This study found that estradiol affects hair growth in mice by regulating the transition of hair follicles from rest to growth phases via the estrogen receptor pathway in the dermal papilla.
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October 1996 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America” This study found that 17-beta-estradiol inhibits hair growth in mice by blocking hair follicles in the telogen phase, whereas an estrogen receptor antagonist promotes hair growth by initiating anagen.
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February 2000 in “Endocrinology and metabolism/American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism” This study found that topical estradiol inhibits hair growth in mice by preventing the hair follicle's transition from resting to growth phase, a process reversible with an estrogen receptor antagonist.
April 2026 in “microPublication” In this study, researchers explored whether minoxidil, a common treatment for androgenetic alopecia, may have estrogenic activity and found preliminary evidence suggesting it could act as a partial agonist of Estrogen Receptor α (ERα).
March 2026 in “Scientific Reports” This study found that Cnidium officinale extract and its compound ferulic acid improved hair growth by promoting dermal papilla cell function and mitochondrial activity, suggesting their potential as a new treatment option for alopecia, possibly through estrogen receptor alpha activation.