Efficacy of Human Foreskin Fibroblast–Conditioned Medium in the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia: A Pilot Trial Publisher



Behrangi E ; Kabiri Samani N ; Taghiabadi E ; Sadeghzadehbazargan A ; Heidari N ; Heidari A ; Roohaninasab M ; Nilforoushzadeh MA
Source: Dermatologic Therapy Published:2026

Abstract

Background and Aims: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common and distressing medical condition that negatively affects the patient’s quality of life. The conditioned medium (CM) contains secreted proteins and has been investigated for several therapeutic applications. This study sought to assess the efficacy of human foreskin fibroblast (HFF)–CM in AGA treatment. Methods: A pilot trial was conducted on eligible AGA patients. Initially, HFFs were isolated, expanded under sterile GMP-compliant conditions, and characterized by mesenchymal surface marker expression prior to HFF–CM preparation. The resulting HFF–CM was collected after serum-reduced culture, cleared of cellular debris, sterilized by filtration, and analyzed by ELISA to quantify key growth factors. Subjects received four injections of HFF–CM at 4-week intervals. The cases were followed up for 6 months, and structural changes were evaluated by sonography, VisioFace software, and trichoscopy. Moreover, subjective satisfaction was assessed. Results: During HFF–CM preparation, HFF exhibited MSC-like morphology and mesenchymal marker expression, and the resulting CM contained a diverse growth factor profile, with IGF-1 and KGF/FGF-7 present at the highest levels. Fourteen eligible cases were included in this study (mean age: 34.8 ± 8.1 years, female: 78.6%). The pre- and post-treatment results indicated significant changes in Ludwig’s score (p = 0.38). Sonography showed notable changes from baseline in complete and dermal density (p < 0.001), as well as significant improvements in trichosan at both × 60 and × 150 magnification (p < 0.001). Physician and patient satisfaction assessments revealed excellent and good results in most cases. Conclusion: AGA treatment with HFF–CM led to improvement in both objective and subjective parameters. However, large-scale clinical studies with long-term follow-ups are recommended. Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20221026056309N1. Copyright © 2026 Elham Behrangi et al. Dermatologic Therapy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.