Mumbai, 21st July 2025: Scientists have mapped the complete molecular network that controls human hair growth, offering what may be the clearest path yet to restoring hair without surgery, drugs, or transplantation. Published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, the review reframes androgenetic alopecia (AGA)—the most common form of hair loss—not as an irreversible condition, but as a breakdown in regenerative signalling that can potentially be reversed. This study is among the first to integrate stem cell biology, gene therapy, and molecular signalling into a unified strategy for treating AGA.
Developed by a multidisciplinary team from India and the United States with lead contributions from Indian researchers at The Esthetic Clinics® (TEC®) and the QR678® Research teams in Mumbai, the paper synthesises decades of hair biology into one unified model of how follicular cycles function, and where regenerative treatment may begin.
The paper centres on five key molecular pathways—Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), Notch, and AKT/MAPK—that collectively manage the hair follicle lifecycle. In AGA, the communication between these pathways breaks down, particularly with Wnt suppression and BMP overactivation, causing follicles to fall into dormancy.
The research outlines multiple therapeutic strategies to biologically “reset” the follicle: Wnt activators to reignite growth, BMP inhibitors to lift molecular suppression, gene-editing tools like CRISPR to correct misfiring signals, and stem cell therapies to rebuild a supportive microenvironment. Some of these treatments have already shown success in lab-grown tissue and animal models, and early clinical trials are expected to begin within the next two years.
The implications are significant. The $4 billion global hair loss treatment market is largely dominated by maintenance-based solutions like minoxidil, finasteride, and transplants—none of which address the root biological cause. This research offers a scientific roadmap that, if brought into clinical practice, could shift treatment from external symptom management to internal cellular regeneration.
“For decades, we’ve treated hair loss as a cosmetic issue. This paper consolidates what we now understand about the biological breakdown behind it—and reframes baldness as a malfunction of the body’s regenerative system,” said Dr. Debraj Shome, senior author and Director at TEC®. “Hair follicles don’t disappear; they go dormant due to disrupted cellular signals. By identifying how these signals fail—and how they can be restored—we move closer to resetting the system at a molecular level. It’s a fundamental shift in how hair loss can be understood, and ultimately, reversed.
“What makes this study so significant is that it shifts the global hair loss conversation from superficial treatment to scientific restoration,” said Dr. Michael Gold, renowned dermatologist and founder of Gold Skin Care Center, USA. “By mapping out the molecular misfires behind hair follicle dormancy, we now have a clearer pathway to develop therapies that don’t just slow hair loss—but potentially reverse it by reawakening the body’s own regenerative systems.”
“For years, we’ve been treating hair loss as a cosmetic inconvenience but science tells a different story,” said Dr. Depti Bellani, lead author of the study and Medical Affairs and Research, QR678®. “This research reframes baldness as a regenerative failure and not a lost cause. By mapping the molecular ‘conversation’ between dormant follicles and the body’s repair systems, we’ve uncovered the signals that need to be reawakened. It’s not just about stopping hair loss anymore, it’s about switching the growth engine back on.”
While safety, clinical validation, and personalisation remain the next steps, the study lays the foundation for a regenerative approach that may one day eliminate the need for cosmetic intervention altogether. It also reflects a growing trend in global science, where Indian researchers are helping lead the charge in molecular and regenerative innovation.