Impact of a Topical Cosmetic Product on Women's Hair

Hair loss is commonly experienced by both men and women, with a much greater focus placed on the thinning and loss of hair in women, particularly due to hormonal changes with aging. The loss of hair has biochemical origins and when pronounced, can be a major source of psychological distress which impacts quality of life. Grandview Research Group indicates that the hair and scalp market size is estimated at over $80 billion annually, with hair loss accounting for the majority of share. Women, in particular, spend significant amounts of money annually on products and treatments specifically focused on hair growth including injections, transplants, and stem cells. While the above treatments are available through a healthcare provider, others are off-the-shelf botanical agents and dietary supplements-some of which have been shown to be effective. While the anecdotal claims for such products are overwhelmingly positive, very few controlled laboratory studies have been done to investigate the impact of botanical agents on hair beauty and health. While objective outcomes are available (such as the number of hairs lost daily), most individuals focus on the subjective assessments of "beauty" and related items (e.g., shininess of hair, ability to comb and style hair). The proposed pilot study will investigate the impact of a daily topical nutritional product applied to women's hair, specific to perceived hair quality and overall well-being. Hair loss will be measured with a scanning application ("MyHairCounts") , as well as with the 60-second hair comb test. This will be an open-label study with a sample of 15 women and will be used to generate pilot data for future, larger-scale placebo-controlled studies. Considering the anecdotal results provided by women who have used the product, coupled with the fact that botanicals and nutritional factors are known to impact hair loss/health, the hypothesis is that women will experience positive results following use, both objectively and subjectively.