Red Deer Antler Extract Accelerates Hair Growth by Stimulating Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor I in Full-thickness Wound Healing Rat Model

In 2012, a study involving 24 rats investigated the effects of red deer antler extract on hair growth. The rats were divided into four groups, including a control group, a group treated with 10% minoxidil, and two groups treated with different concentrations of the antler extract. The results showed that the antler extract significantly accelerated hair growth by stimulating the expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF-I). The groups treated with the antler extract had faster hair growth than the control group, with the group treated with the higher concentration of the extract experiencing the fastest growth. The study concluded that red deer antler extract could potentially be used as a treatment for alopecia.