Alopecia Treatment Gets Hairy With Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs)
ABSTRACT
Trichoscopic Evaluation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell Conditioned Media for Androgenic Alopecia.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2023 Nov;22(11):3107-3117. doi: 10.1111/jocd.15799.
Kamishima T, Ueshima T, Nakazawa Y, Hayashi K, Koga S, Yoshida M, et al.
Author information
1.Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Midtown Skin/Aesthetic Clinic Noage, Tokyo, Japan.
2.Tokyo Midtown Dental Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
3.Tokyo Midtown Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
4.Tokyo Midtown Center for Advanced Medical Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
5.Ginza Solaria Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
6.Panagy Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
BACKGROUND:Androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) is the most common cause of hair loss and is characterized by the progressive shrinking of hair follicles. Conditioned media derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) contains a rich mixture of growth factors, cytokines, and regenerative signaling molecules that may stimulate hair follicle repair and promote new hair growth without requiring direct stem cell transplantation.
METHODS:This pilot clinical study enrolled men with androgenic alopecia to evaluate the effectiveness of conditioned media derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSC-CM). The DPSCs were isolated from exfoliated deciduous (baby) teeth and cultured to produce a regenerative conditioned medium. Participants received six scalp treatments at one-month intervals, and hair growth was evaluated using standardized photographs and trichoscopic measurements over a nine-month follow-up period.
RESULTS:Treatment with DPSC-conditioned media improved hair growth in approximately 75% of participants, regardless of age, disease severity, or concurrent treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) inhibitors. Trichoscopic analysis demonstrated improvements in hair density and follicular characteristics, while only mild, temporary injection-site discomfort was reported, with no serious treatment-related adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS:This pilot clinical study demonstrated that conditioned media derived from dental pulp stem cells may represent a safe and promising regenerative treatment for androgenic alopecia. These findings support continued clinical investigation of DPSC-derived therapies as a novel, cell-free approach for promoting hair regeneration.
PMID: 37154468
PMCID: Not available
DOI: 10.1111/jocd.15799