This study found that proretinal nanoparticles, applied topically, are safe and effective for penetration into hair follicles, enhancing retinoid biological activity in the skin while reducing irritation compared to conventional retinal formulations.
11 citations
,
August 2007 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” This study found that among the tested analogs, compound 4e was the most effective in inhibiting wax esters in vivo in the Golden Syrian hamster ear model.
May 2012 in “Scientific American” Blocking a compound called prostaglandin D₂ might help treat hair loss.
August 2006 in “Experimental dermatology” This review discusses hormone-related hair disorders and explores potential therapies, including microparticle-based drug delivery systems, without providing new clinical findings.
17 citations
,
August 2007 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” This study found that a specific amino-pyridine compound showed potent androgen receptor antagonist activity, stimulating hair growth in mice and reducing sebum production in a hamster model.
5 citations
,
July 2003 in “Drug Development Research” In this study, using a novel topical androgen receptor suppressor, fluridil, significantly increased the percentage of growing hairs in males with androgenetic alopecia without systemic absorption or adverse side effects.
January 2017 in “Clinical approaches and procedures in cosmetic dermatology” This research outlines how retinoids, compounds based on vitamin A, activate nuclear receptors to influence cellular processes such as differentiation and carcinogenesis, with benefits like anti-inflammatory properties but requiring careful management of dose-dependent side effects.
13 citations
,
November 2017 in “BMC Veterinary Research” This study suggests that topically applied fusidic acid may penetrate only the most superficial layers of canine skin but can reach sufficient concentrations to potentially treat infections caused by pathogenic staphylococci.
30 citations
,
October 2015 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” This study identified several compounds from traditional Chinese medicines that may inhibit prostaglandin D2 synthase, potentially providing promising candidates for treating androgenic alopecia with minimal adverse skin reactions.
June 2025 in “Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy” This study found that when applied for 24 hours, a polyherbal formulation made from Ficus religiosa and Abrus precatorious promoted more significant hair growth in Male Wistar rats than Minoxidil and the control group, and the extracts also exhibited notable antibacterial activities.
June 2026 in “Dermatology and Therapy” This review provides an analysis of topical treatments with clinically proven efficacy for managing hyperpigmentation and concludes that the most effective approach is using combined therapies that target multiple aspects of skin pigmentation physiology.
19 citations
,
July 1993 in “Journal of Applied Toxicology” This study found that various petroleum distillates caused significant skin changes in mice, with severity varying based on the product and penetration pathway, potentially leading to skin tumors through non-genotoxic mechanisms in longer-term exposure.
March 2014 in “DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)” This study suggests that novel lipid nanoparticle formulations may be suitable for delivering anti-alopecia compounds like minoxidil and finasteride, although their skin penetration was limited.
April 2023 in “Dermatology practical & conceptual” This study observed that a tacrolimus solution (0.1%) applied to the scalp was effective and well-tolerated for treating inflammatory scalp conditions, with 72.7% of patients showing an excellent response after 2 months of treatment, which persisted after 6 months.
119 citations
,
December 2008 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” In this study, transcutaneously applied nanoparticles and viral vectors were shown to penetrate murine hair follicles, internalize in antigen-presenting cells, and induce immune responses, suggesting a promising approach for vaccine delivery.
August 2023 in “The Indonesian Biomedical Journal” This study on UVB-exposed mice found that topical application of 10% Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil significantly increased hair length and follicle diameter, attributed potentially to its antioxidant compounds.
2 citations
,
March 2015 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Using too much minoxidil foam can cause a rare movement disorder with facial twitching, but symptoms go away when the correct dose is used.
61 citations
,
May 2016 in “Scientific reports” This study found that IMT-P8, a novel cell-penetrating peptide, effectively facilitated the dermal delivery of proteins and peptides in mouse skin and cell lines, suggesting potential for topical applications in cosmetics and skin diseases.
19 citations
,
October 2009 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” This study found that a thyroid hormone receptor ẞ subtype-selective thyromimetic was effective in promoting hair growth in mouse and monkey models when applied topically.
7 citations
,
February 2018 in “International Journal of Pharmaceutics” This study found that the cyanoacrylate biopsy method could effectively evaluate drug distribution in hair follicles, suggesting its potential utility for assessing topically applied chemicals targeting hair follicles.
July 2025 in “Current Issues in Molecular Biology” This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of Bio-Pulsed avian mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles when applied topically, finding significant improvements in hair growth, skin rejuvenation, and regenerative microRNA presence among 60 human participants without adverse events.
July 2015 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas” A woman experienced excessive hair growth after using a hair loss treatment with minoxidil.
91 citations
,
April 2011 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” This study found that Polygonum multiflorum extract may promote hair growth by inducing the anagen phase in the resting hair follicles of mice.
25 citations
,
July 2017 in “Archives of Dermatological Research” This review summarizes preclinical and clinical information on herbal products for hair loss treatment, highlighting their mechanisms, follicular penetration, and potential side effects, suggesting they may offer alternatives to synthetic drugs with fewer side effects.
20 citations
,
April 2016 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” In this study, topical methyl vanillate application increased hair count and hair mass index in women with androgenetic alopecia by enhancing WNT10B expression, suggesting a potential new treatment strategy.
3 citations
,
December 2022 in “Cells” This review examines the role of cannabinoid compounds in treating various skin conditions and suggests their potential as systemic and topical therapies, but it reports no new experimental results.
2 citations
,
January 2020 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” In this in vitro study, niacinamide was found not to stimulate VEGF synthesis across a wide range of doses.
6 citations
,
January 2013 in “Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin/Chemical and pharmaceutical bulletin” In this study, TASP0382088 showed potent selective inhibition of the ALK5 receptor, significantly reducing Smad2 phosphorylation in mouse skin following topical application.
6 citations
,
September 2024 in “Metabolism and Target Organ Damage” This review discusses the role of skin enzymes in drug metabolism and emphasizes the need for models assessing enzyme activity to evaluate the safety and bioequivalence of topical generic drugs, highlighting efforts to standardize testing protocols for transdermal products.
11 citations
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April 2015 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” This study found that topical adenosine significantly increased the ratio of thick hairs and contributed to global improvement in Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia compared to niacinamide, with no observed adverse events.