A new cream could be the answer to beating baldness – giving people the ability to keep on producing hair for longer, according to Professor Luke O’Neill.
Research suggests the hair loss treatment industry generates around $3.6 billion (€3.32bn) ever year.
Trinity Professor Luke O’Neill said new research on an RNA molecule could be the baldness breakthrough people are looking for.
“It’s called Mir-205… they’ve just shown that will stabilise the stem cells in the hair follicles and keep them going.
“That means that they will keep producing hair.
“They made a cream out of this stuff – this is not in humans yet, they’re still testing it – but that cream allowed hair growth to happen”.
Cream or tablet?
Prof O’Neill said a human trial is due to begin straight away.
“A tiny RNA molecule rubbed into the scalp promoted hair growth again; they’re immediately going to start doing a trial in humans.
“This would be a really effective way to allow hair growth.
“Creams aren’t ideal because you can’t rub them in properly, [but] turn it into a tablet to get into that part of your skin and hey presto.”
Going grey
Prof O’Neill said similar research has looked into greying hair and ways to slow it down.
“The scientists have figured out that there is evidence that stress will increase your chance of going grey more quickly,” he said.
“Things like stress in the workplace, exams even – students and exams.
So there was some evidence for this. Presidents of the US famously go grey, like Obama at the end of his presidency.
“Bill Clinton when he began as president, he wasn’t that grey and by the end of it he’d gone white.”
Prof O’Neill said stem cell research into greying could see people keeping their colour for longer.
Melanocytes make melanin – which is the pigment that makes hair dark – but these begin to die off as people age.
Prof O’Neill says replacing melanocytes could be the answer.
“If we understand how these stem cells work, and keep them going if you will, they’ll persist into old age,” he said.
“They’ve done this in animals.
“There is the prospect of a way to keep melanocytes going and that will slow down the greying process.
“Can you imagine if you don’t need to dye your hair anymore?”
Prof O’Neill added there is “real hope” that autoimmune conditions that attack hair follicles will also be treatable.
Main image: Luke O’Neill speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, 11-7-24. Image: Newstalk
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