An article in the New York Times discusses research surrounding a potential new hair loss treatment. The NY Times’ article “Old Transplant Drug May Have A Fringe Benefit” states that an immunosuppressant used to prevent organ rejection in those having liver, kidney or heart transplants also stimulated hair growth.
First prescribed in the 1980’s it is now used for the treatment of many diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Nathan Hawkshaw, at the University of Manchester found that cyclosporine A stops the production of a protein that inhibits the growth of some tissues, one of them being hair follicles.
Old Transplant Drug May Have A Fringe Benefit
What was important to the first patients who took cyclosporine A was that it made their bone-marrow transplants work; few reported the increased luster of their hair. Now scientists think the drug may hold the key to an effective treatment for baldness.
Patients began using cyclosporine A in the Eighties and it is now prescribed for dozens of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Like all immunosuppressants it has serious side-effects, so hirsutism (increased body hair) was never considered a big downside. And neither was it seriously considered an upside.
Increasing your vulnerability to infection to reverse hair loss is not a risk many would take. But a team at the University of Manchester think they have found a way to mimic the hair promoting effects without the serious consequences.
Nathan Hawkshaw, then a PhD student, found that the drug decreased production of the protein SFRPI, which acts as a brake on the growth of some tissues, among them hair follicles. He and his colleagues then learned that another compound already existed that was designed to target SFRPI – and not do much else.
In a paper in Plos Biology they wrote that the compound enhanced follicle growth better than cyclosporine A, and Dr. Hawkshaw believes that this could work as a topical hair treatment. However, since the test follicles were healthy, it is not known whether actual balding could be reversed.
If the compound turns out to be safe and effective, it will still take several years to make it onto the market.
- Read the original article in The Times of London
- Read about Medical Treatment options at Bernstein Medical
CBS News has enlisted the help of Dr. Bernstein in dispelling a series of myths which circulate in the general public about the causes and treatments of hair loss. The feature is titled, Hey, Baldy: 10 Things You Need to Know about Hair Loss.
CBS News’ The Early Show has picked up the “balding buzz” that first started to grow when the National Enquirer reported that New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady is seeking advice on how to treat his hair loss.
New York, NY — Robert M. Bernstein, M.D., F.A.A.D., world-renowned pioneer of the hair transplant techniques, 
1. Selling hair transplants to patients who do not need it, just to make money. I have met with an increasing number of very young patients getting hair transplants for changes in the frontal hairline that reflect a maturing hairline, not balding. Also, performing surgery on very young men (18-22) with early miniaturization is in my opinion outside the “Standard of Care”. Treating these young men with a course of approved medications for a full year should be the Standard of Care for all of us.
Dr. Bernstein discusses the technique of follicular unit 
Columbia University Medical Center has awarded Dr. Bernstein, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, a “Certificate of Appreciation” for sustained contributions to the academic programs of the Department of Dermatology, Columbia University. Please read below for the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration press release and a transcript of an interview with Dr. Bernstein on receiving the honor:
The website of Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration, a state-of-the-art hair transplant facility in Manhattan, was recently recognized by the World Wide Web Health Awards as one of the Internet’s best resources. 
