Name Ingredients:
Panthenol is a chemical substance made from pantothenic acid. This is known as a humectant, which means that it holds and binds water, which means that it is often used in moisturizers to lock in water.
Key insights:
- The in vitro evidence suggests that panthenol treatment can enhance the proliferation of dermal papilla cells (specialized cells involved in hair follicle growth and cycling). Furthermore, panthenol has been found to reduce the expression of TGF-β1, a known factor involved in the induction of catagen (the transitional stage between growing and non-growing).
- The ex vivo evidence suggests that panthenol may stimulate hair follicle growth when treated with either 20 or 40 µg/ml. However, this was completed in mink hair follicles and not in humans.
- One clinical study was conducted in 21 women with female pattern hair loss. The participants received 500 mg of intramuscular dexpanthenol weekly for 8 weeks. Overall satisfaction with the appearance of hair was 57.1% “I am satisfied”, 28.6% “I am very satisfied”, and 14.3%, “I am neutral”.
- The only other clinical evidence we could find for panthenol was with usage in combination with a number of other ingredients, so it is not possible to know if the effects are due to panthenol alone.
- Our experience tracking members: by itself, panthenol alone is not enough to improve hair loss outcomes.
Additional links:
- Panthenol: Evidence Quality (Rubric)
- Pantothenic acid promotes dermal papilla cell proliferation in hair follicles of American minks via inhibitor of DNA binding 3/Notch signaling pathway
- Dexpanthenol promotes cell growth by preventing cell senescence and apoptosis in cultured human hair follicle cells