{
  "abstract": "Scalp dysregulation and hair shedding are common cosmetic concerns, driving an increasing demand for non-pharmaceutical interventions, including plant-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) and growth factors. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of topical formulations in 60 healthy adults over a 56-day period, monitoring scalp and hair parameters at Days 14, 28, 42, and 56 relative to baseline (Day 0). Group A: placebo; Group B: base (placebo containing 0.1% caffeine and panthenol); Group C: base + recombinant Fc-fusion long-acting insulin-like growth factor-1 (rIGF-1) and fibroblast growth factor-7 (rFGF-7); Group D: base + Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) + ginger EVs; and Group E: base + rIGF-1, rFGF-7, and C. asiatica + ginger EVs. Group E demonstrated rapid onset and significant superiority over the control and other treatment groups across all parameters. In scalp regulation, Group E achieved a highly significant, time-dependent reduction in excess sebum, reaching a 67% decrease by Day 56. Hair growth kinetics were significantly accelerated in Group E, with a mean cumulative length increase approaching 3.9 cm by Day 56, driven by a surge in mean weekly growth velocity to 1.4 cm/week. Group E also demonstrated the highest improvements in hair thickness (19 {micro}m) and hair density (17% increase) by Day 56. Finally, hair shedding was reduced by almost half by Day 56 in Group E. These results demonstrate that the formulation delivers a clinically superior non-pharmaceutical intervention for advanced hair and scalp revitalization.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Schweitzer Biotech Company, Taipei City, Taiwan"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "T.-M. Chang"
    },
    {
      "name": "C.-C. Wu"
    },
    {
      "name": "H.-C. Huang"
    },
    {
      "name": "J.-Y. Lu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Y.-S. Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "P.-L. Kao"
    },
    {
      "name": "W.-H. Tang"
    },
    {
      "name": "W.-J. Hsieh"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. T.-C. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "I. Percec"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "T.-Y. Kuo"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8hfq0szgtse68.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401v1.full",
  "id": "8hfq0szgtse68",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "dermatology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2748|Hair Growth and Disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212306068",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-07",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8hfq0szgtse68.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:16Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.07.26362401v2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:dermatology",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A Dual-Species Plant-derived Extracellular Vesicle and Growth Factors Formulation for Hair and Scalp Care: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study",
  "title_text": "A Dual-Species Plant-derived Extracellular Vesicle and Growth Factors Formulation for Hair and Scalp Care: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T00:20:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8hfq0szgtse68",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}