Hairy moles may contain cure for baldness: Study

ISLAMABAD: Researchers may have discovered elusive cure to baldness in an unlikely place, those unsightly hairs that sometimes grow out of skin moles.

Researchers found that specific molecule in those hairy moles "Causes normally dormant and diminutive hair follicles to activate their stem cells for robust growth of long and thick hairs," lead researcher Maksim Plikus, PhD, professor of developmental and cell biology at University of California, Irvine said in statement.

Findings could lead to new treatments for hair loss condition known as androgenetic alopecia, which researchers said occurs in both men and women. It is also known as male-pattern baldness in men.

Global team led by researchers at university analysed hair follicle stem cells and discovered that molecule called osteopontin drives accelerated hair growth. Stem cells can develop into different kinds of cells, whether they are in body or in laboratory and are often involved in regenerative or repair processes, according to Mayo Clinic.

This latest study, published Wednesday in journal Nature, was done on mice. Drug company co-founded by Plikus said in news release that it had further tested hair growth technique on human hair follicles and "Researchers were able to induce new growth by human hair follicles in robust pre-clinical model." company, Amplifica, said in release that it has an exclusive licensing agreement with university for new hair growth "Inventions" described in newly published findings.