The news spread like lightning across
Internet... In Japanese clinical trials, a safe, natural polyphenol compound from apples was proven to promote new hair growth in men with male pattern baldness.
In
first double-blind clinical study, 29 balding men were treated with
apple procyanidin solution. After 6 months, researchers reported that both vellus and terminal hair growth were "significantly greater" than placebo control group subjects.
(Vellus hairs are short hairs, only a centimeter or two long. The follicles that produce them never produce any other kind of hairs. Terminal hairs are
long hairs that grow on
head.)
Increased Number of Terminal Hairs
The next study involved 21 men in various stages of hereditary hair loss. After 12 months of topical treatment, researchers reported that "71% of subjects showed an increased number of hairs." They also noted "a clear trend towards increased number of non-vellus hairs."
A "Potential Cure" for Male Pattern Baldness
After 12 months of study,
scientists concluded that "procyanidin therapy shows promise as a potential cure for male pattern baldness."
In a third study of 29 balding men, this time for 4 months, 78.9% showed an increased mean value of hair diameter. Increased ratio of thicker hairs was "significantly higher" than placebo controls and
increase in
number of total hairs was "significantly greater."