TLDR Caffeine improves male skin's barrier function.
The study investigated the effects of caffeine on skin barrier function, particularly in male skin, which is typically disadvantaged due to the influence of androgens like testosterone. Conducted as a double-blind placebo-controlled study, 0.5% caffeine in a hydroxyethylcellulose gel was applied to the forearms of male and female volunteers over 7 days. The results showed that caffeine significantly reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in male skin compared to female skin, suggesting that caffeine can improve barrier function in male skin by counteracting testosterone-induced effects.
100 citations
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September 1999 in “British Journal of Dermatology” The study found that two enzymes linked to hair loss are located in different parts of the scalp, supporting a common treatment's effectiveness.
124 citations
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January 1996 in “Dermatology” 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, like finasteride, are used to treat conditions like prostate issues and skin disorders.
1 citations
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February 2023 in “Drug Design Development and Therapy” Plant adaptogens may help treat skin diseases and improve skin health, but more research is needed to fully understand how they work.
September 2025 in “Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics” Targeting hair follicles can effectively promote hair growth and treat hair disorders.
5 citations
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September 2012 in “Springer eBooks” Nanoparticles can be used to deliver drugs to hair follicles, potentially improving treatments for conditions like acne and alopecia, and could also be used for vaccine delivery and gene therapy.
August 2025 in “Plastic and Aesthetic Research” Microneedling can effectively treat hair loss and works well with other treatments, but more research is needed.
10 citations
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April 2016 in “Research and reports in transdermal drug delivery” Transfollicular drug delivery is promising but needs more research to improve and understand it better.
