Who is testing/developing Histogen? How do we get in on it?

[79BirdofPrey]

What company is currently doing the development on Histogen? I'm wondering if they are testing this stuff then perhaps we can get in on some phase 1 or 2 trials.

[dgman21]

I think you are 1 of a million that would like to be on a trial of Histogen...I would love to know how to get on it!

[Fixed by 35]

As I've said in other posts, you, like the vast majority of balding people in the western world, wouldn't be a suitable candidate to trial Histogen for the following reasons:

1) You have too much of a vested interest in the product working. Candidates who are desperate for a product to work have a tendency to ignore side effects, which makes them unsuitable in safety trials.

2) You're more likely to sue them if something goes wrong. Histogen is selective about which countries it does its trials, which need the infrastructure to perform testing safely and efficiently, access to employment visas for their chosen staff and a large contingent of docile test subjects who are ignorant of their legal rights and therefore won't sue them. The USA offers none of these things; religious headbangers will start protesting outside facilities the minute they hear the words stem cells; it's difficult to get an employment visa (although most of the staff are American) and society is extremely litigious. Australia and the EU countries have less of a problem with anti-social religious headbangers, but subjects are still too liable to sue.

Singapore is an excellent choice, because whilst it is a 'first world' country, the Government has a reputation for being contemptuous of the legal rights of mere individuals, it's not that hard to get a visa and large public gatherings without permission are illegal, which stops the headbangers. Honduras, where the original testing took place, provided some similar benefits.

3) You may well have taken a hair loss drug at some time in your life. Histogen is only being tested on people who don't have traces of DHT prohibiters such as finasteride in their blood. If they did have traces of such drugs, then it wouldn't be a fair experiment. There's also the argument that once you've popped a pill once in your life, your head will technically never be in its absolutely natural genetic state required for testing.

So, you can't be a test subject, but so what? The expected release date of Histogen in developed world Asian states, such as Singapore (and presumably Hong Kong and Malaysia) is late 2013 or early 2014. For me, that means if I follow my father's pattern, if I move to another country and use a lot of Toppik and spray hair I should be able to hide my baldness until the cure comes out.

To be honest, I think Histogen will come under pressure to release the drugs earlier than that (although I'm not sure they could work any faster). At least three other companies are said to have equally enticing products in development and the likelihood is that the most successful will be the first non-surgical to be released (which leaves Aderans in the cold somewhat). Also, the prospect of choices is excellent; it'll mean competitive prices.

[KeepTheHair]

My hair sucks... My hairline is way too far receded. WAY too far.

I really need this...I just don't think waiting 3-5 years is going to be fun at all...


This sucks so bad. But then again its good news. I am glad that most of my life will probably be spent with a good head of hair and that I only have to spend a few of them looking like this.


Does anyone think there is a chance something will come out earlier?

[Fixed by 35]

I would very much doubt that anything will be available before the end of 2013 now. You have to give any new product a couple of years at least for safety trials.

However, if its any consolation, my recent research indicates that Propecia and PRP are a lot more effective than I earlier believed. One of the UKs leading dermatologists believes it has a success rate of around 99% and can typically be expected to increase hair density by up to 15%, with failings attributed to men giving up with it because they didn't get a miracle or they got lazy.

I'll try and find his name; he is reputable.

[KeepTheHair]

I am seriously considering getting 2000 or so grafts on the hairline done...

edit: FUE grafts


I am pretty sure propecia + fluridil should be able to hold what I have... or at least I hope so.

[Fixed by 35]

My only concern with hair transplants now is whether the pain is necessary when Histogen is going to hit the market soon enough. Also, I worry that Histogen might not work as well in areas that have been so manipulated by surgery.

[KeepTheHair]

Well...paying $10k to repair my hairline would be great. Even if its just 2 years I get extra in my youth to look good. I think 2000 grafts on the hairline for me would do wonders... it will restore a lot of the damage. My hair right now is a big joke...

Everyone "notices" it. I can see it on their faces... mehhh I've somewhat gotten used to it but you know it gets to me.

I am seriously considering FUE right now. You do bring up some good points...

[Fixed by 35]

I'm confident that I'll have a reasonable head of hair by age 32. I'll be young enough to enjoy it awhile and I'll live my youth in my thirties. The way I look at it, I'll have already lived out my 40s in my 20s. I'll just live my decades in a different order!

[KeepTheHair]

haha... yeah

Really though, I can't really see myself waiting 3 years...though it is probably going to happen...


If I can get a successful transplant without too much hassle and if it wont interfere with histogen then it will definitely be worth it...

But its such a hassle to travel, tell everyone what the hell your up to and so on...

[KeepTheHair]

Oh and does anyone know anything about it possibly interfering with transplanted areas?

[Fixed by 35]

You shouldn't be ashamed of being open about your fight with hair loss. If someone fails to understand why you do it, you can point out:

1) They wash and brush their hair every day. Isn't that just as vain? Why not shave it off if baldness is so great anyway?

2) They spend money trying to improve areas of their body they don't like. Women also use make up regularly. Why bother, other than for vanity?

3) If they're not losing their hair, then they don't have a clue how it feels.

4) If they are losing their hair, isn't it just as insecure to shave their heads in a desperate attempt to look trendy (they really really don't - they look bald, end of)?

[gmonasco]

My only concern with hair transplants now is whether the pain is necessary when Histogen is going to hit the market soon enough.

a) There are no guarantees that Histogen's HSC is going to "hit the market" ever, much less within the next few years.

b) It has not yet been demonstrated that HSC is a safe and effective treatment for ameliorating significant (or even minor) hair loss.

Everybody wants something to hope and believe in, but banking on HSC at this point is really jumping the gun.

[KeepTheHair]

I agree with what you said. But I really do think we can somewhat count on it in the long run.

I think HT should definitely be an option still and one should not simply say "im going to wait"


You both make really good points

[gmonasco]

Objectively, at this time there simply isn't enough documentation to say that HSC is really anything more than a concept. It has a long way to go before becoming a marketable product, and it's far from certain that HSC will ever reach that point.