Hair loss, otherwise known as Alopecia, can have a huge influence on a person’s daily life, can weaken their self-esteem, and can negatively affect their lifestyle. In fact, it’s a global concern that discriminates against neither gender nor age and has led to the skin and hair care market being flooded with remedies ranging from creams and medicated shampoos, to surgeries and therapies, and everything in between. In recent years, regenerative treatments may just be the most innovative solution to show promise in the battle for hair regrowth, in particular, the utilization of hair exosomes and also platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. These two treatments are both highly viable and effective contenders when it comes to targeting hair loss and reversing this condition that afflicts so many people around the world.
Our body’s hair goes through several stages that involve its follicle health and growth, these are the anagen (active growth), catagen (transition phase), telogen (resting and inactive), and exogen (shedding phase) stages. However, when hair loss occurs, that simply means that one of these stages is compromised due to impacting factors. There are various forms of causes and identifying characteristics behind the different types of hair loss, with one of the most common being: Androgenetic Alopecia, which is also known as male or female pattern baldness, is the most prevalent type of hair loss. It typically presents as a receding hairline and thinning at the crown in men, while in women it shows in overall thinning. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is primarily driven by genetics and hormonal factors, making it a hereditary form of hair loss.
Telogen Effluvium is another form where, unlike Androgenetic Alopecia, it is temporary and happens when a large number of hair follicles prematurely enter the telogen phase and the scalp undergoes a rapid loss of strands. Lifestyle habits and stress, illness and hormonal changes, or nutritional deficiencies, and certain medications can all trigger it. Finally, the third most common form is Alopecia Areata, and similar to Telogen Effluvium, it involves a rapid loss of hair. However, the big difference is it is an autoimmune condition when the immune system mistakenly attacks the follicles due to chronic inflammation, and this causes the shedding to spread out across identifiable patches on the scalp instead, leaving unpredictable patterns of baldness.
Regenerative treatments for hair loss capitalize on the innate self-renewal properties of the body, specifically its stem cells, growth factors and exosomes, to revitalize the scalp, nourish hair follicles, and ultimately encourage healthy hair growth. As the nanosized messengers that carry plenty of bioactive molecules like growth factors, cytokines, and microRNAs that regulate cell signaling, exosomes are powerful stimulators of the physiological processes that occur within the skin. Stem cell-derived exosomes, especially those of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), can differentiate into various cell types as well, in order to release bioactive compounds for different cellular functions. They carry the tools for tissue repair and growth, and effectively regulate the immune response, making them ideal candidates for hair restoration since scalp inflammation is a major cause for the body’s immune system to attack the hair follicles and cause Alopecia. Cosmeceutical skincare tends to focus heavily on this kind of formulaic solution, where the aim of the product isn’t just to replace the old and damaged parts with new and functioning ones, but also to engage the skin’s cells in a continuous state of renewal and regeneration.
Additionally, the growth factors present in Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) have also touted their ability to enhance hair growth, improve density and follicle thickness, and renew the aging cells within the follicles. Platelet-rich plasma refers to blood that holds a higher amount of platelets, the blood cell that holds a vital role in healing within the body’s cells and has a hand in triggering cell reproduction. So PRP is, essentially, derived from the patient’s own blood and contains a rich and powerful dose of growth factors that work to increase blood flow to the scalp and, like exosomes, target tissue and cellular repair functions by giving them a boost. The treatment involving PRP involves extracting a sample of the patient’s blood to process and separate out the compounds from each other until the platelets are left in a concentrated mix, before directly injecting the solution into the scalp of the patient.
Clinical studies have shown that PRP can improve hair count and thickness, and is particularly effective post-hair transplant to promote better graft survival and faster recovery, where the growth of the transplanted follicular units is also well supported. In cases of Androgenetic Alopecia, trial results have been observed after 6 weeks and 12 weeks post-PRP injection to have a percentage increase in hair number and diameter, as well as overall patient satisfaction, suggesting that PRP is linked to the growing hair strand amount in the treated areas. In another randomized control test, 60% of patients were noted to have achieved complete remission with significant improvements in Alopecia Areata lesions after undergoing PRP injections to the scalp. The growth factors in the formulaic mix push the creation of blood vessels near the hair root, thus boosting oxygen and nutrient supply to that area and reversing the shrinkage of hair follicles. By awakening the dormant ones, the new blood supply helps to extend the growth phase. It should be noted, however, that PRP treatment can depend on the concentration and quality of the plasma from the donor platelets that come from the patient and has been observed to work well for the right candidates. For example, factors like certain medical conditions, medications, or even lifestyles can affect otherwise healthy plasma, which in turn may have an impact on the overall treatment results.
In contrast, exosomes, especially stem cell-derived exosomes of the MSC variety, have a higher rate of success with observable results, as well as more consistent patient satisfaction overall in clinical trials. This is demonstrated with the exosome-intense PTT-6® ingredient, patented and developed by cosmeceutical CALECIM® Professional to boost tissue restoration and aesthetic results and accelerate post-procedure recovery. The complex mix also contains a concentrated amount of proteins and growth factors that, when used as a hair treatment and applied to the dermis on the scalp, create an optimal environment for the skin to stimulate and nourish weakened hair follicles. The formula works to suppress proinflammatory cytokines that attack healthy hair follicles, as proven in a study carried out by Sage Medical Clinic of patients with AGA where, upon application, patients reported a noticeable decrease in shedding and strengthening of hair in the first three weeks. After the 12-week course was completed, it was observed that a faster rate of hair growth and improved hair texture were noted in all the participants. Hence, the PRP restoration results are not always consistent.
When combined with a stem cell extract that hosts powerful bioactive molecules, like exosomes, to stimulate the body’s self-repair mechanisms at a cellular level, the treatment protocol can involve creating a mixture with a PRP extraction to inject superficially under the scalp. Trials that have been conducted following this procedure have resulted in favorable outcomes, where sustained positive effects on hair regrowth were measured in the post-procedural follow-ups, positing PRP injections and exosome extracts as safe and effective alternatives for treating hair loss. The application of these two stem cell-based therapies has proven their success with promising results, and together, they represent a big step forward in regenerative treatments to tackle Alopecia conditions.
Published by HOLR Magazine.