It’s something that many men worry about, but hair loss could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new electric device.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a low-cost growth-stimulating technology that reverses balding.
Professor Xudong Wang, a researchers on the project, said: “I think this will be a very practical solution to hair regeneration.”
The device is worn on the head and stimulates the skin with gentle, low-frequency electric pulses.
These pulses help to coax dormant hair follicles, reactivating hair production, according to the researchers.
Amazingly, the device is powered by the movement of the wearer, so doesn’t require a bulky battery pack. This means that it’s small and light enough to be worn under an everyday baseball cap!
Profesor Wang said: “Electric stimulations can help many different body functions.
”But before our work there was no really good solution for low-profile devices that provide gentle but effective stimulations.”
During initial tests on hairless mice, the device stimulated hair growth as effectively as two compounds found in baldness medicines, according to the researchers.
Thankfully, because the electric pulses are gentle and don’t penetrate very deep, the devices don’t seem to have any unwanted side effects.
Professor Wang added: “It's a self-activated system, very simple and easy to use. The energy is very low so it will cause minimal side effects.”
It remains unclear when or if the device will be available to buy, or how much it could cost.
The news comes shortly after the world's first hair follicle bank launched in the UK, where men and women can store frozen hair follicles.
