A team from Michigan State University has developed a “shampoo-like” hydrogel (a water-rich gel) capable of protecting hair follicles from hair loss during chemotherapy, according to tests conducted on animal models.

Cancer patients often suffer from chemotherapy-induced hair loss, causing significant psychological, social, and professional distress. Effective solutions are limited to expensive cooling caps that may have side effects.

The hydrogel contains lidocaine and adrenaline, which temporarily reduce blood flow to the scalp and limit the delivery of chemotherapy drugs to the follicles, thus protecting hair from falling out.

The gel is also temperature-responsive, becoming thicker and adhering to the scalp at body temperature, and turning into a liquid that is easy to wash off at lower temperatures.

Brian Smith, an associate professor at the College of Engineering and the Institute of Health Sciences, noted that “protecting hair during chemotherapy directly impacts patients’ quality of life,” adding that researchers hope to secure federal or investment funding to advance clinical trials on humans.