Breakthrough sugar gel for hair loss
Key Takeaways
Surprise findings of hair regrowth using naturally occurring sugar 2dDR appeared in recent studies.
Current OTC and prescription alopecia treatments are not universally effective.
A 2023 study showed effective topical application to treat androgenic alopecia.
Could we finally have an effective treatment to reverse or prevent hair loss? Surprise findings from a study on a naturally occurring sugar in the body, 2-deoxy-D-Ribose (2dDR), may provide hope for those facing alopecia and baldness.[]
Thanks to a 2023 study on hair regrowth using 2dDR, patients suffering from this difficult-to-treat condition may soon be able to see some significant improvement.[]
Most treatments offer mixed results
Whether caused by aging, medical treatments such as chemotherapy, or other factors, alopecia is an unfortunate fact of life for many people. Harvard Health describes hereditary-patterned baldness—the most common cause of hair loss—as “a natural condition caused by some combination of genetics, hormone levels and the aging process,” adding that up to 40% of individuals will experience a “more obvious form” of hair loss.[]
Permanent hair loss and baldness can be distressing for those experiencing it. Hair growth products and treatments aim to help individuals regain confidence and reconnect with their identity. However, to date, no drug or product is fully successful at reversing or preventing the balding process.
Treatments such as topical minoxidil (Rogaine) and oral finasteride (Propecia) are intended to promote hair growth. Unfortunately, these options are not universally effective and do not provide a miracle cure. Minoxidil and finasteride have shown to prevent hair loss and promote new hair growth in some patients, but improvements are unpredictable from one person to the next.[]
In addition to over-the-counter treatments and prescriptions for hair regrowth, certain supplements carry some promise for targeting hair loss. Hydrolyzed fish-origin collagen, taurine, cysteine, methionine, iron, and selenium may help curb hair loss, but these supplements may only be effective in certain cases.
Related: Hair loss supplements that actually workNew research with promising results
New hope has emerged by surprise from the aforementioned study on 2dDR. Originally aiming to study the use of this sugar in a gel application for wound healing in mice, researchers observed hair regrowth as an unexpected effect of the topical application.[]
A subsequent study set out to investigate this hair-regrowth process.[] Researchers studied the application of 2dDR gel to treat androgenic alopecia (AGA) in mice over a 20-day period. Results showed “an increase in length, diameter, hair follicle density, anagen/telogen ratio, diameter of hair follicles, area of the hair bulb covered in melanin, and an increase in the number of blood vessels.”[] This can be explained by 2dDR promoting increased blood supply to the hair bulb, which in turn stimulates hair growth.
Indeed, this topical “sugar gel” holds promise in treating hair loss. Researchers report that 2dDR-SA hydrogels “showed sustained hair growth in AGA mice, demonstrating 2dDR-SA hydrogel as a potential therapeutic agent for treating AGA.”[]
Possible applications
Researchers confirm 2dDR’s potential for treatment of AGA, adding it may also provide hope for “other alopecia conditions where stimulation of hair regrowth is desirable, such as after chemotherapy.”[] Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (including loss of eyebrows and eyelashes) is one of the most visible and distressing side effects of cancer treatment, and this expanded scope would provide a significant benefit for millions of cancer patients worldwide.
What this means for you
Additional research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of 2dDR application in humans to prevent hair loss. However, if such research proves successful, new treatments on the horizon could provide hope for those experiencing various forms of alopecia.