The Future of Hair Is Here—Thanks to a Revolutionary Scientific Advance

Good news for people losing hair: Scientists think they’ve found a new way to bring it back. And it all starts with a special kind of sugar.

A new study from researchers in Thailand tested a sugar called 2-deoxy-D-ribose—let’s just call it 2dDR—and found that it helped regrow hair in bald mice. This sugar is already found in the body and is a part of our DNA. But what’s really interesting is that 2dDR can help grow new blood vessels, and that might be the secret to getting hair to grow again.

CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE OF MEDICAL ADVICE. SEEK GUIDANCE OF YOUR DOCTOR REGARDING YOUR HEALTH AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

How it works.

To test their idea, scientists made a gel with 2dDR in it and rubbed it onto the bald spots of mice. These mice had hair loss caused by testosterone (kind of like how people lose hair due to hormones). After a few weeks, the mice that got the sugar gel grew more hair than the ones that didn’t.

The reason? That sugar helped build new tiny blood vessels in the skin. More blood means more oxygen and nutrients for hair follicles, which can help them grow hair again.

Why this is a big deal.

Right now, people with hair loss don’t have a lot of great options. The common treatments (like minoxidil and finasteride) don’t work for everyone and can have side effects. But this sugar-based gel could be a new, safer way to bring hair back—by helping the body heal itself.

Not ready for stores yet.

Before you run to the pharmacy, here’s the catch: this study was only done in mice, not people. Scientists still need to run tests on humans to make sure it’s safe, and it works the same way. But it’s a big step toward reversing baldness in the future.

Growing your hair out isn’t always easy—it can take time and test your patience. That’s why we looked around and found some easy, effective tips to help you level up your hair game.