Discovered a natural sugar that helps hair grow

Scientists have found that a deoxyribose sugar gel stimulates hair growth in mice, which could be used to treat hair loss in humans.

Illustration: hairscalp.com

The research team, from the University of Sheffield (UK) and COMSATS University (Pakistan), has accidentally discovered a potential new treatment for genetic baldness, the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women worldwide .

It all started when the team studied how deoxyribose, a sugar found in the body, healed wounds in mice when applied topically. They found that hair grew back around the wounds in the mice more quickly than in untreated mice.

Intrigued, the team dug deeper. They designed a biodegradable, non-toxic gel made from deoxyribose and applied the treatment to bald male mice.

Every day, they applied a small amount of the gel to male mice that had lost hair due to testosterone. Within a few weeks, the hair in that area grew back "vigorously" with long, thick hairs, according to ScienceAlert on December 20.

"Our research suggests that the answer to treating hair loss could be as simple as using the natural sugar deoxyribose to increase blood supply to hair follicles and promote hair growth," said engineer Sheila MacNeil, from the University of Sheffield.

Experiments with untreated mice (NC), hairless male mice (T1), treated with drug-free gel (T2), treated with deoxyribose gel (T3), treated with minoxidil (T4), and a combination of deoxyribose gel and minoxidil (T5) for 21 days - Photo: Frontiers in Pharmacology

The team found that the gel worked as well as minoxidil, a popular hair loss treatment known under the brand name Rogaine. While minoxidil is effective, it does not work for everyone with hair loss.

The team also combined the gel and minoxidil in the trial, but found that this combination treatment did not make much difference.

The researchers aren't sure why the deoxyribose gel caused hair to grow longer and thicker in the mice, but there was an increase in blood vessels and skin cells around the treated skin areas.

If deoxyribose gel proves effective in humans, it could be used to treat hair loss or stimulate hair, eyelash, and eyebrow growth after chemotherapy.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-mot-loai-duong-tu-nhien-giup-moc-toc-20241221074615767.htm