A CELL discovery could lead to a cure for baldness, say scientists.
Research by Manchester University found a biological stress response can cause hair follicles to switch off and die, robbing people of their locks.
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The “integrated stress response” slows down non-essential bodily functions like hair growth during an infection or when the body isn’t getting the right nutrients.
A study of follicles in the lab found the process can go haywire and kill off scalp cells for good.
Experts reckon stopping the response with a drug could halt balding in its tracks.
Study author Dr Talveen Purba said: “This stress response may be implicated in a number of hair loss disorders, including pattern hair loss.
“We’re incredibly hopeful that targeting it could lead to new treatments.
“A complete reversal is unlikely and you probably wouldn’t have a lot of luck trying to regenerate hair in people who have completely lost it.
“But if you catch it as they are actively losing it, it’s possible you could stop the process.
“Our key next steps are to confirm this is happening in people, then to work out if we can control it.”
Millions of Brits have hair loss and pattern baldness affects about 85 per cent of men by the age of 50 and half of women by age 70.
Many more lose their hair due to chemotherapy or illnesses like lupus or psoriasis.
The Manchester Hair Research Group made their discovery by accident while studying the effect of a drug on hair follicles.
When the follicles failed to sprout the team realised the stress response had been triggered and shut down the growth process.
Chief technician Derek Pye said: “It’s striking how consistent the response was between hair follicles from different people.”
Writing in the journal Plos One, the team said the discovery could help treat people who lose their hair due to chemo or scarring alopecia.
What is alopecia and what causes it?
About two per cent of the population will experience alopecia at some point in their lifetime, with around one in every 4,000 developing the condition each year.
It can start at any age but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to a lack of all hair including eyelashes and eyebrows, nasal hair and public hair.
Alopecia areata causes patches of baldness about the size of a large coin.
“Alopecia” is the medical term for hair loss and “areata” means that it occurs in small, random areas. There are various classifications, including:
- Alopecia areata totalis: Total hair loss on the scalp
- Alopecia areata universalis: Total hair loss on your scalp and all body hair
The causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood but the loss of hair is because of inflammation around the hair follicles.
The cause of the inflammation is unknown but it is believed that the immune system, which normally protects the body from infections and other diseases, misfires and attacks the hair follicles.
Therefore, it is understood to be an autoimmune condition, says Alopecia UK.
Genetics may be behind the condition, but there are other things thought to trigger it, including a virus, iron deficiency or stress. Studies are not conclusive.
For women, sometimes birth can trigger postpartum alopecia.
In most cases of alopecia areata, hair will grow back in a few months to a year. At first, hair may grow back fine and white, but over time it should thicken and regain its normal colour.
There is no cure for the condition, only treatments that are not guaranteed to work.
People with alopecia may need to take extra precautions, including protecting their skin and eyes when outside and preventing stress.