British robots to help treat baldness

A British firm has just secured government funding from the "Technology Programme" to build a robotic system aiming to speed up the process of multiplying hair cells to help treat baldness in males and alopecia for both genders. The firm, Intercytex, extracts hair follicles from the neck, multiplies the cells, and then reimplants them in bald spots three weeks later. The £1.85 million grant ($3.48 million) will be used to process various cell samples using robots in a "reliable, effcient" way.

Read - Intercytex press release
Read - BBC
Read - Reuters

[major @ Oct 7th 2006 6:58AM]

Hmmm, if that photo is any indication, I'd say they still have a long ways to go.

[Greg @ Oct 7th 2006 7:18AM]

I got to say, I never saw as many bold people as in UK !!! So, I guess this grant will hopefully help fighting this ;)

[Joshua @ Oct 7th 2006 8:47AM]

I for one, welcome our neck hair multiplying robot overlords.

[Rick Lyon @ Oct 7th 2006 9:09AM]

The hot chick in the photo looks like she shaved her head. A rather odd photo to use for baldness?

[Igor @ Oct 7th 2006 9:39AM]

am i the first one to say this? this is demi moore
or have iu been trolled? :)

[Francis O. @ Oct 7th 2006 3:09PM]

Hmm, Would that help my friend get a beard?

[everythingblogcast @ Oct 7th 2006 4:13PM]

More TAX payers money down the drain. What about true heath care. Something that will help someone that is ill or dieing like cancer not someone who lost their hair.

[Dom @ Oct 10th 2006 3:13PM]

"More TAX payers money down the drain. What about true heath care. Something that will help someone that is ill or dieing like cancer not someone who lost their hair."

A good point, but think how much profit (including worldwide licencing) this could generate - money which could be fed back into the NHS to help fund things like cancer units if done properly.

Also, many people who get cancer lose thier hair due to the treaments they get (which does not always growback naturally), so it could also benift cancer sufferers.

[Giltronic @ Oct 7th 2006 8:47PM]

i was just about to say the same thing.
i think that is Demi Moore.

giltronic

[Reg @ Oct 7th 2006 9:49PM]

Actually, everythingblogcast, hair loss is a health issue: a mental health one.

Many men (the photo is inappropriate - the vast number of people who suffer from premature baldness are male) who aren't rock stars, tennis players, or established movie actors, suffer from low self-esteem as a result of losing their hair younger than our image-concious society thinks is healthy.

Numerous psychological studies have shown that both women and other men consider balding men to be less attractive, less healthy, less virile and less suitable to have as a mate or team member.

As a result, bald men are often very self-conscious, have low self-esteem, and in extreme cases are socially withdrawn.

As evidence of this, you only have to look at the enormous revenue of the industry promoting Rogaine, Propecia, snake oil supplements, transplants, cosmetic enhancements and hair pieces.

Of course, changing attitudes to what is simply a genetic fact of life (without some diabolical eugenics program, a certain number of men will inevitably start balding in their twenties) would be the best.

But as that is just not going to happen, medical science may be able to step in and provide some self-esteem boost for the baldies.

[The Grand Master @ Oct 8th 2006 5:22PM]

Hey Reg are you bald? You seem to be taking this very seriously! * Pushes shoulder legnth hair out of eyes*
Do you think more money should be spent to improve self esteem or to save lives?

[everythingblogcast @ Oct 8th 2006 6:35AM]

Reg

Hair loss is not going to kill someone, however having cancer and any other illness will. A woman that has cancer can even have tables which would make her live longer because the NHS does not have enough money for this drug, and not we know why our goverment is giving it to a film that is going to make hair grow back and that has costed us TAX buyers �1.85 million.

Sure look at Patrick Stewart. He lost most of his hair by the age of 19 (alopecia runs in his family). Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stewart. Now I think if a 19 year old can live with out hair for all these years other people can do the same. And look how well Patrick has done for himself.

[everythingblogcast @ Oct 8th 2006 6:36AM]

Firm not film.

[B.S. @ Oct 8th 2006 6:01PM]

If you think self-esteem is worth nothing, then you are very mistaken. Think of what improved self-esteem can do for MILLIONS of people. Longer lives, higher quality of work, higher goals, and less suicides(baldness, while not the main factor, but could be a contributor for some). Now tell me what will $3 mil will do to cancer? Prolong life of 20 people? Do your math again.

[Wes @ Oct 8th 2006 8:11PM]

Demi Moore anyone?

[doorseurope @ Mar 26th 2009 3:11AM]

1212

[doorseurope @ Mar 26th 2009 3:25AM]

My real comment on balding is that it is society who wants to dictate what is attractive what is not acceptable for the rest of the population.
If you take a look at other cultures they may think haveing peircings completely covering thier faces is something to be admired tatoos covering the face disfigurements to the face. But those are choices made by individuals who putthat on themselves but a balding man their is no choice we didnot wakeup one morning and decide hey I think I will start going bald today it will give me a unique look maybe it will catch on oh I know woman will really go for this look.Come on people give us a break have the good sense not to tease or make comments as if you just realize that were going bald or like we donot know ourselves. Remember we have to look in the mirror to brush our teeth wash our face so believe me we cant forget.

[doorseurope @ Mar 26th 2009 3:28AM]

I would like tomake a comment

[doorseurope @ Mar 26th 2009 3:31AM]

no comments anyone

[doorseurope @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:09PM]

bla bla