Shiseido, Jiro Kishimoto

Shiseido Sounds Optimistic

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Update: Shiseido has updated its website. The Kobe cell processing and expansion center is now clearly visible on the map. Thanks for the link to commentator “Edgar”.

Shiseido’s Biggest Dot on the Map

Shiseido Cell Processing Facility
Shiseido’s Updated World Map. Kobe Cell Processing and Expansion Facility.

Dr. Jiro Kishimoto’s Presentation

I last covered Japan’s cosmetics behemoth Shiseido in early March. This was in my post discussing Replicel’s two important recent announcements. For those who are new to this blog, Shiseido is working on a hair loss cure via its own research as well as via the use and rights to Replicel’s technology in Asia.

A few weeks later, we had the 11th World Congress for Hair Research in Spain. At this Congress, Shiseido (Japan)’s Dr. Jiro Kishimoto had a much anticipated presentation titled: “Autologous cell-based therapy for hair loss using dermal sheath cup cells.”

Shiseido 2019 Update

Several days ago, I got access to the summary of this presentation. Below is the most interesting and important section (with slight grammar changes from my part):

“After a Phase I clinical study with dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells in the EU showed no serious adverse events, we conducted clinical research studies in Japan on autologous cell based therapy for 66 male and female patients with androgenic alopecia using DSC cells. The study is currently ongoing at two medical institutions and no serious adverse effects have been reported thus far.

I would also like to discuss a unique registration law for cell therapy in Japan. This law enables hospitals and clinics to outsource cell and tissue processing to specialized cell processing facilities (CPC) located outside hospitals. We have introduced a cell manufacturing process for DSC cells in the CPC established in Kobe by ourselves, and I will discuss future prospects for cell-therapy in patients with AGA.”

Retin-A, Tretinoin

Retin-A (Tretinoin) and Hair Growth

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Retin-A (generic drug ingredient name Tretinoin) is a Vitamin A derivative that is primarily used as an acne medication. It is also used to combat wrinkles and skin aging via stimulating collagen production. Dermatologists love Retin-A, which is sometimes referred to as all-trans retinoic acid.

Retin-A and Minoxidil for Hair Growth

Retin-A Cream
Retin-A Cream.

For many years, some people have used Retin-A in tandem with Minoxidil (brand name Rogaine) for hair growth purposes. Numerous hair loss sufferers and a number of studies suggest that this combination treatment with Retin-A results in superior hair growth results.

In fact one such study in support of Tretinoin and hair growth just came out recently in April 2019. Some of the authors of this study are highly renowned in the hair loss world. Tretinoin enhances the effectiveness of Minoxidilin androgenetic alopecia patients by upregulating follicular sulfotransferase enzymes.

Even studies from decades ago have found Retin-A to benefit hair growth.

Blog reader “Quentin” is an especially good responder to this Tretinoin and Minoxidil combination treatment per one of his comments from last year.

“Admin, would you consider doing a post on tretinoin? I have tried so many different types of minoxidil cocktails and they all make my hair worse. Every time I go back to the minoxidil and treninoin mix almost all my hair comes back within a few months. It is the ONLY thing that works for me and I don’t understand why more people do not know about it.”

In my post on extra strength Minoxidil, blog reader “Peewee” posted the following interesting comment:

“I’m 47 and used dr Lee’s xandrox for many years. I was in my 20’s and had lost my temples and was getting comments that my crown was thinning and .25 mg per day finasteride plus 5% xandrox night and day formula grew it all back. I have no picture proof but his products were the best, amazing results. The night minox had the retin-a and the morning didn’t but they both had azelaic acid. The theory was that the retin-a would peel some skin over night and morning dose would have better absorption. It was a sad day when he was shut down, those were my best hair days ever.”

Note that prescription Retin-A is different from the weaker non-prescription Retinol. This whole class of chemicals is known as retinoids. Also of interest, the Reddit for Tretinoin has almost 12,000 members at the time of writing this post.

Retin-A Side Effects

Retin-A (Tretinoin) can have an number of side effects, including: excessive skin dryness; flaking; increased skin sensitivity and irritation; pigment changes; and, in rare anecdotal reports, even hair loss.