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Initial results showed a 25 percent increase in hair thickness, compared to the placebo group, in less than two months<\/p>\n
Fast signal for hair growth<\/p>\n
Male-pattern hair loss<\/a> is common, and some current treatments do help, but results vary and take months. This short, controlled test that moves the needle faster is drawing global attention for obvious reasons.<\/p>\n Lead researcher Dr. Tsong Min Chang of Schweitzer Biotech Company<\/a> (SBC) led the clinical work in Taiwan. The team set out to see if a multi-part serum could nudge more follicles into active growth within a few weeks.<\/p>\n Many people try over-the-counter serums with mixed ingredients and vague claims. A tightly designed, blinded study offers cleaner signals than marketing before and after photos.<\/p>\n Hair growth serum ingredients<\/p>\n The proprietary serum uses mild caffeine<\/a> and panthenol, a moisturizer many shampoos already carry. On top of that, the formula added extracellular vesicles \u2013 tiny packets released by cells that carry signals \u2013 derived from a plant species called Centella asiatica<\/a>.<\/p>\n It also included fibroblast growth factor 7, a protein cue that supports hair-producing skin cells. The mix further added insulin-like growth factor 1, a protein signal that promotes follicle growth.<\/p>\n Those choices were not random. Growth factor biology links these signals to hair cycling, and careful delivery can matter for effectiveness.<\/p>\n How the test was done<\/p>\n Volunteers ages 18 to 60 were randomly assigned to five groups, including a placebo. Technicians measured density, thickness, length, and shedding at days 14, 28, 42, and 56 using standardized tools.<\/p>\n Four active arms stacked ingredients stepwise, from a simple base, to base plus growth factors, to base plus plant vesicles, to a full combination. <\/p>\n The design used placebo controls and blinding, a good way to reduce bias in a small study.<\/p>\n Hair growth changed by day 56<\/p>\n Across most measures, results improved as more components were combined, with the full formula on top. Hair density rose by almost 25 percent in the combination group compared with a smaller shift on placebo.<\/p>\n Strands also measured thicker in that group. The study authors suggest the plant material may support scalp health around follicles. These outcomes hint at synergy.<\/p>\n Stepwise gains across the arms suggest each component added something, with the trio together giving the largest effect on density at the study\u2019s endpoint.<\/p>\n The study involved healthy adults rather than people with clear pattern hair loss. It lasted only eight weeks, which is short relative to a full hair growth cycle and not long enough to judge durability.<\/p>\n Company employees and consultants worked on the project and reported the outcomes, which raises routine questions about bias. <\/p>\n Independent replication and longer follow up are essential before any claims move beyond a small controlled test.<\/p>\n There was no head-to-head comparison with proven therapies. A direct run against minoxidil and finasteride<\/a> would show whether the new mix adds more than what is already available.<\/p>\n Context in hair growth research<\/p>\n Hair grows in cycles that include resting and growth phases. The growth phase, called anagen<\/a>, the several month window when hair actively lengthens, is where many therapies try to act.<\/p>\n Signals that include IGF-1 and FGF-7 influence follicle behavior in lab systems and animal models. A scholarly overview outlines how these signals extend the growth window, with supporting growth factor details.<\/p>\n Centella asiatica also appears in cosmetic research. Topical preparations that deliver plant-derived vesicles have shown skin tolerance and signs of anti-inflammatory action in small human studies.<\/p>\n The ingredient list also included caffeine and panthenol<\/a>, which are common in shampoos. Caffeine has been explored for scalp microcirculation, while panthenol primarily conditions the hair shaft rather than stimulating new growth.<\/p>\n Next phase of testing<\/p>\n Larger trials should enroll people with diagnosed pattern hair loss and report absolute changes in hairs per square inch. <\/p>\n They should track photographs, shedding counts, and patient-reported outcomes, and they should compare results with minoxidil and finasteride directly.<\/p>\n Safety deserves close tracking because growth cues are biologically active. Trials should monitor scalp<\/a> irritation, unwanted shedding at the start of treatment, and any systemic effects even if risk is expected to be low.<\/p>\n Manufacturers will also need to show lot-to-lot consistency. If plant vesicle cargo drives benefit, batches must be standardized or variability will swamp the signal.<\/p>\n Where this leaves patients now<\/p>\n Evidence-based options still matter most in today\u2019s world. Minoxidil<\/a> and finasteride<\/a> remain the proven standards from randomized trials and medical guidance, and they work best when started early in the process.<\/p>\n Set expectations accordingly. Even with clean eight-week data, hair biology moves on the scale of months, not days, and gains usually require steady use to maintain.<\/p>\n For now, the new data from the Centella asiatica serum are very intriguing, but more tests are needed. They show a measurable signal in a strict but short test and justify moving to larger studies with hard, patient-centered endpoints.<\/p>\n The study is published in medRxiv<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check us out on EarthSnap<\/a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls<\/a> and Earth.com.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A team of scientists has created a daily scalp hair growth serum, using a tropical plant-based extract, that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":654947,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[18291,70,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-654946","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-science","8":"tag-plants","9":"tag-science","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115783116275072998","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/654946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=654946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/654946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/654947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=654946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=654946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=654946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Representative](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/hair-growth_test-photos_plant-formula_medRxiv_1s.webp.webp\")
<\/a>Representative photographs of the participants in Group E on Day 0 and Day 56 after treatment. Click image to enlarge. Credit: medRxivShort trial, big questions<\/p>\n