Stem cells are a major focus in hair care and have been the subject of research and development in the scientific community, and application promises for regenerative medicine, and the research on hair follicle stem cells are more recent still.
Induchem’s new compound, developed by its biotech research labs, builds on this research and targets the stem cells of the hair follicle to galvanize growth.
Hair follicle stem cells
The Switzerland-headquartered firm’s biotechnology center analysed the role of the bulge stem cells (ORSc) in the hair growth cycle, and learned that they have a crucial function in the initiation of the anagen phase, which is the growth phase of the hair.
The team discovered that a new molecule: ihydroquercetin--‐glucoside (DHQG), a modified polyphenol from larches tree, is able to activate the division of ORSc, while maintaining their differentiation properties.
Its action is reinforced by the presence of EGCG--‐glucoside (a biotech derivative of the green tea EGCG) to reduce the typical inflammation of alopecic scalp.
These two activators have thus been combined with glycine and zinc to favour the hair growth metabolism.
The first test on alopecic hair in the reference Philpott assay showed that Redensyl gives almost two times superior scores than the worldwide reference Minoxidil, boosting the hair growth.
Better than a hair transplant?
“This active ingredient gives better results within 84 days than a hair transplantation by an aesthetics surgeon: up to +28,200 new hair (the average for a hair graft surgery is 8000 hair),” adds Fabrice Lefevre, Global Scientific Marketing Manager, Induchem.
To back up this claim, Redensyl has been evaluated during a double blind versus placebo clinical trial on volunteers showing grade 3 to 4 alopecia according to the medical Norwood classification.
The study found that 85% of the volunteers had significant and visible hair growth, with up to +28,200 new hairs obtained in 84 days, i.e. the equivalent of 3 full procedures of hair transplant surgery.
The ingredient is water soluble, easy to formulate in any typical hair care formula, and can even be used in hair sprays, according to Induchem who says it is the next generation of anti-ageing hair care.
The active ingredient will be highlighted in a new marketing concept: the S3D Hair-Cure; which wioll focus on the four causes of hair aging: Activating hair-growth, redensifying hair, regenerating scalp, and normalizing sebum.
The official launch of the new ingredient will be during in-cosmetics in Hamburg, taking place 1-3 April, 2014, and Lefevre says that more information will be available.