Hair loss or baldness has been a tricky problem for both men and women to tackle since there are only a few choices.

The ways are namely hair implant surgery, which is too costly and prone to side effects, and medication, which only slows the process of hair loss.

However, a new technology that would allow completely new hair follicle to be formed out of donor dermal cells has been developed by a group of scientists in Taiwan, according to foreign news reports.

Scientists have been experimenting with growing human hair on the backs of mice and today, in Taiwan, the first-ever human study is underway with some 400 men and women participating.

National Taiwan University is collecting samples of dermal cells to culture new hair follicles from patients who go through cosmetic surgery at the university hospital. Then, fully cultivated hair follicles will be implanted on bald patients.

This newfound technique could be beneficial to not only those who suffer from female-pattern hair loss but those who have a limited number of follicles, baldness caused by scarring and hair loss due to burns, according to the report.

By Ha Ji-won, intern reporter (jiwonha@heraldcorp.com)