By Emily Murray

For many men (and women too) thinning hair is an unavoidable part of growing older. There are many different ways that medical researchers have attempted to fix (or slow down) the hair loss over the past decade.

Some include pills like Propecia and others require transplanting hair follicles to different areas of the head. For some, these are great options that solve the problem, yet science still continues to search for a more definitive cure.

After hitting 50, half of all men and women suffer from hair loss.

While hair transplants continue to be a popular procedure, the failure rate is high. What scientists would like to find is a way to allow these follicles to regrow hair or a way to increase the success rate of hair transplants.

Now, they may be one step closer to a more successful procedure.

It appears that transplanting hair follicles upside down may be a better way to help maintain the hair. The new findings have been published following studies conducted by the Columbia University Medical Center team.

It seems by turning the hair follicle upside down, cells are better able to communicate more effectively, resulting in a greater ability to regrow hair. The theory was tested on donor skin that was normally hairless (the removed foreskin from babies) and while the  hairs were small, they showed success in continuing growth.

There is still more research to be done, but the implications for those who are suffering from hair loss (both men and women) could be great. It’s also been said that this procedure could be used for the regrowth of hair in burn patients as well.