It’s the secret fear of plenty of young men worldwide, but it’s long been written that there’s very little you can do about male pattern baldness except eye the hairline of the men in your family, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.

Of course, plenty of men – and women – rock the bald-headed look, and don’t let something as fickle as their own hair bother them.

But for others, the loss of hair can truly shake their self-confidence, leading to mental health problems and a significantly reduced quality of life.

And for the latter group, new research from the University of Sydney, Australia, could provide some welcome, sweet relief.

Known as Androgenetic alopecia, or more commonly as male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss, the thinning and loss of hair as we age is no stranger to many.

For those who are struggling with the condition, and who meet certain diagnostic parameters, a prescription-only ointment called topical minoxidil can help, but it has certain drawbacks that make it less effective.

Namely, the medication isn’t particularly good at permeating the skin, nor does it dissolve well in water.

But according to the new study, which was published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, there is hope for those struggling with the drawn-out and painstaking minoxidil treatment.

Incredibly, the research team found that an ordinary household product – stevioside or Stevia, a natural sweetener – can be introduced into the treatment to aid the absorption of the medication into a patient’s skin.

Not only did lab tests prove that the minoxidil was being absorbed more readily in mouse test-subjects with the support of stevioside, they also observed as hair follicles were stimulated into growth once more, and hair was effectively re-grown.

This is a real game-changer, as University of Sydney researcher Lifeng Kang explained in a statement:

“Using stevioside to enhance minoxidil delivery represents a promising step toward more effective and natural treatments for hair loss, potentially benefiting millions worldwide.”

With this unexpected step forward, hair-loss sufferers may be able to achieve the locks of their dreams once more.

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