Dermal White Adipose Tissue Enhances Proliferation, Pigmentation, and Hair Shaft Elongation in Human Hair Follicles Ex Vivo

May 2018 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Carina Nicu, J. Pople, Ranjit Bhogal, David M. Ansell, Ralf Paus

dermal white adipose tissue DWAT hair follicle HF cell proliferation melanin hair shaft elongation paracrine signaling scalp fat tissue hair growth pigmentation hair lengthening cell growth skin signaling

TLDR Fat under the skin can help hair grow longer, darker, and increase cell growth.

The study explored the impact of dermal white adipose tissue (DWAT) on human hair follicle (HF) functions. It was found that HFs cultured with DWAT exhibited increased cell proliferation, higher melanin content, and greater hair shaft elongation compared to HFs cultured alone. These enhancements suggest that DWAT may affect scalp HFs through paracrine signaling, which could be significant in understanding and treating hair disorders. The study did not specify the number of participants, as it was conducted ex vivo with micro-dissected human scalp HFs.

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