Greentech launches anti-hair loss active derived from traditional Asian ingredient

18-Jul-2019 - Last updated on 18-Jul-2019 at 14:05 GMT

Greentech's new anti-hair loss active ingredient claims to prevent hair loss and boost hair density.

Greentech was at in-cosmetics Korea this year to mark the official launch of its new anti-hair loss active ingredient, Hairiline, that claims to prevent hair loss and boost hair density.

The French biotech company plans to launch the ingredient globally next year at in-cosmetics Global. In the meantime, it is currently only available in Korea.

“We launched in Korea first because we believe it’s a market with a lot of potential for the ingredient. Just three days at in-cosmetics Korea and we can already see the demand because there are many people coming and asking us about it,” Tatiana Bourrelier, export manager, Greentech.

The new active is derived from the roots of the Lindera strychnifolia, a small shrub native to South East Asia.

“In SEA, it is known as the elixir of life and is a symbol of longevity. It’s very rich in polyphenols and tannins mostly, so that’s why we decided to develop it for our active ingredient,” said Bourrelier.

She noted that it was important for the company to source ingredients from more parts of the world.

“At Greentech, we make it a point to source our ingredients from each continent so we can protect the biodiversity. There are many ingredients out there and you can find an ingredient with good properties in other regions. We are definitely seeing a lot of ingredients in the market now coming for more parts of the world.”

Promising tests

Through in-vitro tests, Hairiline was found to be effective in decrease the different inhibitors of hair growth such as DKK-1 by 62% to 89%.

“We focused on the different phase of the growth cycle of the hair follicle. With our in-vitro tests, we found an increase of anagen hair and decrease in telogen hair, leading to more hair growth,” said Bourrelier.

The ingredient also works to improve blood circulation and increase blood supply to hair.

“If you don't have good blood circulation, the hair growth decreases. Hairiline can decrease the secretion of vasoconstrictors called endothelin-1. So thanks to that we have more blood going to the hair,” explained Bourrelier.

The company also performed a clinical study on men with alopecia.

It confirmed that the ingredient can significantly improve hair density after 42 and 84 days. Interestingly, noted Bourrelier, the tests also saw a 7% increase in the number of hairs.

In self-assessments, 78% of subjects reported hair growing faster while 72% said they noticed less hair fall on clothes, brushes and pillows.

Future of hair care

While skin care is the biggest segment, Greentech hopes to target the fast-growing hair care market.

“We know now that hair is becoming more and more important for both men and women. There’s definitely more awareness among consumers and cosmetic manufacturers. We believe it will continue taking up more space in the market and the finding solutions to ‘special’ issues like hair loss will become more and more important,” said Bourrelier.

She added that the company would be continuing to focus on hair care in the near future. However, she declined to share details on the current developments the company is working on.