Hair Loss
Hair loss has baffled the medical community for years, and it seems the more they believe they have the problem solved, the more confused they become. Many still believe that hair loss is solely a DHT issue. If this were the case, the DHT blockers available today would have already cured balding. DHT may play a small role in the puzzle here, but it is hardly a solution. In fact, blocking DHT completely can actually increase hair loss, not to mention the long list of side effects that accompany low DHT in men and women. Some of these side effects can last indefinitely, even when the DHT blocker has stopped being used. More information regarding this can be found by doing a web search for “Post Finasteride Syndrome”. While these side effects don’t impact everyone who uses a DHT blocker, the horror stories should make you think twice before going this route.
Korean scientists recently discovered a way that hair loss can be reversed, that involves a process that is absent of blocking DHT, or anything that interferes with the hormonal process. These Korean studies involved PTD-DBM peptide, Valproic Acid, and wound induction (which is replicated through dermarolling).
PTD-DBM, also known as Protein Transduction Domain – Dvl Binding Motif, is a peptide that has researched as a treatment for androgenic alopecia. PTD-DBM acts on the Wnt pathway. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway has a role in hair follicle regeneration, and this pathway is regulated and inhibited by CXXC5 protein. The CXXC5 protein is encoded by the CXXC5 gene, and acts by binding to DNA and protein to protein interactions. The epigenetic factor with CXXC5 is what we see with how androgenic alopecia, or hair loss is often passed down from one generation to the next. Androgenic Alopecia was once believed to be a DHT problem, but we now know it is much more complex than this. If correcting hair loss was as simple as lowering or blocking DHT, hair loss would have been cured long ago.
It has been shown that when CXXC5 binds to Dishevelled proteins in the scalp, hair follicle growth is inhibited. PTD-DBM works by disrupting the CXXC5 – Dishevelled interaction, allowing new hair growth to take place. As previously mentioned, PTD-DBM works through the WNT/β-Catenin pathway, and this plays a role in hair regeneration through wound healing and collagen deposition. When studying PTD-DBM, researchers created wounds in the scalps of mice to induce their natural follicle regeneration.
The Dishevelled-binding protein CXXC5 negatively regulates cutaneous wound healing – PMC (nih.gov)
South Korean scientist claims to have found cure for baldness (ibtimes.sg)
In male patients with androgenic alopecia, valproic acid spray treatment for 24 weeks significantly increased total hair count when compared to a placebo spray. Treatment with Valproic Acid spray twice a day for 24 weeks increased linear hair growth rate and hair density. Valproic Acid was also found to inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3ß and activation of WNT/β-Catenin pathway, which resulted in hair follicle regeneration. When studying PTD-DBM, researchers added topical Valproic Acid and, it was noted that the hair regeneration effects of each were greatly enhanced when compared to treatment alone.
Dermarolling
Dermarolling or Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy (CIT), has been shown to decrease hair loss and increase new hair growth. The studies performed on PTD-DBM and Valproic Acid, both involved bald mice, with wounds being induced. PTD-DBM and Valproic Acid work through the WNT/β-Catenin pathway, and the WNT/β-Catenin pathway has a central role in hair regeneration through wound healing and collagen deposition. The wound induction that was used in the research can be mimicked with dermarolling.
PTD-DBM + Valproic Acid achieved superior hair follicle neogenesis when compared to minoxidil or control. During a controlled study, treatment with PTD-DBM + Valproic Acid resulted in a higher number of relative hair follicles, dermal thickness in the treated areas, and an increase in hair weight when measured. An increase in the mentioned areas were noted at 30 days, and progression continued for past 180 days.
Korean Scientists Develop Potential Drug Candidate for Hair Loss – Businesskorea
