Could This Sugar Gel Replace Rogaine? Promising New Findings

Breakthrough Sugar-Based Gel Shows Promise for Treating Hair Loss

In a significant 2024 discovery, researchers uncovered a potential new solution for hereditary-patterned baldness — the most prevalent form of hair loss affecting millions of men and women around the globe.

The finding originated from a surprising source: a naturally occurring sugar known as deoxyribose, a key structural component of DNA.

A team of scientists from the University of Sheffield in the UK and COMSATS University in Pakistan initially began exploring how deoxyribose aids in wound healing when applied topically. During trials on mice, they observed an unexpected side effect — hair surrounding the wounds began to regrow faster and thicker than in untreated mice.

This unusual observation led the team to take a closer look.

In a June 2024 study, the researchers used male mice models exhibiting testosterone-induced hair loss. They carefully shaved the fur from the mice’s backs and applied a gel containing deoxyribose daily. Within weeks, the treated area showed strong signs of regrowth, with individual hairs appearing longer, darker, and more abundant compared to untreated regions.

What made this sugar gel even more impressive was that it performed on par with minoxidil — the well-known over-the-counter topical medication (marketed as Rogaine) used for managing hair thinning and stimulating hair regrowth.

“Our results suggest that a simple sugar like deoxyribose could potentially improve blood flow to hair follicles and support regrowth,” explained Professor Sheila MacNeil, a tissue engineer at the University of Sheffield.

Understanding Hereditary Baldness

Hereditary-patterned baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, results from a mix of genetic predisposition, hormone activity, and aging. It affects men and women differently and can begin as early as the teenage years. It’s estimated that about 40% of people will experience this condition at some point.

Despite its widespread nature, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved two main treatments to date. Minoxidil, applied topically, is effective for some but not all. When that fails, male patients might turn to finasteride (Propecia), an oral medication that works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into its more potent form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). However, this option is not yet available for women and is associated with possible side effects, including reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, breast tenderness, and mood disturbances.

“The management of androgenetic alopecia remains a clinical challenge,” the researchers note in their paper.

A New Kind of Hair Growth Therapy

To explore alternative solutions, the scientists developed a biodegradable and non-toxic gel using deoxyribose and tested it on mouse models with baldness similar to male-pattern hair loss. Some mice received only the sugar gel, others were treated with minoxidil, and a third group received both.

The results were striking: both the deoxyribose gel and minoxidil led to 80–90% hair regrowth in treated mice. Interestingly, using both treatments together did not significantly boost the outcome beyond what each achieved alone.

Photographic evidence from the 20-day trial clearly showed enhanced fur regrowth in areas treated with the sugar-based gel.

Though the precise mechanism behind deoxyribose’s effect is still being explored, the treated skin showed a noticeable increase in blood vessels and active skin cells, both of which are essential for nourishing hair follicles.

According to the researchers, improved blood flow to the base of the hair follicle — known as the hair bulb — can lead to thicker, healthier hair. “The better the blood supply, the more vigorous the growth,” they observed.

Potential Beyond Baldness

If the sugar-based treatment demonstrates similar effects in humans, it may hold promise not just for hereditary alopecia but also for stimulating regrowth of eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair lost during chemotherapy.

“This area is severely lacking in research,” the team pointed out, emphasizing the need for novel and natural treatment approaches.

So far, trials have been limited to male mice. However, future research may examine whether female mice with androgen-driven hair loss could also benefit from this sugar gel — a development that would be especially valuable since current FDA-approved treatments offer limited help to women.

“This is still early-stage work,” MacNeil noted, “but the initial results are exciting and certainly justify more research.”