Mr. Neal Walker

Based on two of my more recent posts, I think hereon, it is important to follow Mr. Neal Walker, including tracking his stock purchases and company affiliations. Among this man’s accomplishments include:

1) Chairman of Follica, (which has rights to some of Dr. George Cotsarerlis’s most important work).

2) CEO and Co-Founder of Aclaris Therapeutics (which several weeks ago acquired Dr. Angela Christiano’s company Vixen Pharmaceuticals).

So Mr. Walker has essentially managed to acquire rights to the disparate but crucially important works of two of the world’s absolutely foremost hair loss researchers. Also noteworthy, Mr. Walker got his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania, which is home to Dr. George Cotsarelis. Here is the insider transaction page for Aclaris Therapeutics. Follica is still a privately-held company.

Mr. Neal Walker has an MBA, Bachelor’s degree in Biology, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and per several sources, is also a board certified dermatologist!

Interestingly, Mr. Walker is or was also:

3) CEO of a company named Vicept Therapeutics, which was purchased by Allergan (a key player in the hair loss cure research world if you have followed this blog) in 2011.  Vicept was working on a cream based treatment for the skin condition rosacea.

4) Vice-Chairman of Ralexar (formerly Alexar) Therapeutics, which is working on a gel based treatment for atopic dermatitis.

5) On the board of Sebacia, which is developing a treatment for acne.

6) Past President at Cutix pharmaceuticals, a developer of sunscreen.

7) The Chief Medical Officer at dermatology related company Trigenesis Therapeutics, prior to its acquisition by Dr. Reddy’s (a key player in the generic hair loss drugs world) in 2004.

8) With his twin brother, Mr. Walker co-founded Octagon Research, which was sold to Accenture in 2012.

9) He is also involved with Advancing Innovation in Dermatology.

10) And has an advisory role at Flexible Medical Systems, a privately-held medical device company.

11) And he seems to be a board member for a company named Specialty Diets; and probably others, but I stopped counting at this point…

Mr. Walker seems to be a remarkable person who is still only 45 years old. I bet he has absolutely perfect skin based on all the skincare products that he has been involved with, and he must surely have resolved all his dermatological issues if any existed in the first place? He does seem to always be smiling in his photos. Will he finally make us all smile too and bring about the cure for hair loss?

Or will he just keep selling the companies that he leads and leave us to continue on our wild goose hair loss cure chase?

118 thoughts on “Mr. Neal Walker”

  1. Thank you Admin for the post. I hope Mr. Walker will bring out the cure for us & we will lead a normal life again.

  2. I hope that the hair he has in the smiling pic is a piece , because i want him to be hungry for the cure like we are . Lol

  3. who ever fixes hair loss…. I will create a religion called baldism and make him the prophet…offer prayers and probably build a temple….

  4. Following his stocks. Him buying up stock at companies he is chairman of is a conflict of interest… pretty sure it’s against the law ;)

  5. Anybody know the difference between JAK1 inhibitors and JAK3 inhibitors , it seems the JAK3 one is the one they focus on for hair loss .

  6. My honest opinion… if JAK inhibitors can trigger such a strong growth in the mouse model, kickstarting anagen then there is a much more positive hope that it can do something to those dormant follicles in AGA. Treating the miniaturization is a whole different story, topical fin or a new anti-androgen perhaps. At any case, i don’t think we’re as far people are fearing.

    One good regrowth product and topical finasteride will help people stave baldness till an actual cure comes out. Samumed and Topical Fin, Jak + Topical Fin, Jak + Samumed (seems to stop further balding, who knows)…

    Keep the faith, people are getting closer and closer.

  7. @Im with you Breezy! The cool thing is that Polichem could release their topical Fin very soon. The Hasson & Wong topical fin also sounds very interesting…

  8. I feel this connection between Follica and and Dr. Christiano’s research is extremely important. They probably intend to try JAK as their growth stimulant during the “window of opportunity” after the controlled wounding. Could be huge.

  9. Are them trying to replicate benoxaprofen results? That famous case of 100% growth was reached after an accident (wound) and with benoxaprofen (jak inhibitor), am I wrong?

  10. Benoxaprofen was not a JAK-stat inhibitor. It was a Non steroidal anti inflammatory drug, much like ibuprofen is. Since one of thing it was given to treat was rheumatoid arthritis, it could have been working through the same pathways as a JAK-stat inhibitor would though (bc that is what tofacitnib is most commonly prescribed for. )

  11. Breezy, I can see you are excited about topical fin! I refuse to do so unless I read that former sensitive users of oral fin have zero sides with topical version. Til that happens I will stay as far away from that poison as possible as I continue the healing process.

    1. From what i read the sides are reduced or non-existent. Hopefully we can try it, but we shouldn’t need more than 1-2% fin.

    1. he made the front page, but the article says the baldness trial data wasn’t very good, but the arthritis data was good.. so i’m on the fence with this one, but the article says since the arthritis drug was significant samumed has attracted investors.. maybe this will help fund more hair trials too.. unless samumed still wants to move into phase 3 with subpar results from phase II.. but who knows maybe the phase IIb supplemental trial with scalp biopsies which is supposed to finish this month will surprise us.. anyways just my opinon

  12. Admin I don’t know if it means anything or is significant because the article is a bit negative, but Forbes just published a piece about Samumed’s founder and CEO Osman Kibar

  13. I just read the Forbes article and it pretty much stated SM baldness drug isn’t that good and probably won’t make it unless they make it more effective. Any news on their phase 2b trial?

    1. F this line: “When it comes to Samumed’s valuation–and medicine as a whole–the arthritis data are far more important. “

  14. @mjones, siiiiigh! Thats 1 off Our big list…hopefully the only 1.
    Has anyone here tried Hasson and Wongs topical Fin? It should be available for Canadians. The description on their site almost sounds to good to be true? ( yer i know the old saying).

    1. Hey spanky, do you know if topical fin will be effective when applied to the scalp for those where it list effectiveness taking it internally?

  15. That Forbes article has been out for awhile. What SM was able to produce in a very short period of time was unique. I don’t know what the Forbes guy is talking about but my guess is he is not a balding man, and really has no idea how to evaluate progress in this industry. He hasn’t been in the game.

  16. @Farhan

    Ha.. Ha.. Ha.. Love you mate. You really decreases my worries about cure by your comments. And thanks all posters who posts their comnents in in-depth manner.

    Thanks admin for your tremendous reasearch work about hair loss latest news and updates.

  17. Good piece on Samumed despite veering on the sensationalist side. We know they are on sound financial footing and this is crucial in this field. Still a long way to go but all the signs are promising. It’s just a shame their social communication channels are kept to a minimum.

  18. If a good treatment arrives, it will be great for the global economy. As mostly rich men will get it, their new look will spark a new splurge in spending. They’ll take more holidays, buy more designer clothes, and make more visits to cafes and restaurants. We forget how a lower self image keeps people indoors. If people feel more positive, they spend and consume more, that is well documented!!!!!

  19. Imagine the day where you wake up each morning use a new treatment and seeing your thinning hair fill in darker thicker and one day 3 to 6 months later your hair is a thick nw1.5-2. We need this day to happen very soon . We ain’t getting younger and we all deserve to wake up with confidence in our looks. It’s 2016, this hair loss shit should have been resolved years ago!

  20. Hello All,
    This is the first time I’m posting although I’ve been reading all blogs and comments regularly on this website.
    First of all, hats off to Admin for the consistently great work he has been doing in putting together news and information regarding hair loss in a timely, balanced, comprehensive and sound way.
    Regarding the Thorn Medical news, I understand the need to be cautiously optimistic.
    Two updates this morning on their front:
    1) Dr. Irum Khan updated her website to include her stem cell research work. The information provided is sketchy. Looks like it’s a combination of Kerastem type technology + hair transplant. But this doesn’t go with what Dr. Bashir of Thorn Medical had to say about 10% of cultured hair follicles surviving and they can culture enough for complete cure. Everybody else is talking of injecting the fat stem cells in the scalp.
    2) Thorn Medical acquires controlling stake in Okyanos – leading cell therapy centre in Bahamas.

  21. Another interesting news (this was in February this yr) : Dr. Irum Khan’s mentor, Dr Raghu Reddy, is teaming up with Dr. Schlaudraff (most likely of Kerastem’s Switzerland clinic) to combine Kerastem style cell therapy with his FUE hair transplant

  22. This is just for laughs but really… I’m not sure which blog I enjoy more now. This one or wallstreetbets (it’s about stocks if you didn’t pick that up) on reddit. The bullshit runs deep on both. The hope here is great but their recognition of their bullshit makes it much more fun to read.

    If you’re up for a good laugh… check it out.

    1. For sure. They both are fun for me because the massive amount of speculation that happens in the comment/ reply sections. All for a good laugh. Keep the hope up.
      Cheers.

    1. That is the best ht I have ever seen! Is that real or typical photoshop manipulation to fool us. Ht should give us hair this thick, this should be the standard. I saw a video on ht strip surgery. I almost threw up watching. Freaking doctor cut the dude head open in the back and spread out the skin. Fking barbaric procedures! Susheidi, replicel, Thorne whoever needs to come out with something to eliminate ht! Follica must do it!

    2. I think Spex makes money referring patients to hair transplant doctors, so his opinion might not be completely unbiased. Also he’s not a scientist so I think his opinion about new treatments is about worth as much as anyone else’s. Only time can tell.

  23. Dude its no photoshop… I had two fue’s exactly like him and I got the same results…its just my hair loss is progressive and I want my thicker hair back…but yeah fue in a good surgeons hand gives amazing results…with really less downtime…

  24. Hi Farhan can you post some pictures of a before and after of your fue? Where were you on the Norwood scale when you got a procedure? Did you just do the hair line temples?

  25. Guys seriously. I can’t tell weather Dr Gho is telling the truth. Regarding he can multiply hair, use stem cells in order to regenerate donar area.

    Is anyone 100% sure weather there lying or not.

    Thanks

    1. Good question. I met Coen Gho twice and he seems to be a honest guy. I have seen photos on blogs of people who had a transplant at HASCI.

      Things that are mentioned on these blogs and by Coen Gho himself:

      1) Not all transplanted hair falls out after the HT, in some cases up to 50% of the transplanted grafts = recipient area grows further immediately after the transplant

      2) They garantee max 80-85% regrowth of the follicles in the donor area which are partially extracted from the donor area

      3) Scars heal very fast due to the special needles, the partial extraction and the special medium, which means the HT is less invasive than a normal FUE. They condemn FUT.

      4) The hair graft survival rate = recipient area should be higher compared to other HT surgeons due to the special vehicle / medium Gho developed to save the grafts in before they are placed back into your recipient area

      5) They said that they are able to deliver a 35% density in the recipient area, which means 2 HT’s at the exact same recipient spot should give you the look of a full scalp

      I met him twice (last time was 15 months ago) and he stated that for me it was to early to consider a transplant.
      He recommended the use of oral FIN and/or topical MINOX. Since then I use MINOX, I will never use oral FIN. Unfortunately MINOX is not enough, that’s why I’m losing my entire crown area at this moment. As also my hair is greying and I have seb dermatitis, I hope injections will solve the three problems all together.

      The reasons why I did not opt for a transplant yet, are:
      1) Coen Gho stated it was to early for me to do a HT, due to my age and current hairloss state / rate
      2) I am losing in the crown area, unfortunately HT surgeons are more in favour to solve frontal / temple baldness
      3) HT is expensive, especially at Coen Gho’s HASCI
      4) I am not overly enthousiastic about the few crown pictures at the HASCI website !
      5) I cannot verify the claims of the 85% regrowth in the donor area, the 35% density in the recipient area and the better survival rate of the grafts compared to the competitors
      6) Nobody is able to scrutinize whether a partially extracted 3-hair-graft from the donor area, produces a 3-hair-graft in the recipient area PLUS a 3-hair-graft regrow in the donor area. Maybe you keep a 1-hair-graft in the back and the recipient area grows a 2-hair-graft!
      When it would be the latter, then there is no hair multiplication!
      7) The recent developments that are discussed by Admin, again thank you for this blog (!), might implicate it’s better to wait 1 or 2 more years. We better get injections, topicals or stem cells, and later fill in the gaps with a HT
      8) At this moment, if I wanted, I could undergo an HT, however my savings are for another / more important purpose

      If anybody knows more about Gho, please give us more information!

      1. Wounds, wounds heal very fast.
        I wrongly stated ” scars “.

        At HASCI they claim no scars visible to the naked eye will ever emerge at you donor area after their procedure.

  26. People in Hair Loss forums is very…nervous….I love it. Don’t worry bald people, very soon all of us have a new treatments better than current treatments.

    Greetings.

  27. Paul thank you very much, you give us bald people hope, when can we exactly expect those new treatments, can you tell us little bit more? Thanks again Paul!

  28. Hey I know this is off topic and I know some of you think Histogen is crap but I finally had time to read the excerpt from the previous post claiming that they have 50% regrowth – which people seemed to get excited (both good and bad) about.

    I want to focus your attention to a specific section: Doubling the number and frequency of injections in a Phase I/II 56 subject study resulted in a 46.5% increase in total hair at week 12 as compared to the POC trial (p=0.0013). The primary efficacy endpoint of increased terminal hair at 12 weeks was met, with a 49.5% increase over the same endpoint in our proof-of-concept trial. At the 48 week time point there continued to be an increase in total hairs over baseline (p=0.028).

    If you read carefully, or just read it at all for that matter, you will notice that it reads “study resulted in 46.5% increase in total hair at week 12 compared to the POC trial.” This repeats twice more. The important part to look at is the “compared to the POC (proof of concept) trial.” It is say in the their original, first study they received results and in the new study they were able to replicate those results + 50%. What that means is say they grew 10 new hairs (just a number – not actual results), in their following studies they have been able to grow 15 new hairs, hence the 50% increase.

    The reason I point this out is because we tend to sensationalize what we discover here without actually reading what they are putting out as far as percents or numbers go.

    Admittedly we are taken for a ride by the companies themselves (check out the news article that histogen included in some of their slides, slide 3 specifically… definitely someone who read the data wrong and wrote an article full of misleading statements).
    https://www.gtcbio.com/preview/stemcell/slides/Naughton_Gail.pdf

    But the important thing is to READ. Make sure you are getting actual information. I personally have high hopes for Histogen, I know some of your hate them. Does it mean they are 100% legit or false? No. Does it mean that they are the next cure or are a bust? No. Does my opinion matter at all? No.
    But I will say this – I take Histogen seriously, because after you remove all of the hype photos and presentations and you look at their actual numbers, they are doing real things – creating new hair and increasing the efficacy of their product on a regular basis. It might not be cosmetically or commercially viable yet (or maybe it is), especially for higher norwoods, but they are shaking up the hair loss world.

    Take the news with a grain of salt. Follow the numbers and the studies, not your gut and not some random guy on the internet – this includes the admin – he is a great guy and I respect his opinion but he doesn’t have the answers either… he’s just good at researching the topic and has a lot of time on his hands (really thanks man.)

    As always, cheers.

    1. Great post. I agree with you, reading headlines without actually reading the information leads to rash comments and thinking.

      Histogen didn’t seem bad to me. The photo everyone complains about looks good.

    1. I think it will be from Angela christiano.. Jak stuff… It’s the only thing that iam convinced that will awake our lazy resting hair follicle bastards… I think she has vast knowledge of hair loss science as she is also a sufferer… And iam pretty sure she already cracked it…

      1. what makes you be so sure? I mean It’s pretty much still big unknown what Jaks can do for aga if anything. This would be unbelievably amazing and would bring tears to my eyes but do you have some reasons to be that convinced besides hope?

        1. its just not hope…the science is pretty convincing also…not like histogen crap where she talks about proteins and vitamins…jak is the only thing for now which grew complete hair in AA and i think it will benefit aga too…. what my theory is jak wakes up the resting follicles no matter what the reason is….it may not stop the dht…but it might extend the growth phase….

          1. I agree with Farhan. It hits the root of the hair signal to turn on again to anagen phase. Yes it won’t stop dht, so you will have to keep using jak to maintain effect. Fingers crossed they release this and not shelf it and lock it up because it’s a cure. Sorry about conspiracy theory here but you know ht industry will shit their pants if they find out jak can restore hair to normal again and they will do whatever possible to lobby it from being rejeased. However Christiano is backed by large university with big pull, and follica is too and it seems they maybe working together to change the game with a less evasive and more effective hair loss treatment. Ht needs to be obsolete by 2020

      2. i hate to be Debbie downer but Angela Cristiano said on the BTT radio show that if someone bought them up now they could be finished with a phase 1 in 5 years. And that was 6/7 months ago I think. So moral of the story is I think JAK has an excellent chance to work on AGA but I don’t think it is “next.” I think Follica has a much better chance of being what we are looking for by 2018. Either way the days of only minox and fin are almost behind us. There is a reason that Follica has been so quiet for so long.

  29. Guys I have a proposal.. We all tweet on aclaris page on same day.. We will start creating the demand.. Let them know how badly and quickly we want this..

  30. @mjones. Forget conspiracy . They can not do anything. About
    Hair transplant will never be obsolete , especially if they get the regeneration from the donor area. ARTAS and Pilofocus
    both are very promising in this matter.

    Greetings.

  31. Ahh I have to agree with mjones on this one. I don’t even think its a conspiracy I believe its true that certain cures are hidden for financial gain. Just type in “hidden cures” in google and look at the search results. Nearly 50% of americans believe the same thing – not necessarily for hair loss but cancer and other diseases.

    Profit is everything in today’s day and age. And with everything so hush hush about hair loss drugs, I could almost guarantee in the last 30 years of people searching for a hairloss cure SOMETHING had to be found that could be a better alternative to fin and minox. And since it always is kept under the radar and we rarely have a friggen clue what is going on, I think it would be very easy for someone to find a cure of sorts and sweep it under the rug. Too many people would be out of business if there was a cure – hairpiece manufacturers, all these companies that make snake oils, rogaine, propecia, HT clinics, the belgravia center etc. Im not saying there IS a cure, but in all likelihood, I wouldnt doubt if there was.

    1. Exactly my point rancid mango. I just hope they come out with something where it’s an awesome treatment and that ht industry can benefit so it won’t get pushed under the rug.

    2. Nonsense, if someone had a good treatment they would take it to market ASAP because it would make them money. If they had a cure and it was guaranteed to work they would be a billionaire, not just now but in the future. As those that get the balding gene will still need the treatment/cure.

      Only thing could be CRISPR which might alter the genes so future generations never receive the balding gene. Lets be honest, that could cost each person £1-2k, that would make billions too.

  32. Farnham thats not a bad idea. We all email and tweet at same time to show the demand. I think we should do that with multiple products especially samumed. People complain that samumed is another minox and that it has to be better in order to be released. Not true!!! Many people including myself cant tolerate fat face wrinkle producing minox and would take an equal side free product in a heartbeat!

  33. I am sorry guys, but I think Rancidmango is right, the HT industry is very rich and powerfull. The only thing to speed it (a new working product) up is, that we consumers do not buy any hair product, starting now! :)

  34. @pjotre Yes but people don’t like take drugs daily and this current drugs (Propecia and Minoxidil) have very poor results. People are very angry with this industry. I am so sorry. But this industry needs to improve. :)

  35. You can’t expect the ht industry to close their doors and be like ” OK our time is done, jak wins let’s find new jobs ” lol. Personally I think ht procedure currently should be banned. It’s grotesque and I pray jak follica or whoever comes out with an awesome alternative for massive regrowth. However, I believe the only way to really get all our hair back without any intervening from ht industry is when the ht industry can regenerate hair follicles and provide unlimited donor hair. If those dumb assholes can finally figure it out then I will pay 30k for a complete normal non evasive scarless price fur that grow back a solid me 1.5. Until then I give all my luck and wishful success to follica, jak, follicum, sm, sisheido, thorn because they are going after it much better than ht butchers.

  36. If am these new treatments only grow back marginally better regrowth than minox and Propecia then you know something shady is going on. Companies probably making their treatments less effective so that the option of ht is still available.

  37. Please @mjones. Stop saying stupid things mjones…That’s embarrassing situation….Think about it.

  38. Dear blog readers, I have mentioned this before and will repeat here. Some of your comments automatically go into the spam folder even after your first comment has been approved (usually you only need approval for the first comment so this is odd).

    Some reasons why this could be happening (some of which I am guessing):

    1) You keep changing computers when posting, or keep changing your username, or keep changing your e-mail (note that you can and should leave the URL/website entry box blank when filling out a comment).

    2) You use curse words in the post.

    3) You add too many links in a post (sometimes even one link is flagged by the software). I am okay with your adding as many links as you want, but sometimes the spam software then sends your comment into the spam folder.

    I try to check the spam folder once a day, but sometimes there are 50 messages in there, 49 of which are spam and 1 of which is legitimate! I bet I often miss that 1 legitimate comment and it then gets deleted automatically after several days by the spam software.

    So if you are a regular poster and any of your comments do not show up immediately, please remember the above advice.

  39. A lot of confusion in here . Anderogenic alopecia has a different pathogenesis than alopecia areata . The exact mechanism is still unknown for both. JAK Inhiptors is an immunoregulators and those as far as I know have nothing to do with androgenic alopecia . It’s so wrong to assume that JAK inhiptors will work on AGA . There is no cure for baldness up to date. You can do hair transplant but this is limited by the donor site capacity and the technique that will never ever produce a natural hair density . I personally think if there is a cure for baldness especially AGA it’s going to be in hair cloning and producing either allegenic (from different donor ) or autogenic scalp tissue with hair follicles in it. For a matter of fact if you take a full scalp with its own blood supply and transplant it to a recepient patient you are going to get a full, thick head of hair ! You also still need long life immunosuppressants to prevent rejection . If you can treat the scalp and some how process it in away that it doesn’t trigger immune reaction you won’t need the immunosuppressant medications. Btw last face transplant surgery done in the US provided the patient in addition to a face , a full thick hair .

    1. Hey just a guy, what about sisheido treatment with stem cell activation? Can that grow back our hair ? Scalping someone will never be an option my friend. Who is going to even consider cutting out their entire scalp and putting on someone else’s lol. I mean that’s just ridiculous haha. Ht are bloody imagine the scar around your forehead with that treatment. I still think jak is where it’s at homie. Little sprinkle of jak, a rub and grind of follica, a lather of sm and follicum and finally a few injections of histogen will be the trick lol. Once sisheido and replied stop playing with their nut sacks abs actually start phase 2 them we can use that too. In the mean time the first man mission to Mars will be underway in a couple years but baldness will always be a tougher challenge than inter galactic space travel haha. I’m out! Have a fun Friday night guys hopefully tomorrow we will have more news on the latest breakthroughs

    2. Just a guy, i think what you dont understand is that Jaks has been under study for AA since like 2014 or something, but just recently Dr.Christiano has tested it and confirmed that it works directly on the follicle. And as far as i know mice dont have AA. The question is if it will force the hair in its anagen phase even in the presence of DHT. But i totally agree with you, that Jaks wont work for AGA, when you take it ORALLY.
      I think they know by now if it works for aga or not, and it would be wierd for Alcaris to say that they will use it for (among others) AGA, if they knew it didnt work. Just my opinion

    3. Hope to read more of your posts. Doesn’t JAK inhibitors directly affecting the hair cycle count for nothing? They tested on normal shaved mice and it clearly had an hedgehog effect, it grow the hair back quicker, thicker and extended the anagen cycle. Isn’t that the core problem around our thinning and losing of hair? Hair cycle repeatedly getting shorter and shorter, miniaturising on each restart.

      For me, if an expert says this has a direct affect on the follicle and that it could work for AGA, then thats positive. I personally think AA was a more complex beast, imagine losing your entire hair one day. I guy took it orally and regrew everything.. worst case scenario here we’re going to find more about the mechanisms behind the hair follicles. What makes it grow, what makes it rest.

  40. Can anyone tell me what is the best site to buy propecia without a prescription? Thank you in advance.

  41. If jaks hasn’t worked for aga when its been grinded up and used as a topical, why do we still think jaks stands a chance of solving aga?

    Also, anyone know why Dr. Christiano still wears a wig? :/

  42. Zagallo (dutasteride for mpb) by Glaxo- I cant seem to find any updates however there is mention of a plant in Strasbourg which has started limited production this month. Hopefully will be available on Japanese market this year and also be approved by more countries. Doctors in Australia refuse to prescribe me Avodart :(

  43. Do you really think that, ht surgeon can stands against pharma companies. They are only a punch of surgeons distributet all over the world. On the other hand, many people in African countries or in other pure countries are dying because drugs for certain diseases are too expensive and pharma comp. dont let other companies to produce their product cheaper, and noone cant do anything about it.
    Thats how huge pharma companies are, and if a good treatment comes out, i think many pharma companies will produce this treatment under the name of patentholder company, because its hard to produce medicine for millions of people. A topical jak could be like minox. Many companies would produce it and it would be a profit for many huge companies, so i dont think a couple of well earned surgeon can do anything about it. Dont loose the hopes, big news are coming, finger crossed.

  44. Replicel/Shiseido takes a big chunk of flesh out of the back of the head. Just check out the Japanese video about shiseido, you see a big chunk of flesh. But the main question is: will injected derma papilla cells regenerate new hair follicles?

    Dr. Gail Naughton of Histogen speaking at convention later this month. Will she reveal anything new or will it be a marketing speech for investors? I have very little faith in Histogen but Naughton remains adamant that it is effective. No scalp dissection is necessary, all that’s involved in injections. On paper it sounds like the most attractive treatment.

    Follica looks promising but the extent of wounding necessary looks macabre and medieval! It would surely cause scarring on the scalp and that would be visible on the front of the scalp. Wonder why Dr. Cotts hasn’t followed the path of DPC manipulation like some of the other researchers.

    Let’s hope there is a cure available by 2018 at the latest from Shiseido and Histogen.

    1. Not a big chunk, man. Its the same size as what they currently use for scalp biopsy if Im not mistaken. Its a little hole punch closed up with 2 or 3 stitches.

  45. Although there are probably more factors contributing to AGA, DHT and the inhereted sensitivity of hair follicles towards DHT are still the two most mentioned factors by researchers.

    1 thing I still don’t understand is the fact that the hair follicles themselves and/or the micro environments directly surrounding the hair follicles ‘produce’ DHT themselves. So all we can do is name this hair follicle suicide.
    Although they are more likely in hibernation.

    It does not make sense to me.
    It would be the same contradiction as if your pancreas, which is producing the hormone insuline, would slowly die because it is sensitive to the insuline it made itself …

  46. The follicle doesn’t make it itself. It has the enzyme which can reduce testosterone to a much more potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone. This is why even with finasteride you are only preventing a larger percentage of the more powerful androgen DHT interacting with you “bad” androgen receptors. Testosterone can still interact with them and this is why over long periods of time propecia will at best greatly slow down hair loss (and is very effective at this) but will not return a NW 6 to NW 2.

    1. I know, alpha5reductase type 1/2, but I didn’t want to go into the details.

      It would be weird if your right arm dies slowly starting from your fingertips, just because this arm is sensitive to the sweat which is produced under your right armpit. I think you get my point.

      Besides the role of stem cells, there has to be a role for the immune system in case of AGA too, this is the only system in your body that is able to destroy or shot down malignent cells. If certain cells ( follicles shrinking due to DHT) send signals that are interpreted by the immune system as malignent, the immune system might suppress their development or even shut them down.

      It wouldn’t be the first time the immune system plays the role good cop versus bad cop. Arthritis patients know exactly what a bad cop immune system does.

    1. Paul every treatment you take will have some kind of side effects. I agree people get sides from Propecia but many don’t so please spread scary stories about it. If it wasn’t for Propecia I would have been bald by 23 like every other male in my family. Propecia was my cure till about 3 years ago at age 31 where it lost its effectiveness. Please for those of you are losing ground and are not taking a dht inhibitor hop on Propecia to save what you got. Who knows when the next better treatment will come out and truly effective it will be. One thing for sure I highly doubt the next treatment will bring back a nw7 to a nw1. I hope I am wrong about that though.

      1. Propecia gives you terrible sides but maybe you are right but It’s not normal that we are in 2016 and all of you not have a more effective and safe alternative to Propecia .Pathetic!!! The year is 2016. Is awesome….

  47. I have many questions about follica but something is not clear to me.
    After wounding progenitor cells come in to the fore which are crucial for hair growth and wound healing. Follica wants to manipulate these cells to make new hair follicles. But how will wound heal, when these cells decides to make new hair follicles, would we have scars on our scalp?

    1. Good question nk.

      I also have a follica related question. Do you guys know if the wounding will be possible on areas with existing hairs and wouldn’t it risk damaging existing follicles? In other words, would follica wounding treatment only be possible on completely bald areas? I am worried about this because weaker areas of hair are often within the existing hair mass.

      1. I was thinking the same thing brindey. I’m sure it won’t leave a scar on our heads. He is going to probably dermabration or derma roll where the skin turns pink or slightly scabbed. That will heal up, it’s when you make incisions or cut deep into the skin like ht where it leaves a scar. That’s what I believe . people derma roll and laser their faces for acne, wrinkles and acne scars and those laser go deep as well as chemical peels, those don’t scar your face up. It rejuvenates the skin and makes the face smoother. I think follica will do the same approach them add the secret topical that stimulates hair growth

  48. From what I’ve read before, the technique should be making small holes( like what hair transplant sergon does on the recipient area) and then applying some compounds made by follica. Instead of healing and making skin on these holes( windows), follicles will be created( the opportunity )from these holes. Thats how sergons control the angle of the hair which is by choosing the right angle of the holes. I may be wrong though ;)

    1. Khourly, I will like to order 40,000 holes to turn into hair follicle haha. If that is the protocol then that’s pretty bad ass! You can puncture some holes n your thinning temples and new hair will grow. Localized hair growth like a transplant but less evasive

  49. “Sorry about conspiracy theory here but you know ht industry will shit their pants if they find out jak can restore hair to normal again and they will do whatever possible to lobby it from being rejeased.”

    The HT industry can’t do any about it as the drug is already patented, and it’s effectiveness are being kept a secret until the last minute, and likely for a reason too. If jak’s as effective as we’re hoping, it’d be to late for the HT industry to do anything once it’s released. Plus, you’re acting like the HT industry isn’t evolving, soon they’re going to use machines which will make fues a lot cheaper, quicker, and probably more effective. HTs will always remain an option.

    1. Kain I hope you are right my friend. The more options the better. You make a solid point. Sometimes it’s just hard to believe our only options are evasive surgery or weak treatments like Rogaine. Propecia worked for me but it’s still not great for many. It only crosses your mind to think someone could be blocking a better treatment.

      On another note, any news on that Bratzu lotion from Italy?

  50. Mjones nobody is blocking better treatment or even a cure. For example if follica, lauster,sheshiedo or tsuji technique went through and became available in the market then who is going to perform it? Yes it’s HT surgeons ! The reason that this nightmare still available is because people didn’t care about hair loss in the past decate or so and you can see society these days cares about appearance a lot and that’s why hair loss society is moving that fast!!

  51. Yes mjones, on an italian forum a user called dr brotzu, he said that the doc seemed very kind and professional and he said that the product “works wonderfully on AGA” and he said this many times, so i’m very hopeful on this. He also said that we have to push Fidia to put the product fast on the market.

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