Introduction to Hair Loss Prevention During Chemotherapy
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a gel that could prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment.
Bryan Smith, an associate professor at Michigan State’s College of Engineering and a member of the school’s Institute for Qualitative Health Science and Engineering, has developed a shampoo-like gel that he hopes will help protect patients’ hair throughout treatment.
The Motivation Behind the Research
Beyond physical appearance, Smith said he wanted to research hair-loss solutions to improve patients’ personal, social and professional anxieties that can come with chemo. "This unmet need of chemotherapy-induced alopecia appealed to me because it is adjacent to the typical needs in medicine such as better treatments and earlier, more accurate diagnostics for cancer," Smith said in a release. “This is a need on the personal side of cancer care that, as an engineer, I didn’t fully recognize until I began interviewing cancer physicians and former cancer patients about it. Once I understood, it became clear to me that better solutions are very important to many cancer patients’ quality of life."
Current Solutions and Their Limitations
A cold cap is currently one of the only ways to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, but Smith and his team are developing a less painful solution. The gel is a hydrogel, which absorbs water and provides the long-lasting delivery of drugs to the patient’s scalp. It is designed to be applied to the patients’ scalp before the start of chemo and left on as long as chemo drugs are in their system.
How the Gel Works
Chemotherapeutic drugs damage and kill hair follicles when they reach blood vessels in the scalp. The gel, which contains lidocaine and adrenalone, prevents the drugs from reaching the hair follicles by restricting the blood flow to the scalp, keeping hair intact. The gel is designed to be temperature responsive. It stays thicker in warmer temperatures and gets thinner the colder it gets. "Just like a shampoo, the patient can put it on the hairy scalp as long as the gels should be on the scalp," Smith told NBC affiliate WILX. It can do its job, and once they are done, they can just wash it away by a little bit cold water."
Future Plans and Funding
The gel has already been studied in animal models. Now, Smith and his team are hoping to obtain federal and/or venture funding to move ahead with clinical trials and eventually human patients. "The research has the potential to help many people," Smith said. "All the individual components are well-established, safe materials, but we can’t move forward with follow-up studies and clinical trials on humans without the support of substantial funding."
Conclusion
The development of this gel is a significant step forward in preventing hair loss during chemotherapy. If successful, it could greatly improve the quality of life for cancer patients undergoing treatment. With further research and funding, this gel could become a vital tool in the fight against cancer and its side effects.
FAQs
- Q: What is the gel made of?
A: The gel is a hydrogel that contains lidocaine and adrenalone. - Q: How does the gel work?
A: The gel prevents chemotherapeutic drugs from reaching the hair follicles by restricting blood flow to the scalp. - Q: Is the gel painful to use?
A: No, the gel is designed to be a less painful solution than current methods, such as the cold cap. - Q: Has the gel been tested on humans?
A: Not yet, but it has been studied in animal models. The researchers are seeking funding to move ahead with clinical trials on humans. - Q: How long does the gel need to be left on the scalp?
A: The gel should be left on the scalp for as long as the chemo drugs are in the patient’s system. - Q: How do you remove the gel?
A: The gel can be washed away with cold water.
