Scientists at UCLA have now found a small molecule that can wake up follicles that have been sleeping for a long time but are not harmed. They named the transporting molecule “PP405,” which may be a reference to the 405 road, which is another problem that people in L.A. have to deal with.
It’s possible that soon everyone will have a full head of hair.
The PP405 molecule is separated and added to a protein in the follicle stem cells that stops the cells from dividing. The protein is stopped, and the stem cells are made to wake up. For almost ten years, scientists have been working on the chemical in the lab. In the initial tests on humans, which took place in 2023, putting PP405 on the scalp as a topical medicine before bed for a week showed hopeful results. The UCLA experts were careful with the real data, but they called the results “statistically significant.” Most importantly, they think the treatment will give them full, “terminal” hair instead of the peach fuzz type that other miracle-cure lotions and creams give people today.
Three UCLA scientists made the discovery: William Lowry, professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology; Heather Christofk ’01, professor of biological chemistry; and Michael Jung, distinguished professor of chemistry. They are very optimistic about the treatment’s ability to stop pattern hair loss, which happens to more than half of men and one-fourth of women by age 50. “At some point, most men and women thin their hair or lose it after chemotherapy, infections, or other stressors, and it affects them mentally,” says Lowry. Even though he has a full head of hair right now, he knows that he will probably lose it in the future.
Recent Comments