Help may be near for people who are losing or have lost their hair. Japanese scientists have found stem cells that are vital for hair regeneration. This is welcome news for the millions of people worldwide who suffer from baldness. Scientists have been working on a cure for decades. The Japanese scientists are now doing clinical research and laboratory tests. They hope to adapt the stem cells to create a therapy for hair loss. Baldness mainly affects men. By the age of 35, around two-thirds of men will experience hair loss. By the age of 50, up to 85 per cent will have thinning hair.
The scientists took fur cells from mice and cultured them in the lab. They saw that hair growth is cyclical within the follicle. The scientists used 220 combinations of chemicals to make the hair regrow naturally. The lead scientist said his system creates the cyclical regeneration of hair follicles from stem cells. He said it would, "help make hair follicle regeneration therapy a reality in the near future". He added: "Losing hair is not life-threatening, but it adversely affects the quality of life." One bald man said: "Having a full head of hair again will make me look ten years younger".