Recovery Effects of Oral Supplementation with Polar Lipid-Rich Wheat Extracts on Acute Telogen Effluvium: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

May 2025 in “ Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology ”

Vincenzo Nobile, Stéphanie Dudonné, Catherine Kern, Enza Cestone, Christine Garcia

polar lipid-rich wheat extracts acute telogen effluvium WPLC WPLC-O WPLC-P anagen/telogen ratios hair pull test

Studysummary In this clinical study, the researchers found that a standardized wheat polar lipid complex, in both oil and powder form, significantly reduced hair shedding and improved hair growth in 99 women with acute telogen effluvium over 56 to 84 days. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

This study examined the effects of oral supplementation with polar lipid-rich wheat extracts (WPLC) on acute telogen effluvium (aTE) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 99 Caucasian women. Participants were divided into three groups: WPLC in oil form (WPLC-O), WPLC in powder form (WPLC-P), and a placebo group. Over 84 days, both WPLC-O and WPLC-P significantly reduced hair shedding and improved hair growth compared to the placebo. The study found that WPLC supplementation effectively managed aTE, with significant improvements in anagen/telogen ratios and hair pull test results, suggesting it as a potential treatment option for this condition, particularly benefiting postmenopausal women.

View this study on dovepress.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

34 / 34 results

research Amino Acids Oral Treatment for the Amelioration of Skin, Hair, and Nails Conditions: An Open-Label Study

April 2024 in “Current research in nutrition and food science”

This study found that a food supplement improved skin moisturization, elasticity, and thickness, reduced telogen hair density, and enhanced nail status in women with mild-to-moderate aging signs after 84 days.

Efficacy of a Wheat Polar Lipid Complex in Reducing Hair Loss and Improving Hair Growth in Healthy Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

research Efficacy of a Wheat Polar Lipid Complex in Reducing Hair Loss and Improving Hair Growth in Healthy Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

November 2023 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science”

This study found that a wheat polar lipid complex supplement significantly reduced hair loss and improved hair growth and volume in women experiencing acute hair shedding, including postmenopausal women.

research Oral Supplementation in Female Telogen Effluvium: Clinical and Instrumental Objective Evidence of Efficacy and Tolerability of New Oral Cosmetic Treatment

January 2023 in “Italian journal of dermatology and venereology”

This study found that a new oral supplement with sulfurated amino acids and trace elements effectively improved hair growth and reduced hair loss in women with telogen effluvium and mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia.

Targeted Nutritional Supplementation for Telogen Effluvium: Multicenter Study on Efficacy of a Hydrolyzed Collagen, Vitamin, and Mineral-Based Induction and Maintenance Treatment

research Targeted Nutritional Supplementation for Telogen Effluvium: Multicenter Study on Efficacy of a Hydrolyzed Collagen, Vitamin, and Mineral-Based Induction and Maintenance Treatment

3 citations , March 2022 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This study found that nutritional supplementation with hydrolyzed collagen, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals significantly improved hair anagen/telogen ratios and hair density in telogen effluvium patients.

research A Systematic Review on the Lipid Composition of Human Hair

8 citations , February 2022 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

This review discusses the lipid composition of human hair across ethnic types, effects of damage on lipid content, and associated changes with diseases, but reports no new findings; further research is needed.

research Post-SARS-CoV-2 Acute Telogen Effluvium: An Expected Complication

8 citations , February 2022 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine”

This study found that a notable percentage of COVID-19 patients experienced post-infection telogen effluvium, although no significant associations with infection-related factors were identified.

The Effects of Oral Supplementation with a Natural Keratin Hydrolysate (Kera-Diet) on Hair and Nails: Randomized, Placebo and Benchmark-Controlled Clinical Trial on Healthy Females

research The Effects of Oral Supplementation with a Natural Keratin Hydrolysate (Kera-Diet) on Hair and Nails: Randomized, Placebo and Benchmark-Controlled Clinical Trial on Healthy Females

December 2021 in “Trichology and cosmetology:”

This study demonstrated that a daily oral supplement of 1000 mg Kera-Diet® improved hair and nail conditions in women experiencing acute telogen effluvium and brittle nail syndrome over three months.

research Psychological Aspects of Hair Disorders: Considerations for Dermatologists, Cosmetologists, Aesthetic, and Plastic Surgeons

5 citations , November 2021 in “Skin appendage disorders”

This review discusses the quality of life impact of hair loss disorders and potential psychological treatment approaches but reports no new clinical results.

research Assessment of the Effects of a Hair Lotion in Women with Acute Telogen Effluvium: A Randomized Controlled Study

1 citations , October 2021 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

This study reported that the tested hair lotion significantly reduced hair loss and accelerated recovery in women with acute telogen effluvium compared to a mild shampoo alone.

research Role of Vitamin D in Hair Loss: A Short Review

14 citations , September 2021 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

This review discusses vitamin D's role in hair follicle biology and its association with hair loss but reports no conclusive evidence for its effectiveness as a treatment, indicating the need for further studies.

research COVID-19 Infection Is a Major Cause of Acute Telogen Effluvium

25 citations , August 2021 in “Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -)”

This study found that COVID-19 infection is a frequent cause of acute telogen effluvium, leading to excessive hair loss within 2–3 months after infection.

research Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Science and Current Obstacles

23 citations , January 2021 in “Journal of Dermatological Science”

This review describes the diagnosis and management challenges of telogen effluvium, a type of hair loss triggered by physiological stress, and summarizes current understanding of its mechanisms and treatments while recommending future research directions.

research Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature

40 citations , May 2020 in “Cureus”

This review discusses the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of telogen effluvium and reports no new clinical findings; the authors underscore the importance of identifying and eliminating causative factors.

research Getting Under the Skin of Hair Aging: The Impact of the Hair Follicle Environment

20 citations , May 2020 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This review discusses age-related changes in scalp skin and their potential effects on hair follicle aging, but reports no new clinical results, calling for further investigation.

research Miliacin Encapsulated by Polar Lipids Stimulates Cell Proliferation in Hair Bulb and Improves Telogen Effluvium in Women

3 citations , May 2019 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology”

This study found that a 12-week supplementation with MePL, a solution of miliacin encapsulated within polar lipids, significantly reduced hair density in the telogen phase and improved scalp dryness and hair brightness in women with telogen effluvium.

research Expert Consensus on the Management of Telogen Effluvium in India

19 citations , January 2019 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This consensus paper reviews expert opinions on treating telogen effluvium but reports no new clinical findings.

research Comparative Evaluation Between Two Nutritional Supplements in the Improvement of Telogen Effluvium

9 citations , September 2018 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology”

This study found that, in female patients with idiopathic telogen effluvium, a supplement containing zinc, biotin, and other nutrients significantly improved hair loss and quality over 180 days, whereas another supplement with different ingredients had less consistent effects.

research Physiological Changes of Pregnancy: A Review of the Literature

41 citations , October 2017 in “International Journal of Women's Dermatology”

This review provides an overview of the physiologic skin changes during pregnancy but reports no new findings, emphasizing the need for physicians to distinguish between benign and potentially pathological conditions.

research Hair Pull Test: Evidence-Based Update and Revision of Guidelines

36 citations , December 2016 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, researchers evaluated the hair pull test and found that normal values should be reduced to two hairs or fewer, with no significant impact from hair washing, brushing, or lifestyle factors such as hair texture and medication use.

research Proposing a Simpler Classification of Telogen Effluvium

21 citations , January 2016 in “Skin appendage disorders”

This review proposes a new classification for telogen effluvium, identifying three pathogenetic types with a common feature of profuse hair shedding, but reports no new clinical results.

research Skin Disease in Pregnancy

24 citations , March 2015 in “Best Practice & Research in Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology”

This review discusses physiological skin changes and specific dermatoses in pregnancy but reports no new clinical results, emphasizing careful diagnosis and management due to potential fetal risks in rare cases.

research The Changes in the Hair Cycle During Gestation and the Post-Partum Period

34 citations , May 2013 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

In this study, changes in hair cycle phases during pregnancy and the post-partum period showed a rise in telogen rates after delivery, especially among non-breastfeeding women, but no drastic exaggerations were noted.

research Managing Hair Loss in Midlife Women

17 citations , November 2012 in “Maturitas”

This review discusses the management of hair loss in midlife women, focusing on female pattern hair loss, hair shaft alterations from hair care, and telogen effluvium, and reports no new research findings.

research Nutrition and Hair: The Role of Nutrients in Hair Health

98 citations , October 2012 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

This article reviews the impact of nutritional deficiencies on hair health, detailing how they can cause structural abnormalities, pigmentation changes, or hair loss; it presents no new clinical findings.

research Integral Hair Lipid in Human Hair Follicle

36 citations , August 2011 in “Journal of dermatological science”

This article examines the role and composition of integral hair lipids in forming a protective barrier similar to the skin's epidermal lipid layer and reports no new findings about their effects.

research Clinical Severity Does Not Reliably Predict Quality of Life in Women With Alopecia Areata, Telogen Effluvium, or Androgenic Alopecia

86 citations , May 2011 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that patients with alopecia perceive their hair loss as more severe than dermatologists do, and their own ratings of hair loss severity better reflect their quality of life impacts.

research Hair Growth Defects in Insig-Deficient Mice Caused by Cholesterol Precursor Accumulation and Reversed by Simvastatin

46 citations , January 2010 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This study found that Insig deficiency in the skin of mice causes cholesterol precursors to accumulate, leading to defective hair development and skin abnormalities, which were alleviated by simvastatin treatment.

research Automated Digital Image Analysis (TrichoScan) for Human Hair Growth Analysis: Ease Versus Errors

21 citations , January 2010 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This study concluded that TrichoScan is error-prone in its current form and overestimates certain hair growth parameters, with results not aligning with clinical severity of alopecia.

research Hair Evaluation Methods: Merits and Demerits

91 citations , January 2009 in “International Journal of Trichology”

This review discusses the advantages and limitations of various hair loss evaluation methods but reports no new results; it emphasizes the importance of cautious interpretation for these diagnostic tools.

research Maternal PPARγ Protects Nursing Neonates by Suppressing the Production of Inflammatory Milk

102 citations , July 2007 in “Genes & Development”

This study found that maternal PPARγ is essential for preventing the production of inflammatory lipids in mouse milk, which can otherwise cause inflammation, alopecia, and growth retardation in nursing pups.

research Trichoscan: What Is New?

33 citations , January 2005 in “Dermatology”

This mini-review summarizes the Trichoscan as a sensitive tool for measuring hair growth parameters, demonstrating its effectiveness in detecting treatment response in androgenetic alopecia but noting some practical limitations.

Cloning of Wrinkle-Free, a Previously Uncharacterized Mouse Mutation, Reveals Crucial Roles for Fatty Acid Transport Protein 4 in Skin and Hair Development

research Cloning of Wrinkle-Free, a Previously Uncharacterized Mouse Mutation, Reveals Crucial Roles for Fatty Acid Transport Protein 4 in Skin and Hair Development

93 citations , April 2003 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America”

This study identified an unexpected critical role for the FATP4 protein in skin and hair development in mice, linking it to a potential candidate gene for restrictive dermopathy in humans.

research Telogen Effluvium: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

144 citations , July 2002 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology”

This article reviews the concept of telogen effluvium and emphasizes the importance of identifying triggers and using diagnostic investigations to determine the cause of hair loss, without reporting new results.

research Chronic Telogen Effluvium: Increased Scalp Hair Shedding in Middle-Aged Women

234 citations , December 1996 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

The authors concluded that chronic telogen effluvium in middle-aged women presents distinct clinical and histological features that differ from androgenetic alopecia and acute telogen effluvium.