Hair Loss Cure 2020

For the past couple of years, various readers have inquired about Mane Biotech (now niostem) and its hair loss App and device. The company CEO Dr. Carlos Chacón shared several updates with me in 2021, but told me that they were still in stealth mode. This is no longer true, and he e-mailed me some interesting new details a couple of days ago.

Niostem: New Name for Mane Biotech

Of most importance, Mane Biotech has been rebranded to niostem. On the new company’s website, it says that they are headquartered in Germany and the hair loss device will be launched in 2023. Note that niostem’s co-founders are Dr. Chacón and a person named Emil Aliev.

The before and after photos on niostem’s website show significant hair growth after 6 months of device use. One of the reasons that this product is coming out so fast is because no clinical trials seem to have been required. I am pleased about this, because most companies that undergo three phases of clinical trials take forever (e.g., Follica) or often give up due to lack of funding.

Note there there is one online anecdotal report on the German hair loss forum from someone who took part in a Mane Biotech study. Not sure if reliable.

Dr. Chacón previously worked at the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Biology for Ageing in Germany. Some of his past research on hair follicle stem cells can be found here and on his Linkedin.

He is one of the co-applicants in a patent filed by the Max Planck Institute in 2016. It entails the culturing of epidermis-derived stem cells, including hair follicles. Among the papers co-authored by Dr. Carlos Chacón-Martínez include a 2021 one on hair follicle stem cell fate.

Electrical Stimulation of the Scalp

Interestingly, one of his patents relates to an electric device to stimulate hair growth. It was filed in 2020 by Mane Biotech and is still pending. I suspect that niostem’s new low-level electrical stimulation hair growth device makes use of the discoveries in the above patent.

Although this concept might sound like fantasy, I actually wrote an entire post on electricity and hair growth in the past. There is some evidence that electric stimulation can reactivate the dormant stem cells surrounding miniaturized hair follicles. Thereby leading to hair regeneration.

On a related note, hair growth lasers also work via a similar concept, but involve light energy instead of electricity. And recently, I also discussed sound energy and hair growth.

Niostem Device Releasing in 2023

According to the podcast embedded at the bottom of this post, the wearable device is lightweight and wireless. It needs to be used a few days a week for life if you want to hold on to any gains. On niostem’s website FAQ section, it says the product will release in 2023.

Among the advantages of this device versus most existing hair loss treatment options include:

No side effects that can happen with medications.
Ease of use. You can wear it like a cap or helmet while doing chores. But do not use it outdoors in case of rain or snow.
No messy application process such as with topical hair loss products or hair thinning shampoos.

Niostem’s Twitter and Instagram pages can be followed for the latest updates.

Last month, Dr. Chacon gave an interview on the “Products with Purpose” podcast that is worth a listen. The company has been working on this wearable device for almost four years. He mentions that they verified their results at the well known third party Monasterium Laboratory. The hair growth increase after 6 months of device use was 19%.

They plan to launch an Indiegogo crowdfunding round in March. This technology has further implications to overall stem cell rejuvenation and human health and longevity.

Please note that the original version of this post on CRISPR babies Lulu and Nana was written in 2018. It can be read below this update. Also see the wiki on the “He Jiankui Affair“. Our interest in CRISPR gene editing is focused on its potential use to cure hair loss.

Update: February 5, 2023 — Scientist who edited babies’ genes says he acted too quickly. And his ghost is still haunting geneticists at conferences.

Update: February 1, 2023

Dr. He Jiankui is out of Prison

Dr. He Jiankui joined Twitter a few months ago after coming out of prison. He just gave an encouraging update on Lulu and Nana that I have embedded below. I hope this is not a fake account! So far, it sounds legitimate. Mr. Jiankui wants to resume experimenting in the lab. Also, whatever happened to Scott (see bottom half of this post)?

Lulu and Nana were not killed or sterilized, they are living happily with their parents now.
— Jiankui He (@Jiankui_He) January 22, 2023

— Happy New Year from his family.

November 26, 2018

Lulu and Nana

Huge news from China, where scientists claim to have used CRISPR/Cas9 to genetically modify human babies for the first time in history. The two female babies are named Lulu and Nana. Not sure what to think about the ethics of all this as yet, but I like what Dr. Jiankui He has to say about genes not defining you:

“Our DNA does not predetermine our purpose or what we could achieve. We flourish from our own hard work, nutrition, and support from society and our loved ones. Whatever our genes may be, we are equal in dignity and potential.”

In this particular case, the volunteer fathers all have HIV and they want to make sure that their progeny do not suffer from the terrible disease of AIDS. One article on this tory is titled: Chinese scientists are creating CRISPR babies. The scientists plan is to eliminate a gene called CCR5, so as to ensure that the human offspring are then resistant to HIV (as well as smallpox and cholera).

Note that some media reports are placing doubt on the accuracy of these claims and the methodology used.

Update: Dr. George Church seems to think that this is for real:

“I have been in contact with the Shenzhen team and have seen the data. The sequencing assays used are generally unambiguous, especially when done in multiple cell types at different developmental stages and in two children. Is the genie really out of the bottle? Yes.”

First Gene Edited Babies Claimed in China

The below video (and associated story) from the He Lab’s YouTube channel has caused much global controversy.

Watch this video on YouTube

November 24, 2018

Scott Tries a New Hair System

I was thinking of adding Scott’s latest video about his new hair system to my original lengthy post on his hair system. However, there are already three other videos on there, including a before one. So I am adding it below. I like this hair system better than the first one.