BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bauman Medical, a physician-led hair restoration practice founded by Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, FISHRS, today announced that an abstract authored by Dr. Bauman has been accepted for an oral presentation at the 34th World Congress of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), to be held October 15–17, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The presentation, “Autologous Hair Follicle Stem Cell-Derived Secretome (aHFS): Comparative Proteomic, Exosomal, & Functional Characterization vs Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for Hair Regeneration & Skin Healing,” delivers the first head-to-head biochemical and clinical comparison of aHFS, a next-generation cell-free regenerative therapy, against autologous PRP, long considered a standard adjunct in hair restoration.

A Follicle-Specific Alternative to PRP

aHFS is produced from a patient's own hair follicle stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells, obtained through non-invasive hair follicle plucking or routine follicular unit extraction, and processed through a patented expansion method developed by Acorn Biolabs. The result is a paracrine, cell-free formulation enriched in growth factors, exosomes, extracellular matrix proteins, and cytokines that signal directly to the hair follicle and skin.

Using mass spectrometry, multiplex ELISA, and nanoparticle tracking analysis, the study profiled 37 regenerative molecules and compared them directly to autologous PRP prepared by standard double-spin centrifugation from the same donors.

Key Findings

• For hair regrowth, matrix molecules critical to follicle anchorage and cycling (aggrecan, collagens, keratins) reached up to 22× higher concentrations than PRP; growth factors GDNF, bFGF/FGF2, and KGF/FGF7 reached up to 11× higher; and cytokines MCP-1 and SDF-1 reached 4× higher.
• For skin and scalp rejuvenation, matrix molecules (fibronectin, emilin, collagen) reached up to 34× higher; growth factors (VEGF, GDNF, PEDF, bFGF) up to 23× higher; HAPLN1 protein 12× higher; and supportive cytokines up to 9× higher.
• aHFS averaged 5 billion exosome particles per sample (modal size 137 nm, ~14 mg/mL protein content) — key regenerative factors that are largely absent from plasma-based therapies.
• Unlike PRP, aHFS maintained robust IGF-1/IGFBP3 levels independent of donor age and showed significantly lower pro-inflammatory markers (MMP-1, MMP-2).
• In a preliminary post-ablative laser recovery study (n=11), aHFS produced 32–58% reductions in recovery symptoms (pain, itching, crusting, swelling, redness) versus best-in-class comparators, a 39% improvement in cosmetic appearance, a 63% improvement in skin “feel,” and a 12× higher likelihood of being rated the “best overall patient experience” compared with standard of care.
  

Longer-term efficacy data are being gathered in an ongoing multicenter observational trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06477172).

Physician Perspective

“PRP has been a useful tool for years, but its performance has always been limited by what's naturally present in a patient's blood plasma - and that declines with age. aHFS is a fundamentally different approach: it draws directly from the patient's own hair follicle stem cells, which are the cells that actually understand how to build and maintain a follicle. The proteomic differences measured against PRP were substantial, and the age-independence is especially significant for our older patients. This is exactly the kind of regenerative science that's moving our field beyond growth-factor injections and toward true follicle biology,” said Dr. Bauman.

About the Presentation

Dr. Bauman will deliver the 5-minute oral presentation as part of the General Session at the ISHRS 34th World Congress, October 15–17, 2026, at the Rio de Janeiro convention center. The abstract has also been offered as content for the Surgical Assistants Program. Consistent with ISHRS disclosure requirements, Dr. Bauman has disclosed a researcher relationship with Congela Biosciences and an ownership interest in HairScience LLC; the presentation includes disclosure of off-label/investigational use of the aHFS product, manufactured by Acorn Biolabs.

About Bauman Medical

Founded in 1997 by Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, FISHRS, Bauman Medical is a physician-led hair transplant and hair loss treatment center headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, with a satellite location in New York. Dr. Bauman is a Diplomate of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery and a Fellow of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, and has treated more than 36,000 patients and performed more than 14,000 hair transplant procedures. Bauman Medical is recognized internationally for pioneering minimally invasive FUE, PRP, low-level laser therapy, and advanced regenerative technologies for hair restoration. For more information, visit baumanmedical.com.

About ISHRS

The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is the world's leading nonprofit medical association dedicated to advancing the science, art, and safe practice of hair restoration surgery. Its annual World Congress brings together surgeons, researchers, and industry innovators from around the world.

Media Contact

Lanny Grossman, EM50 Communications, lanny@em50.com

Important Notice: aHFS is an investigational, autologous cell-derived product and is not cleared or approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Statements regarding aHFS reflect preliminary and ongoing research (including ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06477172) and have not been evaluated by the FDA. aHFS is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results vary.

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