Scientists have tested a new plant-based scalp serum that showed measurable hair regrowth and thicker strands in just 56 days during a controlled clinical trial. The serum, applied daily in small amounts, produced faster changes than typically seen with many cosmetic hair products, drawing attention from both researchers and consumers looking for alternatives to existing treatments.
The study was conducted in Taipei as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 60 adults aged 18 to 60. Participants applied one milliliter of the serum nightly across the scalp for eight weeks. Researchers tracked changes using standardized imaging and quantitative measurements taken at two-week intervals. By the end of the study, the group using the full formulation showed roughly a 25 percent increase in hair thickness compared with placebo, as reported by Earth.com.
The research was led by Dr. Tsong Min Chang of Schweitzer Biotech Company, whose team aimed to see whether combining biological signaling compounds with plant-derived components could push more hair follicles into an active growth phase over a short time window. Unlike many over-the-counter hair serums that rely on loosely supported claims, this trial was designed to isolate the effects of individual ingredients and their combinations.
The serum contains familiar components such as caffeine and panthenol, commonly used in shampoos and conditioners, but its core novelty lies in the addition of extracellular vesicles derived from the tropical plant Centella asiatica. These vesicles act as microscopic signaling carriers. The formula also includes fibroblast growth factor 7 and insulin-like growth factor 1, both of which are known to influence follicle behavior and support hair-producing skin cells.
Participants were divided into five groups, including a placebo group and four active-treatment groups that added ingredients step by step. Measurements included hair density, strand thickness, length, and shedding. Results consistently improved as more components were added, with the strongest gains seen in the group receiving the full combination of plant vesicles and growth factors. This pattern suggests a synergistic effect rather than a single ingredient driving the outcome.
Despite the encouraging results, important caveats remain. The trial lasted only eight weeks, which is short compared with a full hair growth cycle, and participants were healthy adults rather than patients formally diagnosed with male or female pattern hair loss. In addition, the research team was affiliated with the company developing the product, making independent replication essential before drawing firm conclusions.
The study did not compare the serum directly with established treatments such as minoxidil or finasteride, which remain the most evidence-backed options for hair loss. Longer trials involving larger and more diverse populations, head-to-head comparisons, and durability of results will be necessary to determine whether this new approach offers a meaningful clinical advantage.
For now, the findings suggest that plant-derived biological signals combined with known growth factors can produce a measurable hair-growth signal in a relatively short period. While not yet a replacement for proven therapies, the results are strong enough to justify further testing and may point toward a new direction in non-drug hair regeneration research.
The study is published in medRxiv.
