Effects On DHT

In the same study, researchers sought to measure saw palmetto’s effect on dihydrotestosterone, or DHT.  The result: the saw palmetto extract helped achieve DHT levels within the normal range compared with the placebo group over the course of the study.¹

1. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2023;16:3251-3266.

Hair follicle contains dermal papilla (DP) and dermal sheath cells derived from the mesenchyme. Hair follicle also contains inner and outer root sheaths (ORS), matrix, and hair shaft cells derived from the epithelium. For the hair growth and cycling, interaction between the epithelium and mesenchyme are essential 1, 2, 3. Hair follicle undergoes a cycle of anagen (growth phase), catagen (regression phase), and telogen (resting phase) 4, 5. Various growth factors secreted from the DP can control proliferation and differentiation of follicular cells, thereby regulate hair growth and cycle 2, 6.

• E. Millar

Molecular mechanisms regulating hair follicle development J. Invest. Dermatol (2002)

• A. Botchkarevet al.

Molecular control of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during hair follicle cycling J. Investig. Dermatol. Symp. Proc. (2003)

• Sennett et al.

Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions during hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling Semin. Cell. Dev. Biol. (2012)

• S. Lee

Integral hair lipid in human hair follicle J. Dermatol. Sci. (2011)

• Ebel et al.

Ceramide synthase 4 deficiency in mice causes lipid alterations in sebum and results in alopecia Biochem. J. (2014)

• Peters et al.

Ceramide synthase 4 regulates stem cell homeostasis and hair follicle cycling J. Invest. Dermatol (2015)