Hair follicles that have shrunk due to hair loss often do not recover through nutritional supply alone. Recently, a treatment that uses hair follicle stem cells to reactivate miniaturized follicles was published in an international journal, showing new treatment possibilities.
Source: Garg AK, Garg S.
“Enzymatic Dissociation and Identification of Hair Follicle Stem Cells for Reversing Miniaturization in Androgenetic Alopecia.”
Hair Transplant Forum International. 2025;35(3):88–93.
Links: ishrs-htforum.org/content/35/3/88 · doi:10.33589/35.3.88
What is hair follicle stem cell therapy?
Hair follicle stem cell therapy is a regenerative treatment in which stem cells present within healthy hair follicles are isolated and injected into areas where hair loss has progressed.
While conventional drug therapy aims to slow the progression of hair loss,
hair follicle stem cell therapy
✔ enhances the regenerative capacity of the follicle itself and
✔ aims to improve thinning hair (miniaturization).
This possibility was also introduced in a study recently published in Hair Transplant Forum International (2025).
Why are hair follicle stem cells important?
In androgenetic alopecia, hair follicles gradually become smaller over time, and thick hairs change into thin, vellus-like hairs.
This is called follicular miniaturization.
The problem is that once a follicle has miniaturized, it is difficult to restore through nutritional supply alone.
For this reason, research using stem cells within hair follicles to induce regeneration of miniaturized follicles has been actively conducted recently.
What treatment was performed in the international paper?
The paper used healthy hair follicles obtained during the hair transplant procedure.
Using an enzyme (trypsin), hair follicle-derived stem cells (HFDSC) were isolated from them and
injected directly into the areas where hair loss had progressed.
The study subjects were
- 20 people in the treatment group
- 20 people in the control group
.
The isolated cells were used after confirming stem cell markers such as
CD200
CD34
CD44, and
analyzing whether stem cells were actually present.
Study results
The results after 6 months were quite meaningful.
Increase in hair density
approximately 19% increase
Increase in hair thickness
approximately 20% increase
Cell viability
approximately 96%
Photographic assessment
Significant improvement was confirmed in all subjects of the treatment group.
In contrast, in the control group hair loss progressed further over time.
How are stem cells isolated?
In this study, trypsin was used.
However, in recent stem cell research,
methods using collagenase are also widely applied.
Each enzyme has its advantages and disadvantages.
| Item | Trypsin | Collagenase |
|---|---|---|
| Reaction speed | Fast | Slow |
| Cell damage | Somewhat present | Low |
| Stem cell preservation | Average | Excellent |
| Tissue dissociation | Simple | Precise |
Collagenase can dissociate hair follicle tissue more gently, so
it is known to have advantages in terms of stem cell viability and maintenance of function.
| Enzyme | Advantages | Disadvantages | Recommended use |
| Trypsin | Fast and inexpensive, simple cell dissociation | Damage to the cell surface | Harvesting cultured cells, monolayer cells |
| Collagenase | Excellent extracellular matrix degradation, high cell viability | Expensive, long processing time | Hair follicle dermis, stem cell isolation |
What makes Modi Hair Plant's hair follicle stem cell therapy different?
At Modi Hair Plant, based on our hair transplant experience, we focus on the regenerative capacity of hair follicles.
In particular, by applying hair transplantation and hair follicle stem cell therapy together, we provide treatment that considers both the graft survival environment of transplanted hair and the environment for maintaining existing hair.
After thoroughly evaluating the patient's hair loss condition and scalp condition,
an individualized treatment plan is established.
※ Treatment methods may vary depending on the patient's condition.
This may be helpful for the following people
- Early-stage androgenetic alopecia
- Cases where hair is gradually becoming thinner
- Cases where you want to improve the graft survival environment after a hair transplant
- Cases where drug therapy alone has not been satisfactory
- Cases where you want to maintain existing hair as much as possible
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is hair follicle stem cell therapy possible without a hair transplant?
It depends on the patient's hair loss condition and treatment goals. In some cases it may be possible as a standalone treatment, and in some cases better results can be expected when combined with a hair transplant.
Q. When do the effects appear?
There are individual differences, but generally changes in hair thickness and density may appear over several months.
Q. Has the effect been proven by the study results alone?
This paper showed very encouraging results, but the researchers also explain that larger-scale, multicenter studies are needed. Therefore, at present it is important to apply it together with existing treatments according to the patient's condition.
Conclusion
Hair follicle stem cell therapy goes beyond simply slowing hair loss; it is a new approach that studies the possibility of regenerating miniaturized hair follicles.
The international paper published in 2025 reported meaningful results in improving hair density and thickness, and further evidence is expected to accumulate through more research in the future.
Since hair loss differs in both its degree of progression and its causes, it is important to choose a treatment method suited to you based on an accurate diagnosis. At Modi Hair Plant, we thoroughly analyze each individual's condition and propose a customized treatment plan that includes hair transplantation and hair follicle stem cell therapy.
This content was written based on research published in an international academic journal and was posted after review by medical staff. The study results introduced do not guarantee any specific treatment outcome, and treatment methods may vary depending on the patient's condition.