Hair loss affects millions, but treatment remains frustratingly complicated. Some require daily commitment, some have side effects, others do not work for everyone. However, scientists may have revealed a treatment for simple hair loss that is hidden by its appearance: sugar.
However, it’s not just sugar. This new treatment is heavily based on what is already part of the DNA. Researchers at the University of Sheffield and Comsatt University were studying how natural sugar called deoxyribose can help heal wounds in mice.
During these experiments, they noticed something strange. The fur near the treatment area is thicker than expected. That accidental observation has changed to Intensive research What will become one of the simplest hair removal treatments developed by scientists.
To test the potential of sugar to treat hereditary patterns of alopecia, the researchers created a gel injected with deoxyribose and applied it to mice with testosterone-induced hair loss. Within a few weeks, the treated skin began to sprout new fur.
The results were not subtle either. In fact, sugar gels coincided with the efficacy of minoxidil, a popular over-the-counter treatment, also known as Rogaine. What makes this discovery even more appealing is how safe and accessible it is for hair removal treatments.
Deoxyribose is already a naturally occurring sugar in the body, and the gel developed by the research team is biodegradable and non-toxic. In photos comparing different treatments, mice fed sugar gel showed regeneration as strong as those fed minoxidil without the need to combine the two.
Researchers also noticed that sugar from simple hair removal treatments appears to increase the growth of blood vessels around the hair follicles and skin cells activity. This may be one of the reasons why the treatment worked so well, as improved blood supply often translates to healthier, thicker hair.
When examined under a microscope, regenerated hair was visible thicker than the hairs in the control group. It is not yet clear how deoxyribose triggers this response, but the findings take into account the limited options currently available.
This simple hair loss treatment can help treat alopecia and regenerate hair after chemotherapy. And since it is built on naturally occurring molecules, it may offer a more gentle alternative to those who cannot withstand existing drugs.
For now, the team is focused on understanding how sugar works and whether these results can be replicated in humans. However, early signs suggest that a simpler and safer approach to treating hair loss may be right in the vicinity.
