What is the biology that will make this “synthetic” skin reproduce hair follicles in the matrix? I’m still a little confused.
Hey MPB,
Nobody really understands completely how the Acell Matrix actually works. It’s harvested from pig bladders and seems to create stem-cell-like conditions that allow for regeneration. Basically as the cells of the matrix die the cells divide and multiply, receiving “instructions” from nearby cells on how to organize. It has been used for everything from regrowing an aorta of a heart to the tip of a human finger to skin and hair on animals.
However, my understanding is that if this were done on a human’s donor area, then the wounded area would have to be opened several times and the powder placed in the wounded area. For example, the military is trying to use the Acell matrix to regrow human fingers, and they are opening the wound at the tip of the finger and placing the Acell powder several times a week for 2 weeks. So a similar procedure would probably have to be done for the donor area. Anyone else have ideas/thoughts on this?
BTW, this actually has interesting parallels to the work by Cotsarelis, et al. They, too, want to create stem cell-like conditions that engender regeneration of hair follicles. They did this through wounding and a WNT protein promoter. But I’m wondering if Acell is actually simpler, b/c there are no protein promoters, just the wound and Acell matrix.
All the best,
BB
I dont have the link handy (but Raptor probably does if you ask him), but in wounds on dogs (ugly real “wounds” deep in the flesh, past the dermis into the muscle, etc.) the ACELL was applied and the flesh not only grew back, but the fur grew back over it. It looked kinda like a Jesus-miracle man. I was whacked out even when I saw it, and Im a cynical old SOB.
The “hope” of many of us is that a FUE=surgery could be performed and each FUE-hole made could have some of the ACELL pig-“stuff” applied to the FUE-“wound” in the back, and a shiny new donor hair (or even follicular unit) might regrow, so the back of the head wouldn’t be affected. Thats what we are hoping. It hasn’t, of course, been tested for this, but the inventors and surgeons would make a bunch of money if they could do this. Lots of men would get HT’s if they could double their donor area only once, much less twice.
» What is the biology that will make this “synthetic” skin reproduce hair
» follicles in the matrix? I’m still a little confused.
Some Case Study Links : (Note Hair regrowth)
» » What is the biology that will make this “synthetic” skin reproduce hair
» » follicles in the matrix? I’m still a little confused.
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» Some Case Study Links : (Note Hair regrowth)
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» Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) Technology
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» Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) Technology
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» Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) Technology
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» Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) Technology
It appears from the pics that its effectiveness diminishes in proportion to the depth of the wound or how far the subcutaneous layer of dermis is damaged. This also would be the case if Acell was not utilized, but to a much lesser extent of course. Acell definitely amplifies the cell rebuilding. What do you guys think? I would like to see a finger regrow. If that were true we’re on to more than just skin and hair remolding.
Hey benji and others,
The only concern I have with the Acell matrix is that “ideal” wound required for its use. As Cotsarelis et al have shown in their Nature article this past May, wounds are sites of BOTH regeneration and repair. That is, they engender stem cell-like conditions (i.e., regeneration) and closure procedures (i.e., repair). The problem is that we’re evolutionarily designed for our wounds to have more repair than regeneration – makes sense, you don’t want gaping, bloody wounds all the time. But for our purposes this could make the Acell matrix problematic. Notice that all the wounds used for the Acell matrix are large open wounds rather than small almost closed wounds. The former are much more enabling for regenerative capacity than the latter. I’m not saying small FUE wounds wouldn’t benefit from Acell, but I have concerns that they wouldn’t be as effective under such conditions. A strip scar would be more beneficial, I think, to having an Acell matrix placed over it.
One way the Acell matrix could be used, however, is as follows:
- Dermabrasion: fancy word for scraping the skin. Dermatologists do this all the time, creating microscopic wounds on the skin surface. This could be done on a Norwood 7’s scalp
- Acell matrix: place the skin/powder on the scalp.
Repeat 1-2 and several times for several weeks. And watch the hair grow?
All the best,
BB
BTW, anyone know the results of Acell’s testing of its matrix on the tips of fingers of solider in Iraq?
» I dont have the link handy (but Raptor probably does if you ask him), but
» in wounds on dogs (ugly real “wounds” deep in the flesh, past the dermis
» into the muscle, etc.) the ACELL was applied and the flesh not only grew
» back, but the fur grew back over it. It looked kinda like a Jesus-miracle
» man. I was whacked out even when I saw it, and Im a cynical old SOB.
»
»
» The “hope” of many of us is that a FUE=surgery could be performed and each
» FUE-hole made could have some of the ACELL pig-“stuff” applied to the
» FUE-“wound” in the back, and a shiny new donor hair (or even follicular
» unit) might regrow, so the back of the head wouldn’t be affected. Thats
» what we are hoping. It hasn’t, of course, been tested for this, but the
» inventors and surgeons would make a bunch of money if they could do this.
» Lots of men would get HT’s if they could double their donor area only
» once, much less twice.
What the heck difference would it make?
You’re better off skipping FUE with Acell and just doing Strip with Acell, the strip harvesting being a much less painstaking and faster way to obtain donor (and should be cheaper than FUE, too).
And since Acell could be used to regrow the harvested skin and follicles in the donor area, it won’t make a difference to the finished result.
In fact, it would be eaiser for the patient to check and see that his follicles have grown back and to what extent they grew back.
As opposed to hunting around the back of your head for signs of teeny-tiny white scars.
I really think many of you are just afraid to be cut. What whimps!
» Hey benji and others,
»
» The only concern I have with the Acell matrix is that “ideal” wound
» required for its use. As Cotsarelis et al have shown in their Nature
» article this past May, wounds are sites of BOTH regeneration and repair.
» That is, they engender stem cell-like conditions (i.e., regeneration) and
» closure procedures (i.e., repair). The problem is that we’re
» evolutionarily designed for our wounds to have more repair than
» regeneration – makes sense, you don’t want gaping, bloody wounds all the
» time. But for our purposes this could make the Acell matrix problematic.
» Notice that all the wounds used for the Acell matrix are large open wounds
» rather than small almost closed wounds. The former are much more enabling
» for regenerative capacity than the latter. I’m not saying small FUE wounds
» wouldn’t benefit from Acell, but I have concerns that they wouldn’t be as
» effective under such conditions. A strip scar would be more beneficial, I
» think, to having an Acell matrix placed over it.
»
» One way the Acell matrix could be used, however, is as follows:
» 1. Dermabrasion: fancy word for scraping the skin. Dermatologists do this
» all the time, creating microscopic wounds on the skin surface. This could
» be done on a Norwood 7’s scalp
» 2. Acell matrix: place the skin/powder on the scalp.
»
» Repeat 1-2 and several times for several weeks. And watch the hair grow?
»
» All the best,
» BB
»
» BTW, anyone know the results of Acell’s testing of its matrix on the tips
» of fingers of solider in Iraq?
»
» » I dont have the link handy (but Raptor probably does if you ask him),
» but
» » in wounds on dogs (ugly real “wounds” deep in the flesh, past the
» dermis
» » into the muscle, etc.) the ACELL was applied and the flesh not only
» grew
» » back, but the fur grew back over it. It looked kinda like a
» Jesus-miracle
» » man. I was whacked out even when I saw it, and Im a cynical old SOB.
» »
» »
» » The “hope” of many of us is that a FUE=surgery could be performed and
» each
» » FUE-hole made could have some of the ACELL pig-“stuff” applied to the
» » FUE-“wound” in the back, and a shiny new donor hair (or even follicular
» » unit) might regrow, so the back of the head wouldn’t be affected. Thats
» » what we are hoping. It hasn’t, of course, been tested for this, but the
» » inventors and surgeons would make a bunch of money if they could do
» this.
» » Lots of men would get HT’s if they could double their donor area only
» » once, much less twice.
check out www.dermaroller.de. there are several dermaroller models listed. the c-8 model is for home use and has fewer needles of a relatively shorter length. however, the professional models may serve to create a “wounding cascade” without excessive trauma. they (the dermaroller) are currently employed as a modality to treat hypertrophic scars. google the keyword “needling” for more info. perhaps this technique could be empoloyed with a nanotopical designed by dr yechiel from elsom research, formulated with plant and fruit extracts known to stimulate beta catenin (wnt signaling pathway) and/or epidermal stem cells to “tip” the balance of the cellular environment to favor follicle restoration/regeneration.
jonesing