Spanish dermatologists successfully reverse common baldness in mice.

Research from the San Carlos Clinical Hospital opens up new possibilities for regenerative hair treatment. Dermatologists at the public center in Madrid have successfully reversed the effects of androgenetic alopecia, the most prevalent type of hair loss, in mice by combining stem cells derived from adipose tissue and the energizing molecule adenosine triphosphate.

The discovery , the first of its kind to be published worldwide, has been published in the scientific journal Stem Cell Research and Therapy. It is supported by the collaboration of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital and was carried out in an experimental model of mice induced to develop alopecia by administering dihydrotestosterone, the hormone responsible for hair loss. The efficacy of stem cells derived from adipose tissue was evaluated at different doses and combinations with adenosine triphosphate.

According to the study results, 100% of male mice treated with low doses of stem cells and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) experienced hair regrowth: 50% completely and 50% intensively; while 90% of female mice did so with medium doses of stem cells and the energizing molecule. Of these, 50% achieved complete regrowth and 40% intensive regrowth.

Androgenetic alopecia—or common baldness—is a dynamic and progressive hair loss disorder that affects both men and women. Its incidence increases with age, affecting up to 80% of the male population throughout their lives—between 30% and 50% in those under 50—and around 40% of women, who experience some degree of hair loss after age 50.

The combination of stem cells derived from adipose tissue and adenosine triphosphate "stimulates hair regeneration by combining the regenerative capacity of the former with the energy provided by the latter. This synergy favors the recovery of the hair follicle, promoting hair growth," explains Eduardo López Bran, head of the Dermatology Department at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos.

Currently, there are various treatments for hair loss, including drug therapies, hair laser, platelet-rich plasma, and follicular unit transplantation, although they are not without certain limitations. Therefore, this study was launched to evaluate "the efficacy and safety of a regenerative treatment based on the implantation of stem cells derived from adipose tissue in different combinations with adenosine triphosphate for the treatment of male and female androgenetic alopecia," notes López Bran.

The research highlights the potential of personalized treatments for alopecia, harnessing the regenerative properties of adipose-derived stem cells and the ability of adenosine triphosphate to boost cellular metabolism. Although the results are promising, the authors note that additional clinical trials will be needed to confirm their efficacy and safety in humans.