Still a long way to go before curing baldness, despite reports of breakthrough discovery
There is still a long way to go before a cream or a pill could cure baldness in humans or make grey hair a thing of the past. This, despite recent reports about breakthrough discoveries made by scientists researching cancer.
Recent articles about a breakthrough discovery that could make grey hair and baldness a thing of the past are exaggerated, NHS Choices says. Build on the research paper coming from Texas University, media reports have suggested that scientists are on the verge of delivering the much promised cure. But there is still a long way to go before a cream or an ointment could effectively cure not baldness but also revers the process of hair turning grey.
The recently published articles cited a study presented by the University of Texas. Researchers here, studying neurofibratomis, succeeded in identifying cells that directly give rise to hair as well as the mechanism that causes hair to turn gray. Practically, the protein, called KROX20, is produced in specific cells within each individual hair follicle and it turns on production of another protein called SCF.
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The SCF protein supports the mature pigment and when it is not produced, it leads to hair turning white. And if the KROX20 is altogether missing, that then gives way to baldness.
But the NHS Choices points out that while the discovery is important because it offers great insight into the mechanism that causes grey hair and baldness, the study was made on mice and while the basic biology of cells in different mammals is very similar, there is still a need to see if the same process can be observed in humans.
The research is at an early stage and even thou now scientists have more information about how a group of cells in the hair follicles are responsible for colour and growth, there are no indications that baldness could be reversible or that grey hair could get recoloured.
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