An autologous cell-based therapy appears to temporarily boost hair density in men and women with pattern hair loss, researchers report.

Japanese researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of injecting autologous dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells into bald areas of the scalps of 50 men and 15 women with pattern hair loss.

Total hair density and cumulative hair diameter increased significantly at six and nine months at the low-dose DSC cell injection site, compared with placebo, the researchers reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Meanwhile, total hair density and cumulative hair diameter did not change significantly in the medium- and high-dose DSC cell injection sites, and the improvements at the low-dose DSC injection site were no longer apparent at 12 months.