Scientists believe they found the cure for hair loss in a new study involving rats.
The potentially life-changing discovery happened after a team of scientists transplanted human cells into laboratory mice. They did this by coaxing stem cells to become dermal papilla cells - a special type of cell which works together to create hair, Mirror reported.
If this new approach is used on people suffering from hair loss, they can still keep their existing hair and additionally grow new hair using stem cells cultured in a laboratory before being transplanted into the scalp, Mirror reported.
"Our stem cell method provides an unlimited source of cells from the patient for transplantation and isn't limited by the availability of existing hair follicles," lead researcher Alexey Terskikh, told Mirror.
In the U.S. about 56 million people are experiencing some extent of hair loss.
Currently the best options for people suffering from hair loss are include medications such as Propecia and Rogaine, hair replacements, and hair restoration, according to WebMD. However, about 70 percent of people are reportedly unhappy with their hair restoration.
Because of these high unsatisfaction numbers, the researchers are planning to continue the study and transplant the the induced hair cells into human test subjects.
The study was published in PLoS One.
