Stimulating hair growth with a microneedle patch


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August 27, 2021 – While some prefer the look of baldness, they may be unhappy with their hair loss interested in hearing a new approach scientists use Mechanical stimulation to promote hair growth.

Male or female pattern baldness, also known as genetic baldnessIt affects more than half of middle-aged men in the United States. While it’s less common in women, it can affect body image and emotional health, explains study co-author Fangyuan Li, PhD, of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. The effect can be severe, Lee says, “especially for women and young adults.”

Researchers say there are over-the-counter treatments, but most do not address the root causes of the problem.

Currently, drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Hair loss They include minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia). But there are side effects, and the treatments only work when used continuously for a long time.

Some people may choose to have hair follicle transplantation done instead; But he explains to me that surgery is painful and not always successful because it depends a lot on the quality of the donor Poetry follicles, which can vary.

Seeking to develop a new non-surgical option, scientists led by Jianqing Zhao, deputy dean of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Zhejiang University, designed a dissolvable microneedle patch to deliver the treatment near the hair roots under the skin.

Without hair transplant

Male or female pattern baldness can be permanent when there are not enough blood vessels around the hair follicles to deliver nutrients and other essential molecules. The buildup of reactive oxygen in the scalp can lead to the death of cells that would otherwise have grown new hair.

In a previous investigation, researchers found that nanoparticles containing cerium, a silvery-white metal, can mimic enzymes within the body that can help relieve oxidative stress.

The scientists coated cerium nanoparticles with a biodegradable compound.

Then they made a micro-needle patch by pouring a mixture of hyaluronic acid A naturally occurring substance that grows in human skin consisting of cerium-containing nanoparticles in a mould.

The micro-needles don’t hurt when placed, Lee says, because they deliver treatment to an area under the skin that doesn’t have pain receptors.

The researchers tested control patches and cerium-containing patches on male mice with bald spots caused by a hair remover Generous. Both applications stimulated new blood vessels to form around the mice’s hair follicles. But those treated with the nanoparticle patch showed faster signs of hair restoration at the root.

The mice also had fewer oxidative stress compounds in their skin. Using a microneedle patch resulted in faster hair regrowth, compared to a cream-based treatment, and it could be used less frequently.

And while the idea is not yet ready to be tried on people, it represents a creative step forward in tackling a common problem.

WebMD Health News

Resources

ACS nano: “Ceria Nanozyme-Integrated Microneedles that Reshape the Perivesicular Microenvironment for Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia.”

Fangyuan Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

Jianqing Gao, Vice Dean of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.


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