December 17, 2025, 2:29 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Millions of people in Germany alone are affected by hair loss, including both men and women. However, men are about twice as likely to be affected over their lifetime compared to women. A recent study has identified a previously unknown cause of hair loss. This also explains why many hair growth products do not work.
Hair Grows Differently Than Previously Thought
The most common form of hair loss is hereditary. It is known as androgenetic alopecia. Around 70 percent of all men and about 40 percent of all women are affected by it during their lifetime.1 This often comes with significant distress, as everyone naturally wants to restore hair growth. It’s no wonder that those affected turn to one of the many available hair growth products. But they don’t always work. Now, researchers have discovered a new cause of hair loss in a recent study.2 Apparently, hair growth functions differently than previously thought. This could be the reason why many hair growth products do not work.
Hair Is Pulled Up, Not Pushed
Researchers from the French L’Oréal Research and Innovation Institute and the British Queen Mary University have studied the developmental dynamics of human hair cells and hair follicles under controlled laboratory conditions (ex-vivo cultures). Using a 3D live imaging system, they found that hair growth occurs differently than previously thought. Hair is not pushed from below but is pulled upward by an external pulling mechanism of the hair follicle.
Cell Movement of the Hair Follicle Is Crucial
A special cell movement in the outer area of the hair follicle plays a crucial role. The cells on the outside move spirally downward while the hair itself moves upward. This mechanism creates a pulling force that draws the hair upward. This is a completely new insight into hair growth that was previously unknown.
In their study evaluation, the researchers speak of a “fascinating choreography” in the process of hair growth. Until now, it was assumed that cell division alone was responsible for pushing hair upward. “However, we have found that it is actively pulled upward by the surrounding tissue, which acts almost like a tiny motor,” says Dr. Inês Sequeira, one of the study’s lead authors, in a press release from Queen Mary University in London.3
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Researchers Find True Cause of Hair Loss
This new insight also changes the perspective on the mechanisms behind hair loss. To better understand this, the researchers conducted a test. They blocked cell division in the follicle, which should theoretically halt hair growth. Surprisingly, the hair continued to grow almost unchanged. In the second step, they deactivated a protein called actin. This protein enables cells to contract and move. The intervention led to a more than 80 percent decrease in the hair growth rate. Furthermore, computer models showed that this pulling force, correlated with coordinated movement in the outer layers of the follicle, was crucial for achieving the observed speeds of hair movement.
“This shows that hair growth is not only driven by cell division but that the outer root sheath actively pulls the hair upward,” explains Dr. Thomas Bornschlögl, also one of the study’s main authors.
New Therapies Against Hair Loss Possible
This study could significantly influence the treatment of hair loss. Until now, hair growth products have mostly stimulated cell division. However, the study shows that other mechanisms, such as the external pulling force of the outer cells, are more crucial. This new perspective on the mechanics of hair follicles opens up new possibilities for researching and treating hair loss. New medications could potentially be developed. Tissue engineering as part of regenerative medicine could also be reoriented. While further studies are needed, a first step has been taken. And with that, there is new hope for people suffering from hair loss.