Alpecin Caffeine Liquid vs. 5% Minoxidil Solution

Product:
Alpecin Caffeine Liquid against hereditary hair loss

Subjects:
210 men between the ages of 18 and 55 years with hereditary hair loss

Period:
Subjects used Alpecin Caffeine Liquid or Minoxidil (5%) over 6 months.

Millions of men worldwide suffer from the consequences of hereditary hair loss. Currently, various medications for hair loss (including Minoxidil) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but with significant side effects.

For this reason, alternative hair care products from the field of cosmetics, which have no side effects, are desirable in many ways. Findings from the long-standing Dr. Kurt Wolff research shows that a specially developed caffeine complex strengthens weakened hair roots and reduces hereditary hair loss.

In this randomized, open-label, non-inferiority study, the hair root activity of volunteers using either the Alpecin Caffeine Liquid or Minoxidil was monitored over a 6-month time period with a special “trichogram”.

The randomized, open-label, non-inferiority study was conducted with 210 men between the ages of 18 and 55 years with hereditary hair loss. The used test products were the caffeinecontaining Alpecin caffeine liquid and a 5% Minoxidil solution, which is used as a medicine to treat hair loss. The respective subjects used the products daily over a period of 6 months. The investigation to assess the intensity of hair loss was carried out by a so-called trichogram. Here, the proportion of "active" hair (AR, anagen hair) was determined at the beginning, then after 2, 3 and 6 months of application.

Over the entire period of application, an improvement in hair root activity was detected, so that after usage of both products more hairs in the "active" state (the so-called growth phase) could be measured than at the beginning of the application. After using the caffeinecontaining Alpecin caffeine liquid for 6 months, the ratio of "active" hairs was improved by 11%. The usage of Minoxidil (5%) showed an improvement of 12%.

These study results show impressively that the hair root activity of the subjects is promoted by the regular use of Alpecin Coffein Liquid. In comparison to the use of Minoxidil even, a non-inferior efficacy was detected. These results illustrate the effect of caffeine on hair root activity, which represents a significant alternative to Minoxidil-containing drugs in the treatment of hereditary hair loss.

• R. Dhurat, J. Chitallia, T.W. May, A.M. Jayaraaman, J. Madhukara, S. Anandan, P. Vaidya P, A. Klenk, Skin Pharmacol Physiol  2017, 30, 298-305.