Potential Baldness Treatment?
Minoxidil, a drug that is available over the counter in the UK as Rogaine, is used as treatment for male pattern baldness
March 2011
There has been a lot of discussion on the use of
prostaglandin based treatments for male pattern baldness. This
article looks at the evidence that is currently available at the
time of writing (March 2011).
The prostaglandin family has been proven to induce the growth and
darkening of hair and the eyelash has been particularly studied.
Bimatoprost has even achieved FDA approval for the treatment of
hypotrichosis of eyelash hair (inadequate or not enough eyelashes).
Studies on hair follicles found that the expression of prostaglandin
receptors increased before and during the growth phase of the hair
cycle.
A study published in a Swedish dermatology journal
looked at the use of a prostaglandin analogue on monkeys displaying
male pattern baldness and found a significant effect on hair
regrowth, and another study using a prostaglandin agonist showed a
positive regrowth of mice fur.
Minoxidil, a drug that is available over the counter in the UK as
Rogaine, is used as treatment for male pattern baldness. The mode of
action for hair growth has not been firmly established and recent
papers have shown that it increases prostaglandin synthesis in the
applied areas.
This suggests that a prostaglandin analogue would
provide better results.
Although scalp hair follicles and eyelash follicles are not
identical it is not unreasonable to suggest that an effective hair
stimulant that acts on one type of hair should act on another type.
The experimental studies mentioned support the
stimulating effects of prostaglandin analouges on hairs other than
eyelashes.
The good news is that trials have started, in January 2011, on the
use of bimatoprost for male pattern baldness. As soon as the results
are published then this article will be updated.
Source
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