Bald Man Burns Scalp, Accidentally Regrows ALL His Hair

Summary

In 1986, a 78-year-old bald man accidentally regrew his hair after suffering burns to his scalp, baffling researchers. This case, published in the British Medical Journal, suggests full recoveries from androgenic alopecia are possible. The video explores the role of DHT in hair loss and the potential of wounding, such as burns or microneedling, to stimulate hair regrowth. It highlights the complexities of hair loss treatment and encourages exploring both natural and conventional approaches, aiming to provide effective strategies for hair regrowth.

Takeaways

• 👴 In 1986, a 78-year-old man accidentally regenerated his hair after suffering burns from falling onto hot coals, demonstrating that full recoveries from androgenic alopecia are possible.
• 🦲 Androgenic alopecia, a common hair loss disorder, is often attributed to the interaction between genes and hormones, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
• 🧬 Castrated men who produce less DHT are less likely to experience baldness, and those lacking an enzyme to convert testosterone to DHT are also protected from baldness.
• 🔬 DHT is found in higher concentrations in balding scalp tissues, and it can trigger apoptosis in hair follicles, leading to hair loss.
• 💊 Lowering DHT levels with drugs like finasteride or dutasteride can halt the progression of androgenic alopecia and increase hair volume in most cases.
• 🚫 Despite the effectiveness of DHT-lowering treatments, they do not always lead to full hair regrowth, especially in cases of advanced hair loss.
• 🧪 Some researchers suggest that balding hair follicles retain stem cells but lack the ability to convert them into progenitor cells, which is crucial for hair regrowth.
• 🔍 Other theories propose that hair follicle miniaturization may be irreversible due to disconnection from the erector pili muscle or accumulation of scar tissue.
• 🐁 Studies involving hair follicle transplantation in mice show that changing the environment of a balding hair follicle can normalize stem cell to progenitor cell conversions and promote hair regrowth.
• 🔥 Wounding, such as burns or abrasions, has been observed to trigger hair regrowth in some cases, suggesting that the right conditions can stimulate hair follicle regeneration.
• 💉 Researchers are exploring the potential of combining wound environments with specific drugs and stimulants to initiate hair regrowth, potentially leading to full hair recovery.

Q & A

What unusual event triggered hair regrowth in the 78-year-old bald man in 1986?

The man fell asleep in his rocking chair, slipped, and hit his head on hot coals, resulting in full thickness burns across the parietal region of his scalp. Six months later, he returned to the hospital with a full head of hair.

What is androgenic alopecia and how common is it?

Androgenic alopecia, also known as pattern hair loss, is one of the world's most common hair loss disorders. It affects over 50% of adults at a cosmetic level, with some studies showing that everyone will suffer from it if they live long enough.

How does androgenic alopecia typically present itself in men and women?

In men, it usually starts with temple recession or a bald spot and can progress to a slick bald scalp over a number of years. In women, it more often presents diffusely and progressively gets worse without treatment.

What hormone is primarily implicated in androgenic alopecia, and how does it affect hair loss?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is primarily implicated in androgenic alopecia. Men who produce less DHT or lack the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT tend to be protected from baldness. DHT levels are higher in balding scalp tissues and can trigger cell death in hair follicles.

How effective are DHT-lowering drugs in treating androgenic alopecia?

DHT-lowering drugs like finasteride or dutasteride stop the progression of androgenic alopecia in 80-90% of men and increase hair volume by 10-30% over two to four years, especially if treatment is started early.

Why don't DHT-lowering treatments lead to full hair regrowth in men with advanced hair loss?

Possible reasons include the inability of balding hair follicles to convert stem cells into progenitor cells, the irreversibility of hair follicle miniaturization after detachment from the erector pili muscle, and scar tissue accumulation around hair follicles in advanced stages.

What surprising results were observed when bald hair follicles were transplanted onto the backs of mice?

The bald hair follicles regrew to full thickness and could regenerate in a single hair cycle, suggesting that changing the environment of balding hair follicles can normalize their functions and lead to hair regrowth.

What historical evidence supports the idea that wounding can trigger hair regrowth?

Since the 1960s, it has been observed that wounds under certain conditions can trigger hair regeneration. This has been seen in burns, abrasions, boiling water spills, and more recently, in controlled settings like microneedling.

What are researchers currently investigating to better understand and replicate hair regrowth triggered by wounding?

Researchers are studying how to combine larger wound environments on the scalp with certain drugs and stimulants to initiate hair regrowth. They are also exploring the synchronization of hair cycles and the distance of crosstalk between hair follicles.

What personal anecdote does Rob from Perfect Hair Health share about wounding and hair regrowth?

Rob shares that when he was 16 years old, he scraped off the top layer of skin near his chest while catching a frisbee. During the healing process, he developed a small patch of hair that has remained growing to this day, suggesting that certain injuries can trigger hair growth.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Accidental Hair Regrowth Discovery

In 1986, a 78-year-old man who suffered burns to his scalp after a fall surprisingly regrew a full head of hair, which has puzzled hair loss researchers ever since. This incident, reported in the British Medical Journal, demonstrated that full recoveries from androgenic alopecia are possible, even for those who have been bald for decades. The story prompts questions about potential explanations and current research efforts to replicate such outcomes for all hair loss sufferers. The video will explore this case report and its implications for understanding androgenic alopecia and hair regrowth.

05:03

💡 Understanding Androgenic Alopecia and DHT

The video explains that androgenic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, affects over 50% of adults and is caused by the interaction of genes and the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Evidence shows that men who produce less DHT or lack the enzyme converting testosterone to DHT tend not to go bald. Lowering DHT with drugs like finasteride often halts hair loss and increases hair volume. However, in advanced stages of hair loss, eliminating DHT alone may not lead to full hair regrowth. Researchers have various hypotheses, including issues with stem cell conversion, irreversibility after follicle miniaturization, and scar tissue accumulation around follicles.

🧪 Experimental Evidence and Research

Research indicates that changing the environment of balding hair follicles can normalize stem cell conversion and potentially regrow hair to full thickness, as seen in experiments where vellus hairs transplanted to mice regrew fully. The 1986 case of the 78-year-old man's accidental hair regrowth supports this. The video notes that wounding under certain conditions has triggered hair regeneration in humans and animals. However, replicating these results consistently remains a challenge. Researchers are exploring ways to combine larger wound environments on the scalp with drugs and stimulants to achieve full hair regrowth.

🔬 Unexplored Phenomena and Future Directions

The video highlights the significance of the 1986 case report and other instances where wounding led to hair regrowth. The mechanisms behind these phenomena are not fully understood, but they offer potential clues for new treatment approaches. The speaker invites viewers to share their own experiences with wounding and hair regrowth. Additionally, the video mentions a personal anecdote where a wound led to unexpected hair growth, underscoring the need for more research to understand and harness these effects for treating hair loss comprehensively.

📧 Navigating Hair Loss Treatments

The video concludes by offering viewers a free email course on hair regrowth strategies, covering both natural and conventional approaches. It aims to help individuals navigate the overwhelming amount of information and choose effective treatments for hair loss. The course will address the DHT paradox and emphasize the importance of personalized solutions. The speaker encourages viewers to sign up for the course to stop wasting time and money on ineffective treatments and to stay informed about the latest developments in hair regrowth research.

Keywords

💡Androgenic Alopecia

Androgenic alopecia, also known as pattern hair loss, is a common form of hair loss in both men and women. It is characterized by a progressive thinning of the hair, often starting at the temples or the crown in men and diffusely in women. The video discusses the role of this condition in the context of hair regrowth, emphasizing its prevalence and the challenges in treating advanced stages.

💡Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a male hormone linked to androgenic alopecia. Elevated levels of DHT in scalp tissues contribute to hair follicle miniaturization and hair loss. The video explains that reducing DHT levels can stop hair loss progression and promote regrowth in some cases, highlighting its central role in hair loss research and treatment.

💡Hair Follicle Miniaturization

Hair follicle miniaturization is the process by which hair follicles shrink over time, producing thinner and shorter hairs. This is a key feature of androgenic alopecia. The video discusses how miniaturization limits the effectiveness of treatments aimed at regrowing hair, as severely miniaturized follicles are difficult to reverse.

💡Stem Cells

Stem cells in hair follicles are crucial for hair growth and regeneration. The video mentions that balding follicles retain their stem cells but struggle to convert them into progenitor cells necessary for hair growth. This stem cell conversion issue is one of the hypothesized reasons why hair doesn't fully regrow even after DHT levels are reduced.

💡Progenitor Cells

Progenitor cells are derived from stem cells and are essential for hair follicle growth and regeneration. The video suggests that in cases of androgenic alopecia, the inability of hair follicles to produce progenitor cells from stem cells contributes to ongoing hair loss and limits regrowth potential.

💡Erector Pili Muscle

The erector pili muscle is a small muscle attached to hair follicles, responsible for causing goosebumps. The video explains that when hair follicles disconnect from this muscle during miniaturization, they lose important sensory interactions with their environment, which may affect hair growth and contribute to the irreversibility of hair follicle miniaturization.

💡Full Thickness Burns

Full thickness burns refer to severe burns that penetrate through the entire layer of the skin. The video recounts a case where a 78-year-old man with such burns to his scalp experienced unexpected hair regrowth. This incident is significant as it challenges current understanding and suggests potential new avenues for hair loss treatment.

💡Wounding and Hair Regrowth

Wounding, such as burns or abrasions, can sometimes stimulate hair regrowth. The video highlights cases where hair regrowth occurred following significant scalp injuries, suggesting that controlled wounding could be a potential method for hair restoration. This concept is supported by historical and recent studies.

💡Microneedling

Microneedling involves creating tiny wounds in the skin to stimulate hair growth. The video mentions this technique as a more controlled form of wounding that has shown promise in promoting hair regrowth. It represents an area of active research in the field of hair restoration.

💡Scar Tissue

Scar tissue can form around hair follicles during the late stages of miniaturization, potentially hindering hair regrowth. The video posits that this accumulation of scar tissue may be one reason why reducing DHT alone is insufficient for reversing advanced hair loss, as it creates a hostile environment for hair follicle regeneration.

Highlights

In 1986, a 78-year-old bald man suffered full thickness burns on his scalp and later regrew a full head of hair, baffling researchers.

The incident demonstrated that full recoveries from androgenic alopecia are possible, even for those bald for decades.

Pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia, is a common disorder affecting over 50% of adults.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is strongly implicated in pattern hair loss, as seen in various studies and observations.

Men castrated before puberty, who produce significantly less DHT, typically do not experience baldness.

Drugs like finasteride and dutasteride, which lower DHT levels, can stop the progression of hair loss in 80-90% of men and increase hair volume.

Despite reducing DHT levels, full hair regrowth is often not achieved in men with significant hair loss.

Various hypotheses explain why eliminating DHT doesn't fully regrow hair, including issues with stem cell to progenitor cell conversion and scar tissue accumulation.

Transplanting balding hair follicles to the backs of mice can result in full thickness regrowth, suggesting environmental changes can normalize hair growth processes.

The 1986 case report showed that significant hair regrowth in a human scalp can occur following severe burns.

Wounding under the right conditions has been known to trigger hair regeneration since the 1960s.

Recent studies, including those on microneedling, show that wounding can lead to substantial new hair growth.

Researchers are exploring how to replicate the hair regrowth seen in wounding through controlled methods.

Studies suggest that hair follicles can reattach to erector pili muscles and return to full thickness after wounding.

Further research is needed to understand how injuries can trigger hair regrowth and how to apply this knowledge for hair loss treatments.

Transcripts

in 1986 a 78 year old bald man fell

asleep in his rocking chair slipped fell

onto his fireplace hit his head on hot

coals and suffered full thickness burns

across the parietal region of his scalp

six months later he returned to the

hospital with a full head of hair the

story was published in the british

medical journal and it has baffled hair

loss researchers ever since

it demonstrated that full recoveries

from androgenic alopecia are actually

possible even for people who have been

bald for decades and this revelation all

happened by accident because of an

accident so

what might explain these results and

what are researchers doing today to try

to make outcomes like this

a reality for every single hair loss

sufferer that's all coming up and also

don't try this at home

this is rob from perfect hair health and

in this video we are going to be diving

into one case report that changed

everything we thought we knew about

androgenic alopecia and how full hair

recoveries are actually possible even

for people who have been bald for

decades now pattern hair loss also known

as androgenic alopecia is one of the

world's most common hair loss disorders

it affects over 50 percent of adults at

a cosmetic level with some studies

showing that we'll all suffer from

antigenic alopecia if we simply live

long enough in men it tends to start

with temple recession or a bald spot and

can progress to a slick bald scalp over

a number of years

in women it more often presents

diffusely it's chronic progressive

meaning that without treatment it

generally just gets worse and consensus

amongst the top researchers in the world

is that this hair loss disorder is

caused by an interaction between our

genes and our hormones specifically a

male hormone known as

dihydrotestosterone or dht and before we

can effectively dive into this case

study we first have to understand some

big picture things about this hormone

dht and what eliminating it can and

cannot do for our hair regrowth first it

goes without saying that the evidence

implicating dht in pattern hair loss is

incredibly strong we know that men who

are castrated before puberty produce 95

less dht throughout adulthood than

non-castrated counterparts and typically

these men they also never go bald we

also know that men who lack an enzyme

that converts testosterone into dht tend

to be protected from baldness later in

life we know that dht is higher in

balding scalp tissues versus non-balding

scalp tissues and we know that in cell

cultures exposing certain components of

hair follicles to the hormone dht can

trigger apoptosis also known as cell

death and finally at an interventional

level we know that lowering our dht

levels with drugs like finasteride or

even dutasteride tend to stop the

progression of antigenic alopecia in 80

to 90 percent of men and increase hair

volume by something like 10 to 30

percent over two to four year periods so

in most cases targeting this hormone dht

to improve pattern hair loss is a great

idea it leads to great outcomes

especially if you catch hair loss in its

earliest of stages and you get on

treatment as soon as possible but what

about people who have already lost a

good amount of hair you know men who are

in that norwood 3 norwood 4 sometimes

higher stages of hair loss well studies

typically show that these men absolutely

respond to dht lowering drugs but after

a certain degree of hair loss hairs

typically don't come back even if we

bring our dht levels next to zero this

begs the question if dht causes hair

loss

why doesn't eliminating dht lead to full

hair regrowth and depending on what

research group you're following there

are many different hypotheses some

researchers say that balding hair

follicles they retain their stem cells

but they lack the ability to convert

those stem cells into something known as

progenitor cells

so

after a certain point of hair follicle

miniaturization bringing dht levels to

zero won't help if you can't fix this

step process problem other researchers

argue that hair follicle miniaturization

is irreversible after a hair disconnects

from its erector pili muscle that's a

goosebump muscle because at that point

follicles tend to lose some aspect of

their sensory touch with their external

environment which can affect signaling

and other researchers like myself have

published papers arguing that some of

this irreversibility might be driven in

part by scar tissue that tends to

accumulate around hair follicles in the

mid to late stages of miniaturization in

these cases no matter how much dht

you're reducing you probably can't make

these follicles thicker much like you

can't grow a lot of grass on concrete

now

these are all plausible explanations but

they're all probably incomplete because

when we take bald vellus completely

miniaturized hairs and then we

transplant those to the backs of mice

those hairs regrow to full thickness and

can regenerate in a single hair cycle a

study like this tells us so many things

one of which is that by simply changing

the environment of a balding hair

follicle we can normalize stem cell to

progenitor cell conversions we can

witness hair follicles reattached to

erector pili muscles we can see hair

follicles return to full thickness

sometimes even thicker and in 1986 for

the first time ever at least according

to my literature reviews these effects

were demonstrated for the first time in

a human scalp back when that 78 year old

man with significant balding fell hit

his head on hot coals suffered full

thickness burns to the scalp but during

the healing process accidentally regrew

his entire juvenile hairline in my

conversations with investigation groups

i have brought up this case report time

and time again you'd be surprised just

how few career hair loss researchers

even know about this report and who are

later astounded at the results what's

even crazier is that this isn't actually

the first time or the only time in

history that we've seen wounding as an

initiator of significant hair regrowth

since the 1960s we've known that wounds

under the right conditions can trigger

hair regeneration we've seen it happen

in burns we've seen it happen in

abrasions and even in boiling water

spills although it's difficult to

reproduce consistently recently we've

even seen new hair follicle

proliferation in more controlled

settings like wounds initiated from

microneedling

[Music]

in fact we just published a literature

review on these little medieval torture

devices which i will link below suffice

it to say that wounding seems to

sometimes generate new hair growth and

not just a little but a substantial

amount but we just don't know how to

replicate it yet and that's what i find

so fascinating about these reports

because wounds to the side of the scalp

such as here

can trigger hair regrowth five plus

inches away over here

and that suggests that we even see a

synchronization of the human hair cycle

the distance of crosstalk between these

hair follicles was previously believed

to just not be able to occur but

researchers like max pleikus and others

they're now demonstrating that this is

possible in mice and most likely in

humans as well if you or anybody that

you know of has incurred a wound that

has later generated new hair growth on

the body and hopefully more preferably

on the scalp please reach out to me over

email or in the comments i'd love to

talk to you in fact i had this happen to

me when i was just 16 years old i slid

in the grass catching a frisbee i

scraped off the top layer of some of my

skin near my chest and during that

healing process i developed a small

patch of hair that is asymmetrical to

the rest of my body hair yet has

remained growing to this day with better

clarity around which injuries can

trigger behaviors like this and why i

personally think that we can start

combining larger wound environments on

the scalp with certain drugs and

stimulants that will initiate hair

regrowth quite possibly full hair

regrowth and by the way this isn't the

only published case report of complete

hair loss reversals for non-scarring

alopecias but even for scarring

alopecias like sycotracial alopecias or

frontal fibrosing alopecia so we'll be

covering more case reports like this in

our next story series and again it goes

without saying

just because you hear about these things

don't try them at home so that is all

for now

and one last thing if you're fighting

hair loss and maybe feeling torn between

a natural or a conventional approach or

maybe you're just confused by the

massive amount of information online

from your doctors from dermatologists

feel free to sign up for our free email

course on achieving hair regrowth we'll

dive into the ght paradox hair growth

strategies with and without the drug

model why there's no one-size-fits-all

solution for hair regrowth and how to

efficiently and effectively navigate

hair loss treatments so that you can

stop wasting time money and hair take

care and i will see you next week