Korean researchers find new approaches to hair loss as treatments remain limited

"I dread going outside and feel afraid to meet people. I've tried pills and topical treatments, but nothing works — is there really no solution for hair loss?"

Hair loss is a growing concern across all age groups. Particularly notable is its increasing prevalence among people in their 20s and 30s, a demographic that once considered the condition a problem of middle age and beyond, fueling greater interest in treatment and prevention.

The most common treatments today are pharmaceutical. Only two drugs have received FDA approval for hair loss: minoxidil and finasteride. Both show some effectiveness but require long-term use.

Minoxidil, applied topically, can cause skin irritation. Finasteride, taken orally, works by regulating male hormones and carries serious drawbacks — it can cause sexual dysfunction in men and is restricted for women of childbearing age.

Amid these limitations, Korean researchers are drawing attention with new approaches to hair loss treatment that aim to avoid such side effects.

A research team led by Moon Je-il, a professor at DGIST, has developed a new peptide called MLPH that promotes hair growth. In animal studies, the team confirmed that MLPH can transition hair follicles from the resting phase — in which growth has stopped — into the active growth phase. The peptide showed hair-growth effects comparable to those of minoxidil, and no blood-related side effects that had been a concern during the research were observed, the team said.

Biomaysin, a research spinoff of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, has developed a functional cosmetic product for alleviating hair loss symptoms using maysin, a natural compound derived from corn.

In a human application trial, improvements in hair density were confirmed after 24 weeks of use, and no scalp reactions such as itching or stinging were reported during the test period.

An entirely different approach is also being explored — one that anchors hair directly to the skin without relying on follicles at all.

Lee Haeshin, a chair professor in the Department of Chemistry at KAIST who has worked on hair loss shampoo technology, is researching a "hair adhesion technique" that attaches follicle-free hair to the skin for extended periods. Conventional hair transplants require harvesting follicles from the back of the head and implanting them one by one into the affected area, meaning thousands of follicles must be moved in a single procedure — a process that takes considerable time.

The technology his team is developing uses a biocompatible adhesion mechanism to fix hair to the skin. Animal studies have confirmed the possibility of maintaining attached hair for a certain period.

Lee's team has also developed a technology using tannic acid-based coating to gradually release hair loss-relieving compounds. In a seven-day trial involving 12 participants with hair loss symptoms who used a shampoo containing tannic acid, an average reduction in hair shedding of 56.2 percent was observed, with one case showing a reduction of up to 90.2 percent, according to the team.

However, most of these technologies are still in the research and development stage. For effects confirmed in animal studies or small-scale human trials to translate into actual treatments, large-scale clinical trials will be needed to verify both efficacy and long-term safety.

"Regrowing hair remains a difficult challenge," Lee said, "but if these technologies are commercialized, they could offer new options for people struggling with hair loss."

Meanwhile, the average human head has about 100,000 hairs. It is normal to shed 50 to 100 strands a day through everyday activities such as sleeping and washing hair. But if shedding noticeably increases, hair becomes thinner or the scalp becomes visible, it may be worth checking for hair loss.

Hair loss is heavily influenced by genetic factors, but a range of acquired factors also play a role, including aging, stress, alcohol consumption, irregular sleep, childbirth and extreme dieting.

"Hair goes through repeated cycles of growth, regression and rest," Lee said. "As we age, the function of follicle cells declines, hair becomes thinner and can gradually disappear."