Byung Cheol Park

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Alopecia is highly prevalent and debilitating, yet current drugs provide limited, reversible benefit with notable side effects. We established a rapid protocol to generate human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived dermal papilla cells (hiPSC-DPCs) and demonstrated that their conditioned medium (CM) acts as a potent, cell-free hair-regenerative therapy. Transdermal delivery of hiPSC-DPCs or CM accelerated anagen re-entry and hair regrowth in depilated mice, and hiPSC-DPC CM outperformed minoxidil in promoting ex vivo hair-shaft elongation and in vitro proliferation and migration of primary DPCs and keratinocytes. Proteomic and metabolomic profiling revealed enrichment of growth factors, antioxidants, and immunomodulatory metabolites linked to TNF and PI3K–Akt signaling, conferring superior anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties relative to primary DPC CM. Moreover, hiPSC-DPC CM mitigated dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced pathology by suppressing androgen receptor expression and nuclear translocation. These findings position hiPSC-DPC secretome as a dual-functional, regenerative, and anti-androgenic biologic with translational potential for durable alopecia treatment.

Camellia japonica has various beneficial effects on the skin and hair; hence, it is widely used for hair care. However, the cellular mechanism(s) underlying these effects remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to confirm the efficacy of C. japonica seed extract (CJSE) in promoting hair growth and determine the action mechanism. CJSE was prepared using Camellia seed cake, and the components were analyzed through high-performance liquid chromatography. CJSE and its main components, camelliasaponins B1 and B2, significantly promoted the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells and hair elongation in cultured human hair follicles. They also prevented cellular senescence and DNA damage caused by a hair loss-inducing factor, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), via the p16 ^INK4a -pRb pathway in human hair follicle dermal papilla cells. Moreover, CJSE restored the activities of human hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) repressed by a DHT-treated dermal papilla cell-conditioned medium. It also directly activated human HFSCs by downregulating p21 expression. A clinical trial involving patients with pattern hair loss showed a significant increase in total hair count in the CJSE-treated group after 24 weeks. CJSE stimulates hair growth by preventing premature senescence of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells and upregulating the activation of human HFSCs. These results suggest that CJSE can be used as a novel functional ingredient for preventing male and female pattern hair loss.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of patterned hair loss, exhibiting gender-specific clinical features. Recent studies highlight the importance of the skin microbiome in maintaining skin health, but the relationship between the hair follicle microbiome and hair loss, particularly AGA, remains understudied. Hair follicle layer samples were collected directly from the crown region of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), male pattern hair loss (MPHL), and healthy adult women (control) groups. Microbial DNA was extracted and analyzed using Illumina 16S rRNA V3–V4 gene amplicon sequencing. Alpha-diversity and beta-diversity analyses and taxonomic and functional profiling were conducted through relative abundance, LEfSe, and PICRUSt2 analyses. The alpha-diversity analysis showed a significant decrease in microbial richness in the hair loss groups. Unweighted UniFrac-based beta-diversity analysis revealed significant clustering between the control group and the FPHL group. Taxonomic profiling and LEfSe analysis identified differences in microbial composition and biomarkers. PICRUSt2 analysis further revealed altered pathways related to porphyrin metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and steroid hormone metabolism. Additionally, differences in microbiome composition and potential functions were found between the FPHL and MPHL groups. This study provides comprehensive insights into the hair follicle microbiome, revealing unique microbial patterns and functional alterations associated with FPHL. Understanding these microbiome characteristics may contribute to targeted approaches for addressing AGA. Further research is warranted.

Monopolar radiofrequency(MRF) treatment is known to induce collagen contraction and remodeling in dermis. This study was conducted to evaluate safety of MRF in pre-clinical study first, and efficacy and safety in lifting and tightening of the face and upper neck in the clinical study. In pre-clinical setting, thermal imaging, and clinical and dermoscopic photography of after the procedure, and 7, 14, 30 days later were recorded. In clinical study, 23 subjects were enrolled and got 1 treatment. They were followed up at 4, 12, 24 weeks, and assessed using clinical photography. Changes in elasticity, pore number, wrinkle(%), and safety evaluation were also done. In the pre-clinical study, energy was safely delivered to the treatment area. In the clinical study, the clinical grades significantly decreased after 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Net and biological elasticity showed a significant increase at week 24. Pore count significantly decreased from week 12 and wrinkle started to decrease from week 4. Subjective satisfaction peaked in week 12. The average of pain score was 0.30 ± 0.63, and only mild adverse events were recorded. This study found that MRF deliver stable energy to the skin and have significant effect in skin laxity without complications.

Choi MS, et al. Ann Dermatol. 2025 Aug;37:e31. https://doi.org/10.5021/ad.24.133

Prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂) levels are high in the balding areas of human scalps, and PGD₂ has been found to inhibit hair growth. It is known that the inhibition of the PGD₂ receptor can promote hair growth by preventing hair follicles from entering the catagen phase. Thus, we identified an antagonist of DP2, the receptor for PGD2, as a potential treatment for hair loss using an AI-based DeepZema^® drug development program. In this study, we identified that the DP₂ antagonist (DP2A) could ameliorate alopecia in human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) that were stimulated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a known molecule related to hair loss. We observed that the DP2A promoted wound healing efficiency and increased alkaline phosphatase levels in the HFDPCs that were damaged with DHT. In addition, we found that the DP2A diminished the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels generated in the DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We confirmed that the DP2A effectively recovered the membrane potential of mitochondria in these cells. We also demonstrated that the DP2A enhanced the phosphorylation levels of both Akt and ERK in the HFDPCs that were damaged with DHT. Notably, we revealed that the DP2A slightly enlarged the three-dimensional spheroid size in these cells and confirmed that the DP2A improved hair growth in the organ culture of human hair follicles. Taken together, we suggest that DP2A has therapeutic effects on HFDPCs that are damaged by DHT and holds promise as a potential treatment for treating hair loss.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a prevalent hair loss disorder with psychological repercussions. Traditional treatments have limitations, leading to the exploration of regenerative therapies such as exosomes derived from adipose tissue stem cells (ASC‐Exosomes).Methods: First, using human hair follicle (HF) dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) treated with ASC‐Exosomes, ALP, VCAN, β‐catenin, and LEF‐1 levels with RT‐PCR and p‐GSK3β, GSK3β, β‐catenin, ALP, and β‐actin levels with western blot analysis were assessed. Hair shaft elongation test and assay for ALP, Ki‐67, and β‐catenin were done using human HF organ culture. Patients with AGA had ASC‐Exosomes treatment and were evaluated for hair counts, photographic assessments, subjective satisfaction, and safety profiles.Results: ASC‐Exosomes impact hDPCs, increasing proliferation and the upregulation of hair growth‐related genes, including ALP, VCAN, β‐catenin, and LEF‐1. The Wnt/β‐catenin pathway was activated, indicating their role in promoting hair growth. ASC‐Exosomes also promoted hair shaft elongation and ALP activity, suggesting a potential for hair regeneration. Thirty participants with AGA enrolled and treated over 24 weeks. The subjects experienced a significant increase in total hair density, improved global photographic assessments, and reported higher subjective satisfaction without severe adverse reactions.Conclusion: This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of exosomes in hair loss treatment, offering a safe and effective alternative for individuals with AGA.

Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) is known to be effective in regenerating tissues, and bimatoprost, an analog of PGF_2α, has been approved by the FDA as an eyelash growth promoter and has been proven effective in human hair follicles. Thus, to enhance PGE₂ levels while improving hair loss, we found dihydroisoquinolinone piperidinylcarboxy pyrazolopyridine (DPP), an inhibitor of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), using DeepZema^®, an AI-based drug development program. Here, we investigated whether DPP improved hair loss in human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) damaged by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes hair loss. We found that DPP enhanced wound healing and the expression level of alkaline phosphatase in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We observed that DPP significantly down-regulated the generation of reactive oxygen species caused by DHT. DPP recovered the mitochondrial membrane potential in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We demonstrated that DPP significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of the AKT/ERK and activated Wnt signaling pathways in DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We also revealed that DPP significantly enhanced the size of the three-dimensional spheroid in DHT-damaged HFDPCs and increased hair growth in ex vivo human hair follicle organ culture. These data suggest that DPP exhibits beneficial effects on DHT-damaged HFDPCs and can be utilized as a promising agent for improving hair loss.