Researchers at Taiwan University report a preclinical study in Cell Metabolism showing that fat cells beneath the skin release fatty acids after controlled injury, which can reactivate dormant hair stem cells and trigger regrowth in mice. Topical application of certain monounsaturated fatty acids reproduced the effect, and daily treatment produced visible regrowth within 20 days in one experiment. The response depended on lipolysis: blocking fat breakdown prevented regrowth. Experts call the results promising but preliminary, and human studies are needed.
Lab Serum Sparks Hair Regrowth in Mice Within 20 Days — A Potential Path for Future Hair-Loss Therapies
Researchers at Taiwan University report a preclinical study in Cell Metabolism showing that fat cells beneath the skin release fatty acids after controlled injury, which can reactivate dormant hair stem cells and trigger regrowth in mice. Topical application of certain monounsaturated fatty acids reproduced the effect, and daily treatment produced visible regrowth within 20 days in one experiment. The response depended on lipolysis: blocking fat breakdown prevented regrowth. Experts call the results promising but preliminary, and human studies are needed.
17:41, 02.11.2025Health
Experimental serum spurs rapid hair regrowth in mice
Researchers at Taiwan University report in Cell Metabolism that a laboratory serum prompted visible hair regrowth in mice within 20 days in one experiment. The team found that controlled skin injury caused subcutaneous fat cells to undergo lipolysis, releasing fatty acids that signaled dormant hair stem cells to re-enter a growth cycle.
Using mouse skin samples, investigators made small, controlled wounds to trigger local reactions and then tracked changes in the subcutaneous fat layer, hair follicles and the supporting niche cells. When fat breakdown was experimentally blocked, the hair-regrowth response did not occur, indicating that the release of fatty acids was necessary for activation.
To test whether the fatty acids alone could drive regeneration, the researchers applied monounsaturated fatty acids topically to mouse skin. In repeated experiments the same pattern emerged: treated areas showed follicle activation, and in one trial daily topical application produced noticeable hair regrowth within 20 days.
The authors stress these findings are preclinical and were observed in the context of skin injury; previous research has shown that controlled skin inflammation can promote hair regeneration and is used in some clinical treatments. Because monounsaturated fatty acids occur naturally in the body and are generally considered safe, the team suggests they may be a practical avenue to explore for future therapies — but substantial additional research, including studies on human scalp skin, is required.
Expert reaction: Dr. Brendan Camp, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, called the results “notable” but cautioned they are preliminary and may not translate to humans. He advised patients with pattern hair loss to rely on currently approved, well-studied treatments and to consult a dermatologist while this approach is further investigated.
Takeaway: The study identifies a promising biological mechanism — fatty-acid signaling from fat cells after injury — that can reactivate hair stem cells in mice. It opens a potential path for new hair-loss treatments, but clinical relevance for people remains unproven.