Advances in Hair Restoration

Purpose of Review: Treatment for alopecia remains limited in terms of medication side effect profile, patient adherence to treatment, and clinical response. We sought to review the literature for burgeoning therapies affecting hair growth through regulation of paracrine signaling and its effect on dermal papilla cells. Recent Findings: Newly proposed treatments for alopecia, including stem cell therapy derived from adipose tissue, hair follicles, umbilical cord blood, or bone marrow, and extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are tied to hair follicle regulation and regeneration through paracrine factor signaling, specifically through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Summary: Recent advances in hair follicle regeneration and regulation, including stem cell therapy or treatment with exosomes, modulate alopecia through dermal papilla cell regulation and promoting hair follicle growth through anagen phase induction. Randomized, high-quality studies are needed to determine safety, efficacy, and appropriate treatment protocols using these newest therapies.