Introduction to Hair Loss Prevention During Chemotherapy
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a gel that could prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment. This innovative solution aims to improve the quality of life for patients undergoing chemotherapy, addressing not only the physical but also the emotional and social impacts of hair loss.
The Development of the Gel
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. 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.
The Need for a Solution
"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 Directions
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 represents a significant step forward in addressing the issue of hair loss during chemotherapy. By providing a potential solution to this common and distressing side effect, researchers aim to improve the overall experience and quality of life for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Further research and funding are crucial to bringing this innovation to those who need it most.
FAQs
- Q: What is the gel made of?
A: The gel is a hydrogel that contains lidocaine and adrenalone, designed to restrict blood flow to the scalp and prevent chemotherapeutic drugs from reaching the hair follicles. - Q: How is the gel applied?
A: The gel is applied to the patient’s scalp before the start of chemotherapy and can be washed away with cold water once the chemotherapy drugs are no longer in the system. - Q: Has the gel been tested in humans?
A: The gel has been studied in animal models, but it has not yet been tested in human clinical trials due to the need for further funding. - Q: What are the potential benefits of the gel?
A: The gel could help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy, improving patients’ physical appearance and reducing personal, social, and professional anxieties associated with hair loss. - Q: How can the gel be obtained?
A: The gel is still in the development stage and not yet available for public use. It requires additional funding to proceed with clinical trials and eventual approval for use in humans.