Hairy Moles And Baldness
Researchers may have discovered the elusive cure to baldness in an unlikely place: those unsightly hairs that sometimes grow out of skin moles. Researchers found that a specific molecule in those hairy moles "causes normally dormant and diminutive hair follicles to activate their stem cells for robust growth of long and thick hairs," lead researcher Maksim Plikus, PhD, a professor of developmental and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. The findings could lead to new treatments for the hair loss condition known as androgenetic alopecia, which researchers said occurs in both men and women. It is also known as male-pattern baldness in men. The global team led by researchers at the university analyzed hair follicle stem cells and discovered that a molecule called osteopontin drives accelerated hair growth. Stem cells can develop into different kinds of cells, whether they are in the body or in a laboratory, and are often involved in regenerative or repair processes, according to the Mayo Clinic.