Health
Men going bald turn to 'new Botox' for hair loss treatment
The cure for baldness has long been a scientific enigma.
Yet advanced treatment options and hair-loss clinics have continued to emerge — and researchers are making progress on finding fixes for balding.
UCLA scientists recently alerted a “breakthrough” discovery involving a molecule named PP405 that can “waken long-slumbering but undamaged” hair follicles, according to a press release.
CURE FOR MEN’S HAIR LOSS COULD BE FOUND IN SUGAR STORED IN THE BODY, STUDY SUGGESTS
In a 2023 clinical trial, researchers found that applying PP405 as a topical medicine to the scalp at bedtime showed “statistically significant” results.
They believe this treatment will produce “full ‘terminal’ hair rather than the peach fuzz variety.”
PP405 is now in Phase 2 clinical trials for men and women with androgenetic alopecia, according to a researcher. (iStock)
William Lowry, Ph.D., a co-researcher at UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, told Fox News Digital that although this research is promising, “cure is a strong word.”
“There are only two FDA-approved treatments for androgenetic alopecia (AGA, or pattern baldness): minoxidil and finasteride,” he said in an interview.
“They are both limited in efficacy and improve hair in only a portion of patients who take them.”
THESE 5 BALDING AND HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS COULD HELP ENSURE A HEALTHY SCALP, EXPERTS SAY
Other treatment options include supplements, red light therapy, platelet-rich plasma injections and hair transplantation, Lowry said, although these have not undergone “definitive clinical trials and can be expensive, time-consuming and limited in efficacy.”
He added, “None of these are curative, meaning none of them permanently restore all hair lost due to AGA.”
Some treatment options for hair loss are “limited in efficacy,” said a co-researcher (not pictured) at UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center in LA. (iStock)
Lowry and his fellow researchers have discovered that hair follicle stem cells have a “distinct metabolism from other cells in the follicle.”
He said, “We found that promoting this metabolism can accelerate stem cell activation, which makes new hairs grow. We subsequently developed drugs that can drive this effect in various models of hair loss that reflect the multifactorial drivers of androgenetic alopecia in patients.”
HAIR LOSS AND PROSTATE MEDICATION COULD ALSO REDUCE HEART DISEASE RISK, STUDY FINDS
PP405 has become the leading candidate for hair-loss treatment as part of this new class of drugs.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring a novel treatment option to patients with hair loss based on strong science and rigorous clinical trials,” he said.
“Additionally, because the mechanism of action we discovered is distinct from previous approaches, it can potentially be used in combination with other therapies.”
“This novel class of drugs drove the formation of Pelage Pharmaceuticals, a regenerative medicine biotech developing new treatments for hair loss, with PP405 being the lead candidate.” (iStock)
Brendan Camp, M.D., a Manhattan-based dermatologist, told Fox News Digital in an interview that hair loss is a condition that “affects many and can have a negative impact on people’s psychosocial health.”
So identifying a potential new hair-loss treatment is an “exciting step for patients and providers in the management of what can otherwise be a difficult condition to treat.”
‘New Botox’
Camp agreed there is an “unmet need” for hair-loss treatment and that there’s growing interest in providing solutions and offering hair restoration services more widely.
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As cosmetic injections such as Botox and fillers have continued to be popular anti-aging and beauty treatments, hair-loss and restoration med spas are similarly surfacing nationwide.
The clinics offer a variety of services for men and women given the availability of modern options.
Early intervention when to balding is “key,” said one expert. (iStock)
Dr. Amy Spizuoco, DO, of True Dermatology in New York, dubbed balding treatments in this capacity the “new Botox.”
“With advances in treatments like minoxidil, finasteride, PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy, hair transplants and the latest stem cell research, hair restoration has become more accessible and effective,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“And much like Botox is used preventatively, younger people are tackling hair loss at the first signs rather than waiting until it’s severe.”
Camp added that while there are many hair-loss treatment options available, the response will look different for each person.
Medications such as minoxidil, finasteride and dutasteride can “slow down the process and even grow hair back,” one expert said, while procedures such as PRP, low-level laser therapy and hair transplants are also effective. (iStock)
“When looking for a treatment, stick to those with a well-established body of evidence and data to support their use, such as minoxidil, finasteride and spironolactone (in the case of female-pattern hair loss),” he advised.
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And be sure to get “the advice of a board-certified dermatologist when at-home treatments are not effective,” he also said.
These treatments are “typically used indefinitely” and should be tested for three to four months before being ruled out as effective or not, the dermatologist added.
Spizuoco said that while hair loss is common, early intervention with the right treatment plan can “significantly slow it down or possibly reverse it.”
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As colorectal cancer (CRC) is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50, a new report reveals some surprising shifts in the incidence of the disease.
Although rates of CRC have been declining among seniors, those 65 and under are facing a rise in diagnoses, according to a report titled Colorectal Cancer Statistics, 2026, from the American Cancer Society.
Adults 65 and younger comprise nearly half (45%) of all new colorectal cancer cases — a significant increase from 27% in 1995, states the report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The disease is rising fastest among adults 20 to 49 years old, at a rate of 3% per year.
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50. (iStock)
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. Although that age group is eligible to receive routine screenings, just 37% do so.
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The report also revealed that rectal cancer is on the rise, now accounting for about one-third (32%) of all CRC cases — an increase from 27% in the mid-2000s.
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“After decades of progress, the risk of dying from colorectal cancer is climbing in younger generations of men and women, confirming a real uptick in disease because of something we’re doing or some other exposure,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, in a press release.
Among adults 50 and under, 75% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Half of the diagnoses in that age range are made between the ages of 45 and 49. (iStock)
“We need to redouble research efforts to understand the cause, but also circumvent deaths through earlier detection by educating clinicians and the general public about symptoms and increasing screening in people 45-54 years.”
It is projected that 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and that the disease will cause 55,230 deaths, per the report.
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More than half of CRC cases can be linked to high-risk behaviors, the researchers said. Those include lack of nutrition, high alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity.
“These findings further underscore that colorectal cancer is worsening among younger generations and highlight the immediate need for eligible adults to begin screening at the recommended age of 45,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%. (iStock)
“The report also shines a light on the crucial importance of continued funding for research to help discover new therapies to treat the disease and advance patient care.”
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When the disease is caught at a local (early) stage, the five-year survival rate is 95%, the report stated.
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A new study suggests that middle-aged men may be more vulnerable to faster biological aging, potentially linked to exposure to “forever chemicals.”
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Aging, examined how perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, could impact aging at the cellular level.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant fabrics and other consumer products, the study noted.
Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant to breaking down, allowing them to accumulate in water, soil and the human body.
Chinese researchers analyzed blood samples from 326 adults enrolled in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2000.
A new study suggests that middle-aged men could face accelerated biological aging at the cellular level due to exposure to PFAS. (iStock)
The researchers measured levels of 11 PFAS compounds in participants’ blood and used DNA-based “epigenetic clocks” — tools that analyze chemical changes to DNA to estimate biological age — to determine how quickly their bodies were aging at the cellular level, the study stated.
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Two compounds, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), were detected in 95% of participants.
Higher concentrations of those chemicals were associated with faster biological aging in men of certain age groups, but not in women.
“People should not panic.”
The compounds most strongly linked to accelerated aging were not the PFAS chemicals that typically receive the most public attention, the researchers noted.
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“The associations were strongest in adults aged 50 to 64, particularly in men,” Dr. Xiangwei Li, professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author, told Fox News Digital.
“While this does not establish that PFAS cause aging, it suggests that these widely present ‘forever chemicals’ may be linked to molecular changes related to long-term health and aging.”
The study found that two of the compounds were detected in 95% of participants, and higher levels were linked to faster biological aging in men ages 50–64. (iStock)
Midlife may represent a more sensitive biological period, when the body becomes more vulnerable to age-related stressors, according to the researchers.
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may influence biological aging markers, potentially increasing vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
While Li said “people should not panic,” she does recommend looking for reasonable ways to reduce exposure.
That might mean checking local drinking water reports, using certified water filters designed to reduce PFAS, and limiting the use of stain- or grease-resistant products when alternatives are available.
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Meaningful reductions in PFAS exposure will likely depend on broader regulatory action and environmental cleanup efforts, Li added.
The researchers noted that midlife could be a particularly sensitive stage, when the body is more susceptible to stressors associated with aging. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers outlined several important limitations of the research, including that the findings show an association, but do not prove that PFAS directly causes accelerated aging.
“The study is cross-sectional, meaning exposure and aging markers were measured at the same time, so we cannot determine causality,” Li told Fox News Digital.
The study was also relatively small, limited to 326 adults age 50 or older, which means the findings may not apply to younger people or broader populations.
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Researchers measured PFAS levels using data collected between 1999 and 2000, and today’s exposure patterns may differ.
Li added that while PFAS is known to persist in the environment and the body, these results should be validated through larger, more recent studies that follow participants over time.
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