News

Living in a smoggy city is never going to be great for our health anyway, but can the increased air pollution cause or accelerate baldness? A study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, investigated the possibilities: Mike Philpott, from Queen Mary, University of London, said: “We think any pollutant that can get into the bloodstream or into the skin and into the hair follicle could cause some stress to it and impair the ability of the hair to make a fibre. “There are a whole host of carcinogens and toxins in the environment that could trigger this.” Read the full story.

Stem cell research has been a hot topic in recent years, and it seems there will be even more spotlight on it now, at least by the folliculy challenged if the University of Pennsylvania is correct.

The researchers are claiming that by combining stem cells with a secret ingredient, they have been able to grow new hair follicles on mice. The emphasis here is on the words ‘new follicles’, as exisiting drugs such as Propecia and Regaine (Minoxidil) generally stabilise hair loss, and only sometimes regrows hair.

Follica, a Boston startup recently secured $5.5m in funding, with the new capital intended to fund an initial human study, based on this research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. It looks like it will be a few years before this is available, but it sounds like it will be worth the wait.

The Telegraph reports on recent research which shows one in five women is suffering from hair loss.

A study carried out in Taiwan showed that whilst male pattern baldness is slower in Taiwanese men, smoking may destroy the advantage by destroying hair follicles.

Time Magazine recent ran an article, ‘The Bald Truth‘, which talks about how having hair plays a major role in winning elections.

In the USA, a bald man hasn’t been voted in to office for over 50 years. Probably why Berlusconi had his transplant procedure back in 2004.

Hair transplant procedures have increased 42% in the past two years in Canada, according to figures released by the Canadian Hair Transplant Centre and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), making it the top cosmetic procedure for men, worth $76 million dollars.

Research was recently presented to a conference in Las Vegas which shows that scalp transplants could one day be a reality, according to USA Today.

The transplant expert, Maria Siemionow believes such a procedure could benefit severe burns and trauma victims.

Chlorine is bad for hair. It can cause discolouration and damage, but according to the New York Times, chlorine doesn’t cause hair loss, contrary to popular belief.

Back in 2004, Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had a hair transplant he said made him feel 25 years younger.

BBC News has the full story.

Famous actors in their 30s all seem to have perfect hairlines. Is this just a coincidence or has surgery or other techniques come in to play?

This article gives a great insight in to what goes on behind the cameras.