For people with receding hairlines, help may soon be on the way, as scientists have identified a drug – originally designed as a treatment for osteoporosis – that can stimulate hair growth. In a study published in the journal PLOS Biology, researchers from the University of Manchester in the UK showed that the drug has a dramatic stimulatory effect on human hair follicles donated by patients undergoing hair transplantation surgery. Currently, only two drugs – minoxidil and finasteride – are available for treatment of male-pattern balding (androgenetic alopecia).
However, both agents have moderate side effects and often produce disappointing hair regrowth results. The only other option available to patients is hair transplantation surgery. Researchers sought to develop new ways to promote human hair growth with the hope of finding novel, well-tolerated agents for treating androgenetic…
