Hair loss affects numerous people worldwide. It has a profound psychosocial impact due to its association with a person’s image. It is a complex issue with a wide range of contributing elements, from autoimmune diseases to hormone problems.
Unfortunately there are only a limited viable therapeutic options for hair loss and those too have certain limitations. Scientists have now introduced a cutting-edge technology- Follicular Stem Cell Implantation to combat hair loss and balding. In this technique, doctors transplant the stem cells in a person’s own hair follicle to regenerate and restore hair growth. Advancells has taken the technology a step further with Advancells Follicular Stem Cell Implantation (AFSCI), which also integrates the potential of exosomes along with the stem cell Implantation..
AFSCI Treatment
The treatment protocol is relatively simple. A few hair strands, or follicles are extracted from the patient and transported to a laboratory. Scientists isolate stem cells from the follicles and expand them in a suitable medium to increase their quantity for implantation. After a few days, cells are harvested and combined with the exosome solution. The formulation is then injected into the scalp. Together, both stem cell therapy and exosomes regenerate the follicle and drive follicle growth.
The various components of AFSCI treatment are as under:
Follicle Stem Cells: Several research studies have found that follicles contain their own stem cell repertoire. They are responsible for follicle growth cycles. Scientific data has also suggested these cells can transform into nerve cells, smooth muscle cells, and melanocytes. They also express markers for pluripotency that indicate higher potential for transformation into specialized cell types.
Exosome Solution: Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles comprising various biomolecules like cytokines, RNAs, proteins, and growth factors. These vesicles facilitate the interaction between neighboring cells for proper functioning. They acquire their properties from the parent cell. Stem cell-based exosomes therefore have the inherent capability to rejuvenate. They have proven their effectiveness in hair loss treatment.
Therefore, the combination of stem cells for hair regeneration with exosomes maximizes the benefits of overall treatment.
Limitations of the Current Treatments
- The available treatments include medications like minoxidil or finasteride. However, their effects last only till the drugs are taken, and they might cause toxicity with long-term use. Furthermore, they only delay hair loss and cannot cause reversal of follicle growth.
- Surgical transplantation is a more permanent option. It employs removing follicles from one position of scalp to the regions of baldness. The drawbacks of this technique is the permanent loss of hair from the donor site, low availability of follicles for optimal scalp coverage, and low hair density.
- Although the surgical option is painless and noninvasive, many individuals perceive it as major surgery without sufficient treatment benefits.
- Patients are not generally satisfied with the treatment outcomes with regard to aesthetics, especially donor site scarring.
AFSCI Overcoming the Limitations
Lasting Results: Unlike medications, AFSCI offers long-lasting results. The therapy addresses the underlying mechanisms of the condition and regenerates follicles at a cellular level. It drives natural growth and revitalizes follicles causing no toxicity to other organs.
Availability: Follicle stem cells are expanded in culture. Therefore, the implantation requires only a few follicles instead of a large amount as in a surgical transplant. These stem cells are sufficient to treat larger areas of baldness or thinning. Therefore, this therapy is suitable for people with less scalp coverage.
Regeneration at the root level: AFSCI activates the dormant follicles and promotes natural follicle cycles by inducing regeneration at a deep cellular level. It targets several pathways that ensure the restoration of the original health of the scalp and follicle growth. The conventional treatments, on the other hand, focus on a few signaling pathways that have limited effects.
Aesthetic Outcomes: The outcomes from conventional treatments are not pleasing in appearance. Improved appearance is the primary goal of people opting for hair loss treatments. However, scarring at the donor site and low scalp coverage are not the desired results. AFSCI provides results that are natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing.
Minimally Invasive: The surgical option for hair loss involves incision and considerable downtime. AFSCI is minimally invasive, requiring low recovery times. The approach delivers stem cells for hair regeneration through fine needles, causing minimal to negligible pain and discomfort.
Rejuvenated Scalp: AFSCI rejuvenates the entire scalp by infusing cells in different areas, leading to uniform growth. It provides a plethora of growth factors and proteins that improve the stem cell niche and their survival by enhancing microcirculation and reducing inflammation, resulting in the activation of dormant follicles.
Improved Quality: Clinical studies have reported an increase in thickness, length, and strength of strands following stem cell implantation. As a result, patients acquire increased scalp coverage and longer, thicker, pigmented, and healthier strands.
Hair Loss Treatment Success Stories
Advances in Follicular Stem Cell Implant
Many other platforms are in the developmental phase to enhance the potential of follicle stem cells for hair regrowth.
Biomaterials: Scientists have been utilizing biomaterials to enhance the growth and proliferation of stem cells. For example, a study evaluated the mixture of follicle cells on a hydrogel biomaterial. The material promoted the progression of a higher percentage of cells into the anagen or growth phase of the follicular cycle.
3D tissue: Three-dimensional (3D) constructs of tissue created from follicle cells are also under evaluation. They can mimic the cell-cell interaction in the in vivo state. In mice, such constructs have caused substantial hair growth.
Scientific Evidence
Numerous studies, including animal and human subjects, have assessed the implantation of follicular stem cells for hair regeneration.
- A 2015 study documented that this treatment resulted in the development of hair follicles in mice.
- In a 2017 study in Italy, 11 patients suffering from androgenetic alopecia showed a 29% increase in scalp coverage after administering this therapy.
- Another research team in 2023 reported an increase in strand diameter along with an increment in length and pigmentation after injecting follicle stem cells into the scalp in over 50 patients with androgenetic alopecia.
None of the studies reported any adverse effects of the treatment, essentially implying it was safe to use.
Conclusion
Hair loss is a severe issue for many individuals. Androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness, affects up to 50% of men. The few effective treatments available have several disadvantages, urging to find a new solution. Follicle stem cell implantation has offered a promising alternative addressing all the concerns of the previously present treatment options. It exploits the natural healing of stem cells prepared from the patient’s own follicles. The expansion of these cells eliminates the need to extract a high number of follicles. Advancells have enhanced this revolutionary technology with the power of exosomes. Its AFSCI technology has the best of both treatment modalities to offer a more potent alternative for affordable hair loss treatment.
FAQs:
Q – What is AFSCI?
AFSCI is Advancells Follicular Stem Cell Implantation treatment for hair loss. The therapy injects the stem cells of follicles into the scalp to regenerate follicles and drive new hair growth.
Q – What is the rationale behind follicular stem cell implant?
Stem cells from follicles have regenerative potential and can restore the original hair growth and cycle. Therefore, this therapy effectively increases hair density on the scalp.
Q – How is AFSCI better than a hair follicle transplant?
Hair follicle transplant only transfers the hair follicle from one region of the scalp to another, which is not aesthetically pleasing. On the contrary, AFSCI rejuvenates the scalp and increases hair density, providing natural-looking hair with increased length, thickness and pigmentation.
Q – Is follicular stem cell implant safe?
Many clinical studies have evaluated the effectiveness and safety of follicular stem cell implants. These studies showed positive outcomes and also reported that there were no adverse effects of the treatment.
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