There is a lot of research going on with respect to hair cloning. This article will give you an insight on what it is, its benefits, and the roadblocks to this technology…
Today, many men and women are suffering from hair loss. So many have tried different home remedies, alternative medicine, and commonly prescribed medicines by dermatologists, like Minoxidil. These remedies or medicines might stop, or in few cases reverse the hair loss process. However, these are not 100% effective hair loss solutions. Another method to regain lost hair is hair transplantation, which can be a good solution of getting rid of baldness. However, it is very expensive and even a single session can cost hundreds of dollars. Also, in hair transplantation a patch of healthy hair from the patient’s body is removed and then hair follicles are grafted onto the bald patches. On the other hand, hair cloning seems to be a more promising and affordable solution for getting rid of balding patches.
What is It?
During the process of hair cloning the cells which are thought to control hair growth are extracted and then multiplied in a laboratory. The multiplied cells are then injected back where there are bald patches. Hair cloning is not true cloning, as the new hair follicles are not being completely made using one cell, which is done while cloning. However, during this process the derma papilla cells from the bulb which is located at the bottom of a healthy hair follicle is extracted. In the lab, these cells are multiplied and cultured. Once a predetermined number of cells are created, they are inserted into the scalp regions where baldness is noticeable.
Benefits
Today, there are certain drawbacks associated with cloning, but once these are solved and the process of hair cloning is perfected, conventional hair replacement procedures like hair grafting and hair transplant surgery will become outdated. Once the process of hair restoration cloning is popular, the price of this procedure will go down. Because, unlike the conventional methods, hair cloning doesn’t require a large group of qualified surgeons and other complicated processes. Also, the new hair will look natural as they are harvested from isolated healthy follicles. And there are no restrictions for cloned donor hair, and hence you can have an unlimited supply.
Problems Related to It
The technology of hair cloning is facing some challenges. At first, scientists were of the opinion that by 2010 cloning of hair would be successfully used for the common man, but many said that only by 2015 would it be available without any possible problems. However, there are still some problems associated with it, which scientists are trying to solve. One such problem is unreliable quantity, which means the results of implantation can be very variable. Another problem is the unreliable angles of hair growth. Natural hair growth of the follicles appear in a grain like pattern, while on the scalp it grows in a whirl pattern. So, if a person goes through hair cloning, there might be a cosmetically shabby appearance due to the new hair. Another limitation is that the natural hair follicles are evenly distributed over the skin, however in many rodent studies the hair follicles which were induced due to cloning didn’t have even distribution over the skin. One could see clumps of new hair growth. So, again this gives a clumpy growth-like appearance which is not acceptable. Other problems like the lower dermal sheath cells grafted might retain characteristics of the donor hair follicle.
Before going for hair restoration cloning procedure, weigh the pros and cons of this procedure. After taking everything into consideration, it would be wise to wait till this technology gets advanced to such a level that it is cosmetically acceptable.
