Topical application of the Wnt/β-catenin activator methyl vanillate increases hair count and hair mass index in women with androgenetic alopecia

    December 2016 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
    Antonella Tosti, Martin Zaiac, Agnese Canazza, Fabian Sanchis-Gomar, Helios Pareja-Galeano, Rafael Alis, Alejandro Lucia, Enzo Emanuele
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    TLDR Methyl vanillate spray increases hair count and hair mass in women with hair loss.
    A study from 2016 investigated the potential of methyl vanillate (MV), a plant-derived ingredient that activates the WNT/ß-catenin pathway, as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in women. The study involved 20 women with AGA who applied a 0.2% MV spray to their scalp for 6 months. The results showed a 6% increase in hair count and a 12% increase in hair mass index (HMI) compared to baseline. The topical application of MV also resulted in a 32% increase in WNT10B mRNA expression levels in the temporal scalp area. The study suggests that topical MV can increase hair count and HMI by inducing WNT10B expression in the scalp, potentially serving as a novel treatment strategy for female AGA.
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