GIOSTAR Paper on Alopecia

GIOSTAR Chicago is a known pioneer in developing different treatments using stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. They understand that most people don’t pursue treatments for various medical conditions because most solutions only dull the symptoms instead of targeting the root cause. But the team at GIOSTAR aims to provide people with real-world solutions using modern approaches to achieve better results.

Alopecia is a common hair loss condition that affects both men and women all over the world. It’s an autoimmune disease in which the patient’s immune system attacks the hair follicles, resulting in moderate to severe hair fall. Although alopecia areata isn’t life-threatening, this disease usually causes psychological issues, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression that affect the patient’s quality of life.

Anyone is vulnerable to developing alopecia areata, but some people are more at risk of it than others. People with certain health conditions or those close blood relatives with alopecia are more likely to develop this autoimmune disease. Cancer patients who take “nivolumab” medications might also be diagnosed with alopecia areata.

While alopecia areata isn’t curable, patients may still reverse its effects and regrow their hair using different medical treatments. Minoxidil and corticosteroid are two of the most common medications used for inducing hair growth in alopecia patients. However, patients only experience partially successful results or allergic reactions while taking them. It’s important to find other treatments that produce better results without causing adverse effects to the patient.

One of the most studied strategies for regenerative medicine is stem cell therapy because of its availability, regenerative capacity, and immune-privileged nature. Mesenchymal stem cells help stimulate hair growth and regenerate the lost hair follicle.

In a case study authored by GIOSTAR Chicago’s Dr. Anand Srivastava, a 45-year-old alopecia areata patient received Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived Conditioned Media (MSC-CM) for about two months. The patient suffered from nervousness and mild anxiety because of the autoimmune disease, which is why she decided to approach the experts at GIOSTAR Chicago.

During the initial consultation and preliminary examination, the patient had a score of 6% on the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT). The MSC-CM cream was prepared by harvesting 100ml of adipose tissue from the patient’s waist area. The topical treatment was applied on the affected scalp area once a day for two months. The patient was continuously monitored to check for any negative effects brought by the treatment.

Even without receiving other treatments for alopecia, the patient managed to regrow her hair in three months. Her SALT score was reduced to almost 0% after the treatment. Thanks to the visible increase in hair count, the patient’s confidence level and quality of life also improved.

Dr. Anand Srivastava is the Chairman and Co-Founder of GIOSTAR. Several organizations and governments all over the world seek his advice in creating national policies and program directions in stem cell research and development. Most of his works and studies about stem cells and other regenerative medicine are found in journals like Stem Cell International, Potentials of ES Cell Therapy in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Current Topics of Medicinal Chemistry, and more.