Replicel (RCH-01) is called the 'hair loss cure in 2020' many have speculated that the clinical trials would change the lives of millions of hair loss sufferers all over the world. Replicel completed phase 1 of their human clinical trials in 2017. The study showed the treatment was safe, and the results were promising. In this article, we will be discussing the results of the human clinical trials in 2020.
How Does Replicel Work?
Replicel or RCH-01 is an autologous cell therapy, using dermal sheath cups cells (DSC) that are resistant to the hormone DHT. DSCs are at the base of the hair follicle. These cells regulate the growth of hair fibers in the hair follicle. If you suffer from androgenic alopecia, the cells are vulnerable to DHT.
The idea is to replace vulnerable DSC cells with DSC cells that are immune to DHT. Replicel will harvest these cells from a small tissue sample taken from the back of the scalp. Afterward, cell multiplication will occur, multiplying the cells millions of times and reintroducing the cells into the scalp. Therefore, curing hair loss.
Recent Results of the RCH-01 Clinical Trial
Everyone has been on pins and needles waiting for these results. There are even websites called 'hair loss cure 2020', well I hate to burst their bubble, but the results were a bust. Below are the methods of the trial.
Methods: Dermal Sheath Cup (DSC) Cells taken from the back of the scalp were cultured and multiplied to create more DSCs. The participants were received single injections of DSCs or placebos. Researchers measured hair density and diameter for 12 months.
Results: Fifty males and fifteen females with genetic hair loss aged 33 to 64 participated in the study. The DSC group had more density than the placebo group in the sixth and ninth month. However, the positive results did not go beyond nine months. The average increase in hair density was around five hairs per square centimeter (cm2). The positive effect was temporary for nine months.
Older subjects responded better to the treatment, which was surprising, but as expected, participants with less hair loss responded better to the trial. There were no severe adverse reactions to the injections at the end of the clinical trial. In the end, the results suggested autologous cell therapy may be useful to treat male and female pattern hair loss.
Conclusion
The results are in, and it's a bust. The median peak average was only five hairs per square centimeter. That is about two hair transplant grafts per cm2. If you take the average size of a person's balding area, that is less than 1,000 hairs. Not to mention, the results were temporary. I think it's safe to say there will be NO HAIR LOSS CURE IN 2020.*wipes tears, at least we still have hair transplant surgery.