For people with thinning hair the idea of plucking out the few strands that remain may fill them with horror.
However a new study suggests that pulling out the lingering follicles could stimulate the scalp into a burst of regeneration which not only replaces the missing hair but triggers a widespread spurt of regrowth.
yesshealth: Researchers at the University of California were amazed to find that plucking out 200 hairs in a small area prompted 1,200 replacement hairs to grow.
However a new study suggests that pulling out the lingering follicles could stimulate the scalp into a burst of regeneration which not only replaces the missing hair but triggers a widespread spurt of regrowth.
yesshealth: Researchers at the University of California were amazed to find that plucking out 200 hairs in a small area prompted 1,200 replacement hairs to grow.
And the regrowth was not confined to the plucking area, but spread out into neighbouring parts of the scalp, boosting hair volume.
Although the treatment might seem extreme, and has so far only been shown to work in mice, scientists believe the discovery could lead to the creating of drugs or therapies which mimic the effect of plucking.
"The work leads to potential new targets for treating alopecia, a form of hair loss," said Cheng-Ming Chuong Professor of pathology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
"It is a good example of how basic research can lead to a work with potential translational value.”
Previous research by dermatologists had shown that when hair follicles are damaged it affects the adjacent skin and tissue and influence hair regeneration. It is the reason that vigorously massaging the scalp is recommended, for hair growth.
Although the treatment might seem extreme, and has so far only been shown to work in mice, scientists believe the discovery could lead to the creating of drugs or therapies which mimic the effect of plucking.
"The work leads to potential new targets for treating alopecia, a form of hair loss," said Cheng-Ming Chuong Professor of pathology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.
"It is a good example of how basic research can lead to a work with potential translational value.”
Previous research by dermatologists had shown that when hair follicles are damaged it affects the adjacent skin and tissue and influence hair regeneration. It is the reason that vigorously massaging the scalp is recommended, for hair growth.
