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Hair Loss — Thymic peptides against hair loss

Frau mit Haarausfall / Woman with hair loss

The use of thymus peptides for hair loss

Biologically active peptides from the thymus gland are highly valued in complementary medicine, primarily because of their immunity restoring characteristics, and are commonly used to stimulate the body’s own immune system to produce B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes in the event of illness.

However as numerous observations and studies have shown thymus peptides can also be used successfully in other medically relevant areas. A new study that was published recently in the renowned Journal of Plastic Dermatology confirms once again the therapeutic application of thymus peptides for hair loss.

Everybody loses approximately 100 hairs from their head everyday, whereby the hair roots normally remain in the scalp and can thus grow back. Only permanent hair loss, when lost hair is hardly replaced, is optically and therapeutically relevant.

Telogen effluvium (TE) and androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are the main causes of hair loss. AGA is a highly diffuse illness that affects both men and women. In the first stages it presents as a thinning of the hair that is caused by inflammatory symptoms1.

Chronic TE, on the other hand, is a disorder that almost exclusively occurs in women and that is caused by several factors; it is characterised by a relatively high level of hair loss of more than 100 hairs per day and can be associated with a chronic inflammatory state2. Investigations to date found a proven clinical effect in several cases with synthetically manufactured thymus peptides in both AGA and chronic TE.3-4.

Study design and result

The objective of the investigation is to test the effectiveness and compatibility of thymus peptides with a low molecular weight (GKL factor) in the first phases of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and in chronic telogen effluvium (TE) over a period of the six months. A thymus peptide lotion and a shampoo based on synthetic thymus peptides were used in this investigation (product: Thymuskin®/Fa. Klett-Loch GmbH).

The study was carried out with 364 patients (male and female) who were suffering from hair diseases, more precisely from chronic TE and the first stages of AGA. The first group comprised 70 male patients with the first stages of AGA and the second group comprised 57 male patients with chronic TE. The third group comprised 53 female patients with the first stages of AGA and the fourth and final group comprised 184 female patients with chronic TE.

The treatment plan included the application of the lotion every day and using the shampoo three times a week over a period of 24 weeks. A pull test and an evaluation of symptoms (sebhorrea, erythemes and itching) were carried out with all test subjects. Doctors evaluated the compatibility and cosmetic acceptance after 180 days of treatment.

Results

Among the male AGA patients the pull test showed an improvement of 94% with an average improvement of symptoms of 89 %. Among the TE patients the improvement on the pull test was 98 % with an average improvement in symptoms of 95 %. 100% of cases in all groups reported positive compatibility and no side effects were noted. Positive cosmetic acceptance / tolerance was recorded in 98% of the cases.

Summary

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and compatibility of a product (here: Thymuskin®) based on synthetic thymus peptides, natural substances (caffeine, vitamin E, urtica dioica) and cosmetic ingredients (panthenol and plant proteins) in two clinical situations: the first stages of AGA and chronic TE, which often occur together with inflammation symptoms.

The product used in the study achieved good clinical reaction with a slowing of hair loss and stimulation of hair growth. The treatment was also able to improve typical symptoms that often accompany these forms of illness, such as erythemes, itching and seborrhoea.

Testimonials

Anke L.: „I can still say for myself that my hair has become stronger. I also find it's growing faster. Looks more healthy and I'm going on to use the products, on my genetic predisposition I want to counteract. If I have more hair than before? I'd say yes“

Literatur

  • Barbareschi M, Arena N et al.: Multicentric study of the effects of topical lotion and shampoo containing synthetic thymus peptides on androgenetic alopecia and chronic telogen effluvium in women and men. Journal of Plastic Dermatology. 2013: Vol.9 (2),
  • 1 C. Bolduc, J. Shapiro: Management of androgenetic alopecia. Am. J. Clin. Dermat. 2000; 1(3):151-8
  • 2 Renner D, Schuster D, Heim ME: Experiences using the ‘‘thymu-skin’’ hair cure for the prevention of alopecia in cytostatic treatment. Onkologie (1986) 5:285–6
  • 3 Sawaya ME, Shapiro J: Alopecia – unapproved treatments or indications. Clin Dermatol (2000) 18:177–86
  • 4 Donne Dermatologhe Italia (DDI). Clinical Investigation of the effects of topical lotion and shampoo containing synthetic thymus peptides on androgenetic and chronic telogen effluvium in women. J Plastic Dermatol 2008; 4:199-205.