Buzz
A recent scientific study on lab-grown hair follicles was inaccurately portrayed as a breakthrough linking McDonald’s fryers to curing baldness. An Australian outlet claimed, 'Japanese scientists suggest McDonald’s fries can cure baldness.' This is entirely false.
The research, titled Spontaneous hair follicle germ (HFG) formation in vitro, enabling the large-scale production of HFGs for regenerative medicine, appeared in the journal Biomaterials in November 2017. It focuses on developing a method to mass-produce hair follicles for transplants, with no mention of McDonald’s or frying oil. This innovation addresses the challenge of creating new hair follicles in labs, unlike current treatments that merely relocate existing hair.
The key discovery was identifying a material that facilitates oxygen flow to cells. As stated in a press release from Yokohama National University on February 1:
The success in mass-producing clusters of hair-producing stem cells hinged on selecting the right substrate for the culture vessel,” explains Junji Fukuda, Professor at Yokohama National University and the study’s corresponding author. “Using oxygen-permeable dimethylpolysiloxane (PDMS) at the vessel’s base proved highly effective.
Several media outlets initially covered the story, but it gained sensational traction when someone noted that dimethylpolysiloxane, a component used in frying oil to reduce foaming, was also mentioned in the study. McDonald’s recently highlighted this additive in a video detailing their fries’ ingredients, emphasizing transparency.
The Daily Mail appears to have been the first to draw this connection. Their February 4 article, titled “Short, back and fries! Scientists claim chemical used in McDonald’s chips can cure BALDNESS and even regrow hair,” sparked a wave of similar reports. The next day, Express ran a headline stating “REVEALED: Baldness cure hidden in McDonald’s FRIES ‘can regrow hair without transplant’,” misrepresenting the study’s focus on preparing follicles for transplants. Despite accurate reporting by some, most headlines prominently featured McDonald’s fries.
To clarify: the researchers utilized silicone to create a device for growing hair cells, while McDonald’s uses silicone in their frying oil. This is the sole link between the two. Silicone is not a component of a baldness treatment, nor is it derived from frying oil as if it were a natural resource.
The Japan Times reported on the hair regeneration study the following day and explicitly addressed the McDonald’s association, confirming there is none.
Fukuda expressed confusion over the public’s misinterpretation of his research findings.
I’ve come across online queries like, ‘How many fries would I need to consume to regrow my hair?’” he remarked. “It would be unfortunate if people believed that consuming something could achieve such results!
