The Study
Scientists studied the regeneration of hair follicles in response to patterned hair plucking in mice. They discovered that by plucking 200 hairs in a specific pattern in a limited area, more than 1000 hairs grew back in their place as well as nearby. Interestingly, if the hairs were plucked from random spots or over larger areas, this regeneration did not occur.
Why Did This Happen?
Scientists believe that the affected hair follicles were able to communicate with other follicles and send them a sort of distress signal. Those follicles then responded by regenerating as much as five times the amount of replacement hair.
This phenomenon is similar to the way that bacteria functions. Bacteria are able to communicate with each other through a chemical signalling system called quorum. They use this to detect when their numbers are strong enough to achieve their objective.
Can This Help My Hair Loss?
This finding is a big breakthrough for science, but unfortunately not a big breakthrough in hair loss yet, even though it may sound like one. Male pattern baldness occurs due to hormones and genetics, which are not impacted by this process. According to lead researcher, Cheng-Ming Chuong, more study is needed to determine whether these findings may be able to contribute to combating hair loss in the future.
So there you have it. Although many hair loss bloggers may be touting this study as the breakthrough we have all been waiting for, it seems to be a bit of a red herring. Still, here’s hoping that these findings lead to further study which may provide that breakthrough we’re all ready for!
In the meantime, you can always cover your balding spots and thicken your hair with natural hair thickening fibres.