In our most recent post we  discussed the fact that in our lab we have begun to identify new therapeutic targets, apart from merely focusing on the dihydrotestosterone pathway, as so many others myopically pursue.  In today's installment, we will discuss the experimental basis for recent generational improvements that have led us to create a set of genuinely novel hair treatment compositions.

It's long been known that common pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is triggered, in part, by the activity of dihydrotestosterone (DHT).  Think of DHT as the evil offspring of testosterone (T).  Conversion of T to DHT is mediated by the enzyme 5 alpha reductase.  Two flavors of this enzyme occur, one closely associated with a prostate disorder, the other linked to pattern hair loss.  

Recent studies, including work performed by the University of Albany (SUNY) on behalf of HairGenesis (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19692448) demonstrates a clear and compelling link between tissue inflammation and pattern hair loss.  Specifically, certain molecular markers of inflammatory cytokines, including CCL17, CXCL6 and LTB(4) are associated with pathways involved in inflammation and apoptosis in many tissue and organ systems, including skin and hair follicles.   Previously, we clinically tested liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr) and its glycoside, beta-sitosterol, in subjects likewise affected by pattern hair loss and showed a highly positive response to treatment (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122).

A remarkable and lucky fact about the skin is that it is the one organ in humans that is amenable to local and systemic treatment.  For example, consider the treatment of skin irritations, e.g. atopic dermatitis.  Typically, in such an instance, your clinician may prescribe a systemic antibiotic concomitant with a local anti-inflammatory.

In a recently published study, University of Albany, SUNY scientists reported positive results achieved by testing the latest HairGenesis® formula on a model for human hair follicle keratinocytes.  Specifically, the investigators found that the test formula effectively blocked pathologic inflammatory stimulus --- in this case lipopolysaccharide --- which would otherwise exert a deleterious influence on the cells, ultimately causing them to die.