Thiosulfate Promotes Hair Growth in Mouse Model

September 2018 in “ Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry ”

Motoko Maekawa, Tetsuo Ohnishi, Shabeesh Balan, Yu Hisano, Yayoi Nozaki, Hideki Ohba, Manabu Toyoshima, Chie Shimamoto, Chinatsu Tabata, Yuina Wada, Takeo Yoshikawa

sodium thiosulfate STS minoxidil MXD hair follicles vasorelaxation hydrogen sulfide H₂S anti-inflammatory anti-oxidative Rogaine

Studysummary In this study, sodium thiosulfate was observed to promote hair growth in mice by encouraging hair follicles to enter the growth phase and complementing the effects of minoxidil, suggesting potential benefits for hair loss treatment. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In a 2018 study, sodium thiosulfate (STS) was found to promote hair growth in mice by stimulating resting hair follicles to reenter the growth phase and enhancing the effects of minoxidil (MXD), a common hair growth treatment. The study used two mouse models to test the effects of STS on both resting and active hair follicles, with sample sizes ranging from 5 to 12 mice per treatment group. STS, especially at a 10% concentration, was shown to increase hair growth speed and, when combined with 1% MXD, had a significant additive effect on hair growth. The study suggested that the hair growth-promoting activity of STS might be due to vasorelaxation and the generation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which has vasorelaxation and anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidative properties. No adverse systemic health effects were observed, and the study concluded that STS has the potential to be a novel treatment for hair loss, working synergistically with MXD. Further research and clinical trials are needed to understand the precise mechanisms by which STS promotes hair growth.

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Thiosulfate Promotes Hair Growth in Mouse Model

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