Hair transplant surgery and french fries…two logical options to restore a thick head of hair, right? Believe it or not, scientist have a found that a chemical used in McDonald’s french fries could be key to restoring hair growth.
An experiment by a stem research team from Yokohama National University showed that the chemical dimethylpolysiloxane, the silicone added to McDonald’s fries to keep the oil from splattering, was successfully used to regrow hair on mice. Early testing shows that this method could be successful for human skin cells as well.
Scientists are saying this chemical was crucial in the advancement of “hair follicle germ” (HFG) growth, which they’ve been able to mass-produce simultaneously. This new method created 5,000 HFGs that were then injected via HFG chip into the backs of nude mice, where they successfully generated hair growth.
So you’ve been eating McDonald’s french fries for years and you’re bald. What gives? No, eating more is not the answer. You’ll see growth but it likely won’t be on your head. That is because the chemical alone will not produce follicular growth. Scientists found that the chemical was just a crucial component in building the hair cell growing chip used to grow hair in mice.
For now, what works? Where follicles have gone completely dormant and no longer producing hair, there is no way to get hair back unless you transplant if from the back of the head where the hair is most dense. Hair transplant surgery can be done by removing a strip from the back of the head to extract grafts from, FUT, or by extracting the grafts one by one (FuE) with NeoGraft. Here at Utah Facial Plastics, we offer both options, which work well for patients who are experiencing more mild thinning and breakage and looking for a boost of growth. Medications, such as finasteride and minoxidil, are often helpful in combination with in-office treatments.
To learn more about hair restoration options at Utah Facial Plastics, call (801)776-2220 or contact us HERE.