HealthCert Blog

Managing alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia is often challenging as patients may be resistant to treatments that are currently available. The use of stem cells may be a novel option for resistant cases. A study looked at the safety and efficacy of the use of autologous bone marrow derived mononuclear cells (including stem cells) as compared to follicular stems cells for the management of resistant cases of alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia.

The study included 40 patients (20 patients with alopecia areata and 20 patients with androgenetic alopecia). All patients were treated with a single session of intradermal injection of autologous stem cells therapy.

Six months after stem cell therapy injection, there was a significant improvement, confirmed by immunostaining and digital dermoscopy. The average improvement in all groups was “very good”. There was no significant difference between both methods in either type of alopecia. No serious adverse events were reported.

The study concluded that autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells and follicular stem cells seem to be a safe tolerable and effective treatment for the management of both resistant alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia.

Read more recent research on alopecia.

Source:
Iman Hamed Elmaadawi, Basma Mourad Mohamed, Zeinab Abel Samad Ibrahim, Said Mohamed Abdou, Yasmina Ahmed El Attar, Amira Youssef, Maha Mostafa Shamloula, Atef Taha, Hala Gabr Metwally, Mohamed M. El Afandy & Mohamed Labib Salem (2018) Stem cell therapy as a novel therapeutic intervention for resistant cases of alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia, Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 29:5, 431-440, DOI: 10.1080/09546634.2016.1227419

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