Caffeine
Caffeine has recently been shown to be a hair growth stimulator that helps to improve skin function and is easily absorbable through scalp skin. It is not known exactly how caffeine stimulates hair growth yet, but it appears to directly increase the growth of hair as well as possibly helping to block the effects of testosterone within skin.
Scientists have discovered caffeine stimulates the growth of tiny follicles in the scalp in men who are starting to lose their hair.
The new study, published in the International Journal of Dermatology, found that caffeine works by blocking the effects of a chemical known to damage hair follicles. But drinking plenty of coffee may not be the best answer.
Scientists estimate up to 60 cups a day would be needed for significant amounts to reach follicles in the scalp.
Instead, German cosmetics firm Alpecin has developed a caffeine-rich solution that can be rubbed on the scalp. "Caffeine is a well-known substance, yet little is known about its effect on human hair follicle growth," said Dr Tobias Fischer, who carried out the latest research at the University of Jena in Germany. "But this study shows it's a promising candidate for hair growth stimulation."
Most baldness is caused when hair follicles, the tiny sacs in the scalp from which hair grows, become exposed to too much dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. This is a chemical produced by the male hormone testosterone.
To test the idea, Dr Fischer took scalp biopsies from 14 men in the early stages of hair loss.
He extracted hair follicles and placed them in test tubes with solutions containing different levels of caffeine.
The samples were left in the laboratory for up to eight days to monitor growth. At the end of the experiment, caffeine had boosted the length of the hairs by between 33 per cent and 40 per cent.
In contrast, other test tubes containing hair follicles mixed with testosterone showed that they grew much more slowly.
Scientists behind the breakthrough believe caffeine affects hair cells in such a way that they are able to resist the damaging effects of DHT.
"Hair follicles that were treated with caffeine showed a highly significant growth rate at 24 hours, and still showed further significant growth at eight days," said Dr Fischer.
