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A team of researchers discovered that stevioside, a compound from Stevia, boosts how well minoxidil penetrates the skin. In lab studies, a stevioside-based patch activated new hair growth in mice with alopecia. This approach could make hair loss treatments more natural, efficient, and effective for millions worldwide. Understanding Androgenetic Alopecia Androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss, is one of the most prevalent causes of hair thinning worldwide. It affects both men and women and occurs when hair follicles gradually shrink, producing finer and shorter hairs over time. This condition is influenced by genetic...

A woman's fertility normally decreases by her late 30s with reproductive function eventually ceasing at menopause. It is known that a small molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) plays a critical role in this decline, and scientists have revealed how this happens and have identified potential new approaches to enhance reproductive longevity. NAD+, which is present in all cells throughout the human body, begins to decline with age and maintaining optimal levels is vital for key cellular functions and healthy aging, said Perrone. Recently, it became clear that the same decline was occurring in the ovaries, contributing to the natural...

Study demonstrates that mice can regrow hair follicles at wound sites; the finding could lead to treatment for human hair lossAside from a few, fleeting empirical observations in the 1950s, adult mammals appear to be lacking regenerative abilities. Just ask anyone whose hair follicles have died—the result is baldness. But there is a glimmer of hope for the hair-challenged among us. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania report that new hair follicles formed on the backs of mice that had suffered open skin wounds. The finding could pave the way for use in regenerating human hair. In fact, that possibility...

NEW YORK – Look around a crowd, and you'll see that lots of middle-aged men are losing their hair. As Baby Boomers, they have every right to demand, What is science doing about this? Quite a bit, it turns out. A British company, for example, says five guys are walking around with hundreds more hairs than they had before, thanks to an early test of what's been called hair cloning. An American outfit hopes to start testing a similar approach next year. Other scientists are tracking down genes that make some men susceptible to hair loss, and struggling to understand...