now scientists have a clearer biological understanding of hair growth processes

Scientists in America claim that they have uncovered fascinating new evidence about the mechanisms which are involved in hair growth. The scientists said that they have identified an important signalling molecule which actually informs hair follicles to begin a hair growing cycle.

Dr Ronald Crystal who is the chairman of genetic medicine working with the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Centre explained that there are some incredibly complex molecular signals involved in the process of hair growth and that one in particular namely laminins 511 was vital because it sent out a signal to the hair molecules to begin their growing process. He explained that now scientists have a much clearer biological understanding of the hair growth process.

But before you think that your hair loss worries are over remember that the research was conducted using mice and as Dr Crystal noted, mice and humans aren't exactly the same and therefore what worked for mice would not necessarily work for humans. Nevertheless scientists speculate that this discovery could open up new avenues of research to help people suffering from not only male pattern baldness but also men and women who suffer hair loss due to chemotherapy or severe burns.

Professor Peter Marinkovich from Stanford University School of Medicine explained further that hair follicles grew as a result of communications between the outer and inner layers of skin called the epithelium and the dermis respectively. The scientific research that was reported in the journal Genes & Development showed that this communication was reliant on the laminin-511.

This is not the only exciting hair loss discovery of this year as a few months ago scientists discovered that they could clone existing hair follicles on the scalp and multiply them in laboratories. This could mean that men and women experiencing hair loss could regrow their own hair and have it surgically implanted where they wanted.