Scientists at Yokohama National University in Japan find the chemical dimethylpolysiloxane (contained in silicone) creates follicles capable of growing hair when implanted within mice. In fact, the chemical generated growth of up to 5,000 hair follicles germs concurrently on the mice’s back.

Dimethylpolysiloxane, according to the nutritional figures located on McDonald's website is contained within the anti-foaming agent in the oil used to cook the fries.

Professor Junji Fukuda pointed out:

The key for the mass production of HFGs was a choice of substrate materials for culture vessel…we used oxygen-permeable dimethylpolysiloxane at the bottom of culture vessel and it worked very well.

Based on this news, could your balding woes immediately vanish through a steady diet of McDonald's fries? No! As a bald powerlifter, this does not give you permission to make McDonald’s fries a cornerstone of your diet. Before you rush off to The Golden Arches, be advised that there is no scientific evidence at this point to suggest a correlation between dimethylpolysiloxane and human hair growth. Scientists at Yokohama National University are suggesting it will take roughly five years to pinpoint if there are any human implications of their findings.

References

  1. Fitzmaurice, Rosie. “A Chemical Used to Make McDonald's Fries Could One Day Help Regrow Hair, Japanese Scientists Say.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 6 Feb. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/dimethylpolysiloxane-in-mcdonalds-fries-could-cure-baldness-2018-2.
  2. Molina, Brett. “McDonald's French Fries Might Hold a Cure for Baldness.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 6 Feb. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/06/mcdonalds-fries-might-hold-cure-baldness/310307002/.

Header Image Credit: McDonald's Website