Smart Question on Replicel technology from Baldtruth

[HARIRI]

Im following closely the Replicel thread in Bald truth talk forum...

 

I wanted to share this question asked in the replicel thread by one of the members, I find it very interesting and smart. Check it out.

 

Here's what I don't get:

If you get an HT, that means you've implanted new hairs (follicules) in bald spots that have natural dormant hair follicules (the ones that you lost but are still underneath your scalp)... What if you get a Replicel treatment in that area? The dormant cells would activate (OVER?) the newly implanted ones? You'll have some sort of disproportion in that area... It wouldn't be like your natural hairline.

Can someone explain this to me? How would it work in that case?

Also how would it work on Minoxidil dependent hair follicules?

 

Thats the link to the thread

 

Replicel - Page 87 - Bald Truth Talk - Hair Loss, Hair Transplant and Hair Restoration Community

[aaron1234]

The answer is no one knows. We don't even know if Replicel can regrow a single hair yet let alone a NW7 to a full head of hair. All we have is a nice animated video with super cool graphics. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

[Dutch]

That's right, it all seems all very nice on paper so far. Let's hope the trials are successful & it becomes a reality.

[Blake Bloxham]

I recall Dr. Rassman addressing a similar question on his excellent "balding blog" a few weeks ago, and his explanation was (roughly) the following:

 

Restoring density with hair transplantation, on average, does not come near the natural density of hair unaffected by any sort of androgenic alopecia. Because of this, the likelihood that you've implanted a graft over a dormant follicle (to a point where it would be directly affected by the graft) isn't all that likely.

 

Furthermore, these future, non-invasive treatments do not (to my knowledge) claim to regenerate every dormant follicle on a hair loss sufferer's head. This means that in order to experience a situation where two follicles (one implanted and one previously dormant) interact, one follicle must be implanted, in very close proximity, to another that's completely regenerated by the futuristic therapy.

 

For example, if you've restored a hairline at an estimated 35% it's original density and added a non-invasive, restorative treatment that (by the organization's own estimation) will increase density by 20%, the chances of implanting a follicle (35%) over a regenerated follicle (20%) are fairly "slim" (0.35 * 0.20 = 0.07 or 7%).

 

Utilizing these numbers, it's not too difficult to conceptualize that the cumulative result of the two treatments (surgery and the non-invasive therapy) really wouldn't result in any sort of dramatic abnormalities or disruption between re-growing and implanted follicles.

 

From what I could gather, that's what Dr. Rassman implied (I can't find the exact post at the moment), and it's also what I'd assume as well.

[HARIRI]

Thanks Future-HT-Doc for sharing this Info. Thats very informative.

[Spanker]

So replicell's goal is 20 percent to be a success? I am pretty skeptical. I can imagine vellus hairs and a poor look. Until they firgure out how to turn on your little a follicle factory again, and a much higher percentage, I am not feeling the love.

[Blake Bloxham]

So replicell's goal is 20 percent to be a success? I am pretty skeptical. I can imagine vellus hairs and a poor look. Until they firgure out how to turn on your little a follicle factory again, and a much higher percentage, I am not feeling the love.

 

I'm honestly not 100% positive, but I recall hearing phrases like "20%," "equivalent to results from Rogaine/Propecia" at some point in time. However, I was simply throwing around some hypothetical examples in my reply, and for all I know, it could be higher or get better with time. However, I think the crux of my opinion still stands.

 

Altogether, pretty exciting stuff!