Existing treatments for male pattern baldness come with downsides. Minoxidil, which increases blood flow to the scalp, only works for of men. Finasteride, which blocks the hormone responsible for hair loss, can reduce sex drive and fertility.
Now, several groups are looking at whether valproic acid 鈥� a medication used to prevent epileptic seizures 鈥� could do better. This follows of some balding patients getting their hair back while taking the drug.
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In 2014, a study in men with moderate hair loss found that spraying valproic acid on the scalp twice a day improved hair density by after 6 months. A handful experienced mild itchiness and dandruff, but this went away on its own.
Furry again
This inspired at Yonsei University in South Korea and his colleagues to see if they could stimulate more regrowth by injecting valproic acid into the scalp.
They encapsulated valproic acid in microscopic needles made of biodegradable cellulose. These were designed to dissolve after insertion into the skin and release the drug.
To test their effectiveness, Jung鈥檚 team shaved off a section of fur on 28 male mice and treated the bare area daily with valproic acid-filled microneedles, valproic acid alone, microneedles alone, or an inert lotion. The mice were at an age at which they had stopped growing new hair.
Despite this, the mice treated with valproic acid-filled microneedles grew back all their fur over the next 4 weeks. Some regrowth was seen in the valproic acid group, but it was patchy and the new hairs were thinner. No regrowth was observed in the two control groups.
The researchers believe the treatment works in two ways. The valproic acid boosts levels of a protein called beta-catenin that supports new hair follicles. At the same time, the healing of the tiny puncture wounds left by the microscopic needles also stimulates extra growth in drug-treated areas. This fits with previous research in mice showing that plucking a few hairs out can encourage more to grow because the mild trauma switches the skin into regenerative mode.
Jung and his colleagues are now hoping to show that the valproic acid-filled microneedles can cure hair loss in people and are convenient and painless to use. They are planning to test a they have developed for self-administering at home.
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Biomaterials
