Taiwanese Scientists Develop New Cure for Baldness — Mice Regrew Hair in Just 20 Days
Hair loss is a common issue worldwide. Although some treatments are effective, they don’t always produce the desired results. Scientists at the National Taiwan University have discovered a new method that could potentially solve this problem.
Experiments on mice showed remarkable results — within 20 days, new hair began to grow. The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Researchers have long known that skin irritation or minor damage can sometimes trigger excessive hair growth. During the experiment, they applied sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) — a skin irritant — to the shaved backs of male and female mice, which caused eczema-like inflammation.
After 10–11 days, tiny new hairs began to appear, and after 20 days, noticeable fur growth was observed. The untreated areas remained bald.
The scientists found that the irritant caused immune cells to migrate into the fat tissue layer beneath the skin. These fat cells then released fatty acids, which were absorbed by hair follicle stem cells, triggering new hair growth.
Later, the researchers tested whether fatty acids alone could cause the same effect without irritants. They created serums containing oleic and palmitoleic acids dissolved in alcohol, and found that these substances also promoted hair growth.
The team has patented their discovery and now plans to test different doses of the serum on human scalp skin. They hope to bring the product to market in the future, though it’s not yet clear when or at what price it will be available.
