Are we at another 5 year standstill ?

[sdsurfin]

But then again, using regenerative medicine to provide a treatment for hairloss is a workaround from developing a treatment for the underlying cause of AGA. With that in mind, I believe there aren't that many people involved in conducting research and developing treatments compared to other disorders.

The underlying disorder involves the built in susceptibility and nature of hair cells as they exist from development onwards. That's why this isn't really a disorder or disease, it is simply one way that a person's cells can be built- just like some people have dark skin or resistance to a certain virus and some don't. there will never be a cure in that sense, it's like trying to cure the shape of someone's nose. The closest we will get is the replacement of our cells with new follicles, which I think would be just dandy. Sure it would be a pain in the ass and expensive, but also amazing. I wish it was coming sooner, as I am positive that it will in fact happen at some point, but the way things are looking I think a couple decades is probably the most likely timeframe at the earliest. lots of things to figure out still. The fact that there hasn't been a better alternative to propecia I think is a shame, and a testament to how powerful a drug company can be, and also to how turning a blind eye to the actual side effects has really hurt all of us. I think the HT docs are partially to blame. I saw dr. bernstein in NYC and he tried to explain to me that if he had the choice, propecia wouldn'e exist, because it takes business away from him. I think that's actually a pretty cynical and devious tactic on his part though, because the reality is that no one would ever get an HT if they couldn't count on propecia to halt further loss. I think that a lot of these doctors have never tried propecia themselves, and do not know firsthand how it affects the body. I am almost 100 percent sure that the people who do not get strong sexual side effects are still getting numbed mentally by the drug. in any case, let's hope someone pulls through with a better maintenance treatment.

[Haircure]

I disagree. Look at the needed knowledge, it's not just hairloss but it's way broader. If you look at stem cell engineering in general, then you will see that you're wrong, there ARE some of the world's most brilliant minds working on that, or do you think that Yamanaka shouldnt have gotten that Nobel Prize in 2012 for his work on iPS cells ? It's just that regenerative organ engineering is such a new field and it's so complex. It's very closely related to cancer research too (even more now they've found that cancer is driven by stem cells) and research there also could benefit us hairloss sufferers. It's all very closely related so if you look at it in that way, then you will see that the most brilliant minds of this world ARE working on it, but that it's just so extremely complex and we've just begun to scratch the surface of organ engineering.

But even if you look at the specialized field of hairloss research only, then there are still quite some highly intelligent and brilliant people working on it. Just watch the WCHR 2014 presentations man: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJn...bGaoOWFS6kRxDQ

Ergo, it's not that there a no smart people working on it, quite the contrary. It's just that it's extremely complex to generate an organ and we're just scratching the surface these days.

But then again, using regenerative medicine to provide a treatment for hairloss is a workaround from developing a treatment for the underlying cause of AGA. With that in mind, I believe there aren't that many people involved in conducting research and developing treatments compared to other disorders.

[Arashi]

Hair loss has no way even remotely close the same brilliant minds in NASA, HIV, etc. expect hair loss to remain one of the slowest fields. cb0301 is backed by a billion dollar company, things are changing. Just annoying you repeat what EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS. Almost as bad as 35yearsold we get it buddy.

I disagree. Look at the needed knowledge, it's not just hairloss but it's way broader. If you look at stem cell engineering in general, then you will see that you're wrong, there ARE some of the world's most brilliant minds working on that, or do you think that Yamanaka shouldnt have gotten that Nobel Prize in 2012 for his work on iPS cells ? It's just that regenerative organ engineering is such a new field and it's so complex. It's very closely related to cancer research too (even more now they've found that cancer is driven by stem cells) and research there also could benefit us hairloss sufferers. It's all very closely related so if you look at it in that way, then you will see that the most brilliant minds of this world ARE working on it, but that it's just so extremely complex and we've just begun to scratch the surface of organ engineering.

But even if you look at the specialized field of hairloss research only, then there are still quite some highly intelligent and brilliant people working on it. Just watch the WCHR 2014 presentations man: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJn...bGaoOWFS6kRxDQ

Ergo, it's not that there a no smart people working on it, quite the contrary. It's just that it's extremely complex to generate an organ and we're just scratching the surface these days.

[Swooping]

Hair loss has no way even remotely close the same brilliant minds in NASA, HIV, etc. expect hair loss to remain one of the slowest fields. cb0301 is backed by a billion dollar company, things are changing. Just annoying you repeat what EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS. Almost as bad as 35yearsold we get it buddy.

True, in my opinion we don't even have really those competitive "brilliant" people working on hair loss related fields. I would rate A.M Christiano way above everyone in the field but unfortunately she is working on other hair related disorders than AGA . Her approach is very solid too. But indeed, this will remain one of the slowest fields. I'll give you 110% that before we'll be having perfectly cultured hair follicles, we'll have a perfect cultured heart available.

[ShookOnes]

you could not view this forum for 10 years, and nothing the public can use will be available.

pilofocus at least..

[kobefan234]

you could not view this forum for 10 years, and nothing the public can use will be available.

[ShookOnes]

It's been decades... I don't give praise for mediocrity. Even Jahoda laughed at himself in a recent interview where he said 30 years ago he thought he'd solve it soon and said his hair went grey before all that.

Hair loss has no way even remotely close the same brilliant minds in NASA, HIV, etc. expect hair loss to remain one of the slowest fields. cb0301 is backed by a billion dollar company, things are changing. Just annoying you repeat what EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS. Almost as bad as 35yearsold we get it buddy.

[sascha]

We really should ask spencer about that... how can we do that?

I guess when he does his weekly show somebody could call in and ask. I would do it, but over here in Europe the time is not really great to call in when he does his show hahah would be nice to dedicate a whole show, or at least at good 50% of it to the future, because a lot of us are interested in it and if somebody knows its him. He doesnīt owe us to tell something, but he is a good guy and will understand

[hellouser]

Well I guess you have to keep in mind that there are at best only a handful of teams/companies working on hairloss research, and it's not like they started with a great deal of background information. I think maybe that you are a little narrow minded in expecting something so soon from an area with relatively little research and resources. And I don't think you can count the lack of a treatment from previous teams/companies as excuses. It's not like they aren't trying or just wasting time, it's likely due to hurdles such as lack in efficacy and or effectiveness in their treatments. You can't expect every company that tries to create a treatment to succeed.

It's been decades... I don't give praise for mediocrity. Even Jahoda laughed at himself in a recent interview where he said 30 years ago he thought he'd solve it soon and said his hair went grey before all that.

[Scientalk56]

Why donīt we just call in one time and ask spencer if he could give an all-around-update.
I am sure he spoke with Cotsarelis by now and knows definitly more about Histogen, Replicel, Dr. Wesley, Tu Berlin & Co. Hair transplants and robots sound cool and s***, but an update would be nice.

We really should ask spencer about that... how can we do that?

[Scientalk56]

Well you can see everything here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJn...bGaoOWFS6kRxDQ

Most of the video's are quite technical but most of them are understandable on a general level. Most interesting video I think is from Beren Atac, where she demonstrates that bio reactor. I always figured, if you grow organs in the lab, how do you 'feed' the cells and how do you make sure blood is pumping along the right way while the organ is growing ? That's all that that bio reactor does ! So a great great tool.

Other than that, pretty much everybody nowadays seems to be working to solve the 'final' piece of the puzzle: improving the hair inducing ability of cultured DP cells. But nobody knows what the 'missing link' is there. The most obvious things have been tried, all to no success. Maybe somebody gets it working tomorrow. But then again, maybe it will take 30 years. I think it's impossible for anyone to say something useful about that. A decade ago the 'missing link' was 'just' to culture DP cells. We've made some success now in that decade but who knows how long the last part will take ... Optimists will say we're really close now and it even could be any day now. Pessimists will say that it wont happen in our lifetime ...

Great link! Thank you Arashi!

[yeahyeahyeah]

Same problem here. I no longer turn heads... well, I do..... the other way.

The worse thing is mate, I would get a HT to correct my hairline. But what these HTs doctors don't understand, the only thing holding me back is not being able to maintain my native hair behind the transplanted hair after treatment - without using propecia.

So I don't understand WHY HTs doctors are not urgently trying to get a better solution out onto the market for maintenance, as they are losing potential clients in the process. i.e. low norwood guys like me.

[Haircure]

I'm having a very difficult time accepting excuses for all the research that's happened in the last 10+ years. 2014 and the best technology we have is the same garbage we had 20 years ago... or some magic pixie dust you can sprinkle on your bald head to create 'fibers' from a bottle with the name Caboki on it. Does that kind of progress not seem pathetic to you?

Well I guess you have to keep in mind that there are at best only a handful of teams/companies working on hairloss research, and it's not like they started with a great deal of background information. I think maybe that you are a little narrow minded in expecting something so soon from an area with relatively little research and resources. And I don't think you can count the lack of a treatment from previous teams/companies as excuses. It's not like they aren't trying or just wasting time, it's likely due to hurdles such as lack in efficacy and or effectiveness in their treatments. You can't expect every company that tries to create a treatment to succeed.

[hellouser]

Yes, we haven't had anything in over 20 years in terms of another treatment for hairloss. But the major factor in this that most people often forget is the amount of research that took place back then as compared to how much is being done now. Hairloss research was not as prominent 20 years ago as it is now, so it does look like it's going at a snails pace, but it also makes sense given how little it was being studied. But , the good news is that there are more and more research teams and drug companies looking into hairloss, and that progress should be made much quicker than 20 years ago. Even so, I think people need to understand that hair loss research is very small compared to what is being done in other areas of medicine, so you need to be realistic and not compare it to how we can create organs, or other medical breakthroughs that obviously have much more literature and past research involved.

I'm having a very difficult time accepting excuses for all the research that's happened in the last 10+ years. 2014 and the best technology we have is the same garbage we had 20 years ago... or some magic pixie dust you can sprinkle on your bald head to create 'fibers' from a bottle with the name Caboki on it. Does that kind of progress not seem pathetic to you?

[Haircure]

NOTHING. Literally, nothing.... and its a ****ing shame that that is the reality.



Considering we've already been saying it for 20...... TWENTY!! years, this doesn't change much. It just goes to show the lack of effort thats been put forth in solving this god damn disease and how much society wants us to STAY bald. Remember, the Positional Good Theory is real.

Yes, we haven't had anything in over 20 years in terms of another treatment for hairloss. But the major factor in this that most people often forget is the amount of research that took place back then as compared to how much is being done now. Hairloss research was not as prominent 20 years ago as it is now, so it does look like it's going at a snails pace, but it also makes sense given how little it was being studied. But , the good news is that there are more and more research teams and drug companies looking into hairloss, and that progress should be made much quicker than 20 years ago. Even so, I think people need to understand that hair loss research is very small compared to what is being done in other areas of medicine, so you need to be realistic and not compare it to how we can create organs, or other medical breakthroughs that obviously have much more literature and past research involved.