A new experimental scalp treatment called clascoterone has shown strong results in reducing scalp inflammation. male pattern baldness (Also known as androgenetic alopecia, or AGA).
Experts see the results as promising, arguing that this could be a new approach to reversing hair loss, which has been occurring for the first time in decades.
Conducted by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, Ireland’s two major pharmaceutical companies, Late exam The programs, named Scalp 1 and Scalp 2, enrolled a total of 1,465 men in the United States and Europe, according to a press release.
Experimental serum promises to reverse baldness within 20 days
Participants used either the topical solution or a placebo under randomized conditions. The primary measure of success was the “target area hair count” (TAHC), which is the objective number of hairs within a defined scalp area.
According to Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, this topical solution works by blocking the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes the shrinkage of genetically sensitive hair follicles, directly at the hair follicle receptors, rather than affecting the hormone as a whole.
This topical approach attempts to address the biological root cause of AGA without exposing the body to additional hormones.
In the Scalp 1 group, clascoterone showed a 539% relative improvement in hair count compared to the placebo group. Scalp 2 participants showed a relative improvement of 168%, the release states.
One study showed “statistical significance” in patient-reported outcomes, and the other study showed a “favorable trend,” the statement said. When data from both trials were combined, the improvement was described as “statistically significant” and matched the hair count results.
“For decades, patients have had to choose between available options. treatment options “Systemic hormone exposure limits efficacy and safety issues, and patients often do not treat their hair loss at all,” Dr. Maria Hordinsky, a professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Global study links hair loss drugs to suicide, depression and anxiety
“These findings demonstrate that a 5% topical solution of clascoterone has the potential to change that equation by producing real, measurable regrowth with negligible systemic exposure,” Hordinsky added.
Patient-reported results (how study participants perceived their hair growth) were also positive.
“I think this is promising,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Mark Siegel told Fox News Digital. “In reality, there are no creams or lotions that are very effective. hair removal” added a doctor not involved in the study.
Minoxidil lotion, one of the most widely used FDA-approved topical treatments, generally has limited effectiveness, Dr. Siegel noted. “Therefore, this could be valuable for a wide range of clinical applications.”
Professor Siegel, who was not involved in the trial, said the drug appeared to be generally safe, noting the study’s claim that the only side effect was “local inflammation”.
The safety and tolerability of the drug appeared to be comparable to the placebo group. Side effects were minimal and occurred at similar rates in both the active and placebo groups, but most were found to be unrelated For medicineaccording to the researchers.
The researchers noted that the improvement in study participants was compared to a placebo group and does not guarantee that men will grow five times more hair than with other treatments.
Each individual’s results will vary depending on how much hair they had to begin with, and without complete data, it’s unclear how much visible growth most men will achieve.
Click here to sign up for our health newsletter
“What you need to be careful about is allergic reaction“This cream is an anti-androgen, so in rare cases it can cause adrenal insufficiency,” Dr. Siegel warned. This means that because this treatment blocks androgens (male hormones), it may have a slight effect on the adrenal glands, which help the body manage stress hormones.
Also, more detailed data such as long-term durability, variation in varying degrees of hair loss, and extended safety over 12 months has not yet been published, so these are top-line results.
Test yourself with our latest lifestyle quiz
If approved, this would be the first scalp treatment to work by blocking DHT directly at the hair follicle. male alopeciasays the company.
For more health stories, click here
Cosmo plans to complete a full 12-month safety follow-up by spring 2026 before filing for regulatory approval in the United States and Europe.
