questions. It just grew and thicken up my hair a bit and stopped loss for 12 yrs, well slowed it down dramatically with slight temple recession. As for Samumed, I am not shocked it didn’t work as well. Every new treatment that has been tested since propecia has been weak. Not sure what say about it. Not disappointed just curious why all these biotechnology companies can’t find a treatment better than fin and min. Quite sad on their part lol

  43. It’s not over guys. Chill. Still big players in the game. Replicel, follica, latisse reformulating topical for absorbsion

    1. No. It is. Its unhealthy for all of us to carry on coming to this site thinking there will be some miraculous news, of course, one day there will be a cure, but not anytime soon.

  44. @JW592, im with you on this. @mjones, Yes, whats really wild about Samuned is that they have been on stage at a big dermatology conference to tell about results like this.

  45. I agree spanky and jw. Just goes to show everything is hype. All speculation and it’s a sign to just accept the fact none of us know when a new treatment will come out and how effective it will be. Mpb might just be an impossible disorder to fix and the science us not close I’m the present time to fix the problem . Hop on Propecia and get an ht or shave it off. That are the options for 2016 sadly. Accept the fact medicine can’t solve Mpb yet

  46. No one here has even read/seen the presentation…just a crum Forbes article that was wrote while the guy was at starbucks likely.

  47. I’m thinking of new TV series for us… Breaking bald… Game of baldies… Bald is the new bold… I want you guys to act in it.. As you guys are good at dramas….

  48. Hello everyone
    Something does not add up to this Forbes article about SM.

    The results presented concern cases where there are more than 100 hair follicle /cm2 initially. This density of hair follicles is common in the donor area but in no case on the top of the head in NW 4 or 5.

    Given that most of the people involved in that trial where in fact NW 4, 5, 6 one has to question the relevance of the results presented by the author of that article.

    Admin, thanks for the great service you provide.

  49. The beginning of the Forbes article states…

    “An experimental drug from a largely unknown biotechnology company has shown promise in regrowing bald men’s hair, according to data to be presented at the American Academy of Dermatology in Washington, D.C., today.

    The result is preliminary, and doctors who reviewed the presentation ahead of publication for Forbes characterized the results as promising, but also raised concerns about whether or not it would hold up in larger studies.

    Drug maker Samumed, based in San Diego, says that it will be taking the medicine, code named SM04554, into larger studies aimed at getting approval from the Food and Drug Administration. ”

    It seems like we might be over reacting just a little bit. The writer as well as doctors who reviewed the study did characterize it as promising and it also says that they are aiming at getting it FDA approved which hopefully means a Phase 3 will come at some time in the near future. Maybe after they get the correct dosing there will be even more regrowth at and past the 3 month mark.

  50. Sorry to burst the bubble here but.. as i said from Phase 1 trials it didn’t sound too promising. Reason being is because the dosage (for me) didn’t improve the positive response and that seems accurate to this article. The higher the dosage does not === the higher the effectiveness, which is a huge problem. Minoxidil if you take a higher dosage even shows a higher or better response rate.

    On an extremely positive note, no other formula offers 10% regrowth, Minoxidil stengthens/thickens hair, Propecia thickens hair but nothing retains and regrows hair. This is positive, hopefully somebody will discover the properties in this formula and then work from it to discover new ways to tackle it.

    I’m hopeful of JAK inhibitors, but lets be honest.. that is not a cure. What could be a cure is gene therapy via CRISPR. But let’s just admit guys, we’re better offer shaving our hair and getting on with our lives. I’m in my prime, 26-2 7.. I got 4 real numbers in a country i don’t speak the language with a NW 3… i’m considering shaving my head like my family members and just getting on with life.. could you imagine sitting here for another 10 years hoping for a cure? Better to just live your life guys… life is short and yes your self confidence is going to be shit, but everyone goes through the same. Some guys think they have small dicks, some chicks think they’re fat, some chicks are actually fat and some guys cant grow hair. At the end of the day attraction is solely down to your personality, endurance and how you go about your daily life. Bald guys get laid, guys who’re obsessed they’re are bald don’t… simple.

    I’m drunk, i grabbed some ass and came on here hoping for a cure. It’s not coming anytime soon, deal with it guys.

  51. I am never touching any treatment that messes with my hormones. I’m also hesitant to try any possible gene editing treatment as it could royally f*ck up other connected things we don’t yet know about. Basically I think the best hope is a cellular treatment that can reawaken the dormant follicles and once a full head of hair is back you go in semi-regularly for follow up treatment annually or so. I really think Follica has the best idea for a “cure” with the fewest side effects…I just wish they were further along/had more updates.

  52. Looks like there is a lack of knowledgeable people in this website. SM did not fail and gave good result so no need to be disappointed. Fin is not that harmful and no need to panic at all.
    Admin I appreciate your effort to give knowledge but looks like people here are not taking things positively and attacking existing treatments.

    1. can you give me a link of the samumed SM 04554 presentation yesterday 5 march ? did they show some pictures ??

      i looked in the web and didn’t find any news about the presentation !! did they show some picutres ?

  53. Guys I dont understand the negativity about sm. Did you expect them to say 50 percent regrowth or something? Come on, any treatment that is safe and has minimum sides and maintains hair is a winner in my eyes… and one that even offers some regrowth is like hitting the lottery! Stop comparing them to Minox and fin as there are a significant amount of people that cant use either due to sides! Sm is a real winner in my book and I beg samumed to continue to hurry to release this product as long as its safe!

    1. The problem is that we have to wait 2+ years for it to come out.. Maybe we can get it made somewhere else? (same way as CB, RU, Seti etc.).

    2. I totally agree with tom! It’s not a cure by any means and it won’t replace an ht but if it can stop balding also regrow 10 % , thicken and grow the rest if our dht attacked hairs with some thickening then it’s like 25% growth since the thinner weaker hairs will be back to full thickness. The only concern is how long will this treatment be effective and when will it be released. Many of us here are losing ground. The sooner this stuff gets released the better! Time is not on our side

  54. I don’t know whether to be happy or upset about it. 10% regrowth and maintainence right now would be ok with me, but if it does continue trials and is released it won’t be for another year or two. By then 10% regrowth and maintainence won’t work for me since itd just bring me back to like an nw4 or 5. I had expected a little more like 30% regrowth or something along those lines. But then again they did only test it for 3 months. I’m not sure if that’s enough time, especially when fin and minox take 6+ months to start showing effect.

    1. Exactly, that is the problem, by the time they release the product we have lost too much hair anyway

  55. The italian old doctor said that a new treatment to recover the last 5 years of hair is going to be release this year, right?

    1. 2017 cris. But yes he claims to grow back 5 years worth of lost hair. I’m going to give it another year. If not going to get a fue on my right temple where it’s thinning like shit. I would laugh my ass off if this Italian doctor actually has a legitimate hair loss treatment better than all these companies lol. I would fly to Italy every few months to buy 3 to 6 month supply of the topical. Supposedly it doesn’t need fda trials

  56. I read somewhere that SM might be a compounded treatment ex..first 3 months it grows 10% 6 months 20% 1 yr 40 to 60% etc. Might be due to short time frame and follicle cycles that it only grew 10% maybe next cycle it grows 20% while more wnt is activated and working to grow new hair. 3 months can’t grow all your hair back unless you are a mouse or have areata.

    1. ya, people are getting overly worked up, and with no real presentation material available as well. Anyone who can notice a real improvement after 3 months on min. is on crack. Takes like 6 and than after a year it doesn’t seem to do much, likely because it just improved the health of existing follicles…

  57. Cris. There are never guarantees in the hair loss business especially this Italian doctor guy. Let’s just act to be pleasantly surprised if his treatment works and negatively disappointed if it doesn’t do shit lol

  58. I wish someone can talk to Dr Angela Christiano and ask her what’s going on … JAK is the only thing I have a little bit of faith on… rest is bull..

    1. Hey what’s up farhan. Yeah I think she is on to something with jak inhibitors but she won’t say shit to anyone man, especially one of us. I would guess she will come out with a news release sometime in the fall. She always does this one year later bs to piss us all off lol when she already knows the effectiveness of jak a year ago. Lol

      1. One of us should volunteer and work for Dr Christiano and supply the information…I choose you brother…please do this for our bald brothers

  59. So the average human scalp has 770 square cm area. If Samumed is averaging 10 new hairs per square cm that is roughly 7,770 new hairs on our scalp in just three months. Not too shabby if you are a low Norwood 1.5 to 4. Now 6 month to a year I would assume that number to double to 14,000 hairs as a max output of new hair growth. Remember low Norwood still have density and adding 7 to 14k of new hair growth all over scalp is FREAKING GREAT! It’s transplant density without the scarring and deformity. This is just basic math but I think we are really downplaying the potential Samumed has here. What do you guys think?

  60. mjones.. samumed is gonna be good.. or they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing… Nobody knows shit round here, that’s the truth.

  61. Dr Cristiano is doing nothing and JAK will be useless for MPB, the future for MPB is very dark and if you don’t want to believe it just don’t

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