Hair loss could be stopped by scent therapy

Fragrances can stimulate hair growth

Hair loss is often associated with significant loss of self-esteem for those affected and most people want a lasting full head of hair. Accordingly, the market for hair restorer, which should help with the onset of balding, is correspondingly large. Scientists at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) have now discovered that special fragrances apparently extend the life of hair. They hope for new approaches to the treatment of hair loss.

"Human hair root cells have scent receptors, and activating them with a sandalwood-like fragrance can extend the life of hair," the RUB reports on the study findings. A team of researchers from the Monasterium Laboratory in Münster, the University of Manchester and the Ruhr University Bochum has investigated the effect of fragrances on the hair root cells in organ culture experiments. Their results were published in the journal "Nature Communications".

By stimulating with special fragrances, hair growth can be stimulated and hair loss slowed down. (Image: Kurhan / fotolia.com)

Hair life cycle in three phases

Basically, hair consists of a shaft that protrudes from the skin, and a hair root, which is embedded in an invagination of the epidermis, the so-called hair follicle, explain the scientists. The life cycle of a hair consists of three phases: growth, suicide and resting phase. Usually 80 to 90 percent of all hair is in the two to eight years of continuous growth phase. About one percent is in the several-week so-called suicide phase, in which the hair stops its growth and dissolves from the root, and the rest is in the resting phase, which lasts about half a year and in which the old hair is finally repelled since a new one grows up.

Individual hair cycle crucial

"Hair loss is usually due to the fact that the ratio shifts from the growth phase to the resting phase or only too short hair is produced," explains study author Professor Dr. med. Dr. Dr. habil. Hanns hat. Although the hair follicles average around one centimeter of hair per month, hair growth depends not only on the speed of the wax, but above all on how long the individual hair cycle lasts.

Fragrance receptors in the cells

In earlier studies, the research team led by Professor Hatt at the Bochum Department of Cell Physiology could already demonstrate "that certain skin cells, the keratinocytes, possess the fragrance receptor OR2AT4" and "they also demonstrated that this receptor is perfumed by fragrances with a sandalwood note, such as Sandalore or Brahmanol. "which activates skin regeneration and wound healing by almost 50 percent," says the RUB. In the current study, the researchers now investigated whether the receptor has a similar stimulating effect on the keratinocytes in the hair roots and is involved in the regulation of hair growth in humans.

Stimulation of scent receptors

For this purpose, the scientists used a technique with which complete living hair follicles can be obtained from biopsies of the human scalp and converted into organ culture. Using gene and protein analysis, the researchers were able to show that "OR2AT4 occurs in large quantities in the hair shaft during the growth phase and in the matrix cells of the hair root, which are responsible for growth." In later phases, however, the number of receptors is significantly lower , However, if the receptors were stimulated with Brahmanol or Sandalore for four to six days in the experiments, the amount of the growth factor IGF-1, one of the most important natural hair growth stimulators, increased in the hair follicle cells.

Prolonged growth phase of the hair

According to the researchers, the scent stimulation was able to counteract the programmed cell death and the growth phase of the hair lengthened by about 30 percent, while the resting phase shortened accordingly. From this the experts conclude that the lifetime of the hair increases to a similar extent. If the fragrance receptor was genetically switched off, the fragrance had no effect. In addition, researchers observed that "human hair follicles rely on stimulation of this receptor to grow optimally," the RUB continues. So far, however, it remains unclear which natural substances in the hair follicle stimulate the receptor.

New treatment options for hair loss

"The findings open up new avenues in the treatment of hair loss," says Professor Hatt. The study author "assumes that fragrances such as Brahmanol or Sandalore in hair waters or shampoos could be used to extend the life of the hair." This would be "especially in hormone or stress-related diffuse hair loss" may be an option, the Bochum fragrance researchers continue.

First successful clinical trials

In a first clinical pilot study involving 40 Italian patients suffering from hair loss, the use of a Sandalore-containing lotion has already been successfully tested, reports the RUB. Over three months she had significantly reduced hair loss by 17.5 percent compared to a placebo. However, these pilot data have not yet been sufficient to confirm the clinical efficacy of the fragrance, as the sample was too small and more complex tests would be necessary for a reliable quantification of hair loss. Therefore, the Monasterium Laboratory is currently conducting a larger clinical trial with improved test procedures expected to be completed by the end of the year. (Fp)