Stem cell hope for baldness

| Sat, 01/20/2007 - 05:41

Italian stem-cell researchers say they've come up with a new technique for curing baldness.

Pierluigi Santi of a Genoa clinic said stem cells could be used to "multiply" hair roots.

He said the clinic would be ready to perform its first hair transplants on priority patients - those who have lost their hair in fires or other accidents - within a few months.

After that, he said, "we'll open our doors to paying customers".

Santi's approach works by splitting roots and growing new follicles.

It can also be used to grow new skin on burn victims like firemen, he said.

The researcher said he hoped for "considerable" returns on the new therapy - enabling his clinic to focus on its prime goal, cancer research.

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