Now doctors say a big breakthrough could make that possible.

 

"This is definitely a step closer to finding a new way of treating hair loss."

 

While studying the cells of men undergoing hair transplants, Dr. George Costarelis says he and his team made a surprising discovery.

 

"Which is that if the scalp that’s bald still has the same number of stem cells as the scalp that’s not bald." 

 

The problem is, even though the stem cells exist they are not producing a different kind of cell called a progenitor cell.

 

"These are the ones that are the work horse cells. They are constantly making the hair."

 

Doctor Costarelis says he is hopeful researchers will find a way to turn the inactive stem cells back on.

 

"We know the stem cells are present. They’re not gone. If they gone it would be more difficult to design a treatment, the current treatments are very good at maintaining the hair that you have. This one would be geared towards actually reversing hair loss. So even if you’re bald, theoretically this would be able to activate the stem cells and get new hair to grow in."

 

Doctors don’t know if baldness in women works the same way.

 

"Many of my patients are women, most of them actually are women. And I will really like to be able to help them more than what I can currently. so in the future I wanna figure out whether this same principles apply to female pattern hair loss."