Experimental Study on the Expression of Hair Growth-Related Factors by Acupuncture Therapy

The study investigated the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy on hair follicle growth in C57BL/6N mice over 5 and 10 days using macroscopic, microscopic, and immunohistochemical methods. Results showed that both plum-blossom needle and strong moxibustion treatments led to increased macroscopic hair follicle growth compared to the control group. Microscopic analysis revealed that these treatments advanced the hair growth cycle to anagen phase VI, while the control and weak moxibustion groups remained in anagen phase IV. Immunohistochemical observations indicated that the expression of various growth factors, enzymes, and receptors, such as fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, c-kit receptor, protein kinase C-α, and vascular endothelial growth factor, was more intense in treated groups compared to controls. The study concluded that acupuncture and moxibustion therapy were associated with enhanced expression of growth factors and enzymes related to hair growth.