My Take

[BaldAndHairy]

Hi everyone

I am a young man with a receding hairline. As anyone with this condition and aware of its obvious downsides and the ability to peruse the internet with supposedly its unbounded supply of information I am admitting that I have spent a lot of time on this website, reading scientific studies about androgenetic alopecia, and even contacting the people who are working to find better treatments or even cure this condition. I am posting here to offer my own personal take on what I have read.

The science seems to be simple and one lab in particular seems to have it right. Dr. Cotsarelis' lab has shown that hair follicles are programmed by simple dose-dependent factors (prostaglandins like PGD2, a likely downstream byproduct of DHT) and alternate mechanisms (the FGF9 pathway in wound-healing, read his Nature paper). His papers spell out the problem of hair loss so simply and convincingly.

This is the cutting edge it seems. And we're lucky to be at the point where the compounds, receptors, and pathways are becoming clear. I think this condition is ready to be able to be significantly treated or cured. The specific receptor has been identified and antagonists exist already too. If safety has already been established they will come even quicker. It is hard to forsee significant problems arising from those compounds because the pathway is being specifically targeted. Meaning, cancer is unlikely. And because it's a skin condition drug delivery can be very specific. Like better than any other organ.

It's going to happen but it will take a bit. They are probably doing preclinical trials right now on mice which is why nobody has heard anything. Mice cannot go on clinicaltrials.gov. I think it's very likely progress is being made.

The best thing for all of us to do (and anyone for that matter) is to keep our heads up and focus on what is important. And that means staying off this site! It will come. Make sure you have the $$ to pay for it.