Many of you have probably heard the statement that "iPS cells have the potential to treat diseases for which there is currently no cure, as well as intractable diseases."
In the field of hair, while there is hope that "iPS cells may be able to regenerate hair from scratch," many people are not very familiar with how far iPS cell research has actually progressed.

Therefore, in this article, we will explain in detail the reality of hair regeneration using iPS cells and the latest approaches currently being implemented at Dr. Touhi Clinic.

Challenges in hair regeneration

Because iPS cells are theoretically "pluripotent stem cells" that can be the source of all cells and organs that make up the body, it is thought that they "might also be able to create hair." For people who are deeply troubled by thinning hair, AGA, gray hair, and alopecia areata, regenerative medicine using iPS cells is attracting attention as a "dream treatment."
Younger generations, in particular, are likely seeking immediate and fundamental solutions and are hoping for their practical application as soon as possible.
However, hair is an extremely complex tissue, so translating that into actual hair regeneration presents significant medical hurdles.

The difficulty of not only reproducing hair but also replicating its "hair quality."

When you hear about hair regeneration, you might think, "Success means hair grows back."
However, in reality, that alone is not enough.

The main reason why growing hair from iPS cells is not a simple matter is that the tissue that produces hair has an "extremely complex structure."

At the base of each hair follicle is a tissue called the "hair follicle," but this is not made up of just one type of cell.
• Hair matrix cells that promote hair growth
• Hair follicle stem cells, the source of hair
• Melanocytes, which give color to hair

In this way, multiple different types of cells coexist in perfect symbiosis, working together to produce healthy hair.
Therefore, unless all of these cells are accurately reproduced and arranged from iPS cells, we will not be able to reach the stage of actually growing healthy hair.

Currently, research is underway to create each type of cell from iPS cells, and there are also beginning to be reports of research that have successfully grown hair using this method.
While the technology to regenerate hair from scratch is still in the research stage, I believe it is a field that is steadily progressing toward practical application.

In the future, if regenerative medicine becomes a reality that can improve not only hair growth but also the hair quality itself, it could potentially solve the problems of many people, as hair quality changes with age, and many experience frizz, dryness, and a decrease in firmness and elasticity.

▼We also explain hair regeneration in more detail here.

Expectations for practical application

Simply creating the shape of a hair follicle from iPS cells is not enough to grow hair.
As I explained in the section on the mechanism of curly hair, in people with curly hair, the shape of the hair follicle itself is distorted.
If distorted hair follicles are created from iPS cells, the hair that grows from them will also be frizzy, poor-quality, and curly.

To truly regenerate high-quality hair, it's necessary to properly replicate all the cells that make up the hair follicle and create a healthy hair follicle itself.
In other words, unless you first create hair follicles and then go even further to the second stage of ensuring that you can properly create well-shaped, beautiful hair follicles, it will not lead to practical hair regeneration.

Of course, research is still in its early stages, and we need to carefully monitor future results. However, as research progresses, it is hoped that this technology will have the potential to be applied not only to thinning hair but also to various other hair problems such as gray hair and alopecia areata. I believe that hair regeneration therapy is a very promising field.

iPS cell therapy performed at Dr. Touhi Clinic

While I mentioned that a treatment that "creates new hair follicles from a bare scalp to grow hair" is not yet a reality, that doesn't mean we can't benefit from iPS cells at all.
One area where a different approach has already begun is "hair regrowth treatment."

At Dr. Touhi Clinic, we have already put into practical use regenerative medicine treatments utilizing "iPS cell culture supernatant," a useful component obtained during the process of culturing iPS cells, and are providing these treatments to many patients.
This treatment does not "create new hair follicles," but rather works at the cellular level to approach weakened and dormant hair follicles, stimulating their natural function and promoting hair growth.
Currently, many patients visit our clinic every day for this treatment, and I myself have experienced its extremely high hair regrowth effect through my practice.

▼Click here for more information about iPS cell therapy at Dr. Touhi Clinic.

In actual clinical practice, there are cases where hair growth is observed in areas where hair follicles appear to be absent.
However, to avoid any misunderstanding, I want to clarify that this is not a case of depleted hair follicles regenerating, but rather a result of the treatment activating subcutaneous hair follicles that had been weakened to an extreme degree and were dormant, thus restoring their ability to produce hair again.

Of course, the effects will vary from person to person.
Some people see significant changes after just one treatment, while others experience gradual improvement through multiple treatments.
Nevertheless, compared to conventional hair growth injections, I feel that the rate of hair growth and the degree of improvement are higher.
actually,We have seen numerous cases where patients who had been receiving conventional injection treatments for a long time have experienced further hair regrowth after switching to iPS cell-derived culture supernatant therapy.

▼The effects of iPS cell therapy are also introduced in this article.

Comparison of the effectiveness of AGA treatment and iPS cell therapy.

In AGA treatment, minoxidil and other AGA medications are used to suppress hair loss and promote hair growth.
On the other hand,Regenerative medicine using iPS cell culture supernatant is based on the idea of ​​working on the cells themselves and improving the scalp environment at the cellular level.
Because the approaches are fundamentally different, each treatment has its own role.
Furthermore, the improved scalp environment achieved through regenerative medicine is not guaranteed to last forever.
As people age, their cells also age.
Therefore, even after the condition has stabilized, performing maintenance treatment every six months to a year makes it easier to maintain a good condition.

▼We also provide detailed explanations of other differences, such as the differences between iPS cells and exosomes.

Self-care with a serum derived from iPS cells

Some people may feel that "injecting the scalp is a bit daunting" or "want to start with home care first."
For those people,Dr. TOUHI CLINIC also offers a scalp serum containing iPS cell-derived culture supernatant.
By incorporating it into your daily home care routine, you can use it to support a healthier scalp environment.
This is recommended not only for those considering injection treatment, but also for those who want to start with home care.

▼Click here for more information about scalp serums incorporating regenerative medicine.

Summary

While the era of freely regenerating hair follicles from scratch using iPS cells is still under research, the power of "iPS cell culture supernatant," which awakens dormant hair follicle cells, is already providing relief to many people suffering from hair loss and AGA as a new option to approach the scalp environment at the cellular level.

Since hair loss and AGA (androgenetic alopecia) are progressive, it is important to start appropriate treatment as early as possible.
If you're looking to rejuvenate your scalp cells and restore healthy hair rather than forcing it to grow with medication, then please consider this as a viable option.

If you'd like to know the current condition of your hair follicles, which treatment is right for you, or if you'd like to discuss regenerative medicine in more detail, please feel free to contact Dr. TOUHI CLINIC.