January 2013 in “Guiding Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy” This study reports that the combination of catgut embedding, moxibustion, and bleeding therapy showed significant clinical efficacy for androgenetic alopecia at three and six months compared to finasteride alone.
January 2013 in “Medical & Pharmaceutical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army” In this study, catgut embedding combined with moxibustion and bloodletting was reported to be more effective than finasteride for androgenetic alopecia, reducing hormonal imbalances and improving patient quality of life.
August 2025 in “BMJ Open” In this randomized controlled trial, researchers are assessing the efficacy and safety of acupoint catgut embedding combined with topical 5% minoxidil in treating androgenetic alopecia among 70 men, with primary outcomes focusing on changes in hair count after 24 weeks of treatment.
20 citations
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December 2015 in “Journal of Pharmacopuncture” In this study, thread-embedding therapy enhanced hair regrowth in C57BL/6 mice by regulating growth factors associated with hair follicle anagen development and promoting cellular proliferation in hair follicles.
5 citations
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January 2017 in “Laboratory Animal Research” This study observed that gold thread implantation increased hair regrowth in both human patients and mice, suggesting it could be an effective hair regrowth treatment, although further studies are needed to understand its mechanisms and safety.