Dermal Papilla Cell and Dermal Sheath Cup Cell Expansion and Implantation
The two biggest newly available hair loss treatments that I have covered on this blog during the past few years are as follows:
- Shiseisdo (Japan)’s S-DSC hair multiplication procedure that came out in 2024 for Japanese citizens. It involves the culturing, expansion and implantation of autologous dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells. This treatment went through all three phases of clinical trials.
- HairClone (UK)’s DP cell hair multiplication procedure. that came out in 2026 for Guatemalan citizens. It involves the culturing, expansion and implantation of autologous dermal papilla (DP) cells.
Prior to its arrival, I followed Shiseido’s progress for well over a decade, including its ex-partner RepliCel (Canada)’s original work. Of most significance, Shiseido’s DSC cell multiplication technology went through all three phases of clinical trials with no reported major side effects. So I have no hesitation in recommending it to those with the wherewithal. Unfortunately, for the time being, it remains almost exclusively limited to Japanese citizens.
I have also followed HairClone’s DP cell expansion work for over a decade (even longer when including past work from Intercytex). In contrast to Shiseido’s procedure, HairClone’s procedure should be available to most people from around the world before the end of 2027. Patients can already get their hair follicles extracted and banked at various HairClone partner clinics around the world. However, they will ultimately need to travel to Guatemala to get the cultured and expanded DP cells injected into their scalps.
Combination DP Cell and DSC Cell Hair Multiplication
Over the years, I have read a few studies in which they mention that a combination of multiplying and transplanting both DP cells and DSC cells to regrow hair is more effective than doing each procedure separately. So I was quite excited to see both the Shiseido and HairClone technologies becoming available. Sooner or later, someone will surely manage to get both treatments.
However, out of the blue, a few months ago I read about and wrote about Medeze Group (Thailand). They started to offer Asia’s first hair follicle banking and cultivation service in 2025. Moreover, they were planning to culture both DP cells and DSC cells for subsequent injections into patient scalps. And they were partnering with Shibuya Company of Japan to implement the world’s first robotic culture system.
Although Medeze Group’s CEO has presented at reputable conferences and given a number of interviews to western publications, I was still skeptical about their progress. I felt like this was yet another hair multiplication related over-promise (in terms of speed of delivery) from an Asian company. Just like we have seen with South Korea’s Epibiotech and Han Bio. So I did not expect to cover Medeze Group again for several years, if ever. And of course the biggest drawback is that they have never conducted any clinical trials.
Alvaro gets his own Expanded DP Cells and DSC Cells Injected into his Scalp at Medeze
Since this blog’s inception in 2013, I have written just a handful of posts that were entirely driven by a reader’s personal experiences. For obvious reasons, I want to avoid anecdotal content. But there are always exceptions to the rule.
Over the last few months, long-time blog reader “Alvaro” went to Switzerland and Thailand to get his hair follicles banked and his loss treated. He made his decision based on the posts I have written about HairClone and Medeze Group. I would urge readers to never make such important decisions based solely on my content!
In any event, I am very excited to see Alvaro’s results in the coming year. Alvaro sent me all the details of his treatment (see below) as well as a bunch of photos, three of which I have added in this post.
On January 26, 2026, Alvaro got his hair follicles banked at HairClone’s Switzerland-based partner Clinique de la Croix d’Or in Geneva. They extracted 100 of his scalp hair follicles and sent them to HairClone’s cryopreservation bank in Guatemala (at their partner Schambach Hair Clinic). This cost him 4,000 Euros.
Thereafter, on February 9, 2026, Alvaro had a video call appointment with Dr. Schambach who was at her clinic in Guatemala. He begged her to let him participate in their “clinical trial”. However, they told him that because he previously received a hair transplant, he wouldn’t be selected as a candidate. So it seems like HairClone’s DP cell hair multiplication procedure is still only available via participation in a trial.
In any event, the persistent Alvaro then contacted the Medeze Clinic in Thailand after reading about it in my blog post. Originally, he was hoping to get his banked cryopreserved hair follicles in Guatemala transferred to Thailand. However, after he contacted HairClone (or the Schambach Clinic) and told them his new plans, they told him that they could now treat him for 9,000 Euros. Please note that I have not verified all of this with the company, and am just posting what Alvaro is claiming.
At this point, Alvaro just decided that it would be cheaper and more logical to get his hair follicles extracted and banked again in Thailand. And then multiplied and injected back into his scalp in Thailand at the same Medeze Clinic. Quote from Alvaro:
“I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done (I’ll always be grateful to you, administrator). At this clinic, the price is adjusted to the number of cells the patient needs, and they also multiply both DP and DSC cells. When I traveled there, I didn’t know anything about Bangkok, and Anya, the patient relations manager, arranged for cars to take me to the clinic, personally invited me to lunch, and picked me up herself in her car several times. They showed me the laboratory and the cryopreservation bank, and introduced me to all the people who work there. It’s a 100% safe and effective clinic. The medical team, the doctors, have always explained the process to me from the very beginning, and finally, yesterday, I traveled to Thailand for the second time and received the injections. I’d be happy to share photos of my progress throughout the process with the administrator.”
Alvaro also said the following:
- In his case, they multiplied his extracted cells to 20 million cells (with each vial contains approximately 10 million cells). But if you have more extensive balding and miniaturized hair, you could receive a larger quantity.
- He paid around 4,700 Euros (plus two trips to Thailand at 1,000 Euros each). I assume this cost includes follicle storage as well as the expansion and implantation.
- They don’t shave your head, and the extraction is virtually invisible.
- They told him that he would start to see results in 3 months and should see the full results in 6 months.
- They didn’t extract 100 follicles like HairClone. He thinks that they extracted fewer than 50 follicles.
- The doctor told him that this would be more than enough for at least 5 injections.
- In both of his extraction procedures (in Switzerland and Thailand), he barely needed any recovery time. The procedures are very simple and painless.
- If it works, Alvaro plans to repeat the treatment several more times.
Before anyone gets an urge to fly out to Thailand to get their hair multiplication procedure, please note that:
- This treatment even if fully effective will almost certainly not grow hair on totally bald regions of the scalp.
- Unlike Shiseido (DSC cells) and HairClone (DP cells)’s decade-plus work, Medeze Group is fairly new in this arena. You can forget about them ever going through three phases of clinical trials.
Having said the above, since the procedure is “autologous”, serious side effects are unlikely (though there is never any guarantee). I would not write this post if they were using someone else’s expanded DP cells and DSC cells and injecting them into your scalp. i.e., an allogeneic procedure.
