So how close are we to a new 'cure'

[KO1]

Also, don't forget that finasteride doesn't work forever, so even if a NW1 guy with very, very early visible hair loss isn't "cured" by fin no matter how long they take it.

I disagree on this point. You have seen the 10 year fin study? Some develop sides down the line, and need to get off for sure, but most do ok.

I agree that we need more treatments, but the whole "it's great for NW3's" just doesn't strike me as particularly exciting. But every bit helps.

Also, I am not as knowledgeable as you suggest, I'm just regurgitating publicly available info.

[Pentarou]

Vast knowledge or none at all, its a joke to say we're a long way away... whats that supposed to mean anyway, several generations away, as in, not in our lifetime? We *are* close. When in history have we ever been able to create skin and follicles? Lauster's already done it. Case closed.

It's not that simple, unfortunately. I mean, for example there was a study in 1959 (1959!) on scalp dermabrasion causing neogenesis of follicles, basically an earlier version of what Follica is attempting with their supposed treatments - that didn't mean that a dermabrasion treatment or cure was just round the corner.

[KO1]

Yeah...this is the study I think. Heck, Breedis first saw regeneration in rabbits in 1954....and what the hell happened to this line of research until 2007?


That being said, hellouser has a point that we're moving a lot faster than before. If more doctors thought like Nigam, maybe we'd have gotten there faster. I just don't think the pipeline is that strong.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

Hellouser, you're right. A cure or at least a very effective treatment is not that far away at all. You actually posted something very encouraging the other day about how Japan is likely expediting all clinical trials on stem cell procedures. This could make Team Tsuji's hair regrowth methods available to us sooner rather than later. And if Aderans and Replicel moved their operations to Japan, we could have their treatments available to us in the near future.

One thing KO1 is right about is that if more doctors thought like Dr. Nigam, then we'd be in much better shape. But instead, most doctors are content on churning out hair transplants like there's no tomorrow and not innovating in any way.

[hellouser]

One thing KO1 is right about is that if more doctors thought like Dr. Nigam, then we'd be in much better shape. But instead, most doctors are content on churning out hair transplants like there's no tomorrow and not innovating in any way.

Thats because they took a page out of the corporate world, companies like Apple, or Bell Communications in Canada:

Do as little as possible while continuously charging inflated rates for the same crappy service. Sit back, and watch the stream of money pour in.

They have no need to improve if they're making profits... and they're making a KILLING as it is.

A new company needs to emerge and slap the shit out of these stone age crooks and bring a new and superior treatment that the public needs and wants. This is all about dollars... theres no room for empathy, and if you don't agree with that, just think a little harder about the slow process for finding a cure to baldness and the constant gimping society has done for us. Its disgusting.

[bibz]

Respectfully, I strongly disagree. A NW2 can still look genuinely balding if diffuse, and the existing treatments can do little to thicken their hair. Also, diffuse balders cannot get hair transplants at present. New treatments are sorely needed for low Norwoods, although I do agree with you that unfortunately that won't be any time soon.

Totally wrong, in the next 10 years all nw1-2 and 3 will be cured for sure, the question is for the totally bald guyz, its a different case, i think that we will not be able to see a nw6-7--->nw1 in the next 10 years.
And thanks to histogen or replicel the diffuse balding guyz will get a serious help.

[bibz]

Guyz seriously, some people just don't get it, the founds of Costarelis and follica's team(PGD2, FGF9 and others in the furtur certainly..) are HUGE, we will be cured that's ****ing sure.

[TravisB]

It's not that simple, unfortunately. I mean, for example there was a study in 1959 (1959!) on scalp dermabrasion causing neogenesis of follicles, basically an earlier version of what Follica is attempting with their supposed treatments - that didn't mean that a dermabrasion treatment or cure was just round the corner.

Yes, follicular neogenesis caused by wounds was known since a long time, but scientists didn't know the further mechanism behind it, or how to help the hair caused by wounding grow. Now Follica seems to be cracking it (hopefully)

[rdawg]

This is a tough one to answer.

I think we are extremely close to FINDING that cure, or at least something that will cause significant growth or reinforcement.

Histogen already has proven to at least cause some growth, so in terms of an improved product, we already have one coming within a few years.

I think overall though, we are piecing together what is actually causing growth and maintainence.

PGD2, FGF9, all things that are causing us to get closer and closer to a solution, which is reason to be cautiosly optimistic.

are we 2-3 years close? no, but within 10 years(probably closer to 5), I think at least two more much better solutions will become available, as it seems they are finding things faster and faster and we have many more companies working on it than we did before.

[greatjob!]

Anyone saying a cure will be here in x amount of years is pulling that number out of their ass and basing it purely on speculation. Is there really good research going on? Yes. Is there a single shred of evidence that a successful treatment is coming anytime soon? No.

Everyone hear is saying "I think" a cure is coming, "this doctor is supposed to be doing" ect. This is all prue speculation based on very little information. No one here knows when a treatment is coming, but we will spend 50 pages of nonsense making wild assumption.

[TravisB]

I think by 2020 we should have something new on the market, hopefully better than Propecia + Minox (otherwise it doesn't make sense to release it).

2018 earliest, but I wouldn't count on it

[Pentarou]

This is a tough one to answer.

I think we are extremely close to FINDING that cure, or at least something that will cause significant growth or reinforcement.

Unfortunately, even if a real 'cure' is found fairly soon, that doesn't mean that whatever it is would be available to purchase anytime soon after. (Unless of course it's something that can be accomplished through self-medication, off-label usage of existing drugs, or a home made dermabrasion contraption, but that is not likely.) We have to be realistic, ask the guys who've been on these forums for 5 to 10 years or more, they expected to be fixed by now, and learnt the hard way to not expect too much too soon.

[cichlidfort]

All I know is whoever finds a better solution then Fin will make a boatload of money. The race is on for these companies...you would think. In a sense though, it's a comforting thought knowing my kids one day will never have to deal with this crap (I am 24).

[Californication]

^You're a better man than me then. That aint that comforting to me, only annoying.

[Chromeo]

Anyone saying a cure will be here in x amount of years is pulling that number out of their ass and basing it purely on speculation. Is there really good research going on? Yes. Is there a single shred of evidence that a successful treatment is coming anytime soon? No.

Everyone hear is saying "I think" a cure is coming, "this doctor is supposed to be doing" ect. This is all prue speculation based on very little information. No one here knows when a treatment is coming, but we will spend 50 pages of nonsense making wild assumption.

Totally agree. No-one has a clue, really. Pure speculation.