Hair Growth Active

Hair Growth Active - How it works – by Daniel Field 

Hair Growth Active is a synergistic blend of 5 natural actives. This solution can be used by men or women.
It has to be applied topically twice a day, all over the scalp and is generally 'active' from 4 to 10 weeks.
Individually each one of these ingredients has been shown in-vivo to contribute to the pieces of a puzzle that, once completed by their sum total, produce a highly effective, multi-functioning hair growth product.
This concentrate is put into solution either alcohol or water based. This concentrate can be used to; 

Encourage a permanent anagen (growing) state.

Stimulate arrested hairs to start growing again. 

Prevent and reverse micronisation of the follicular units. 

Increase the number of follicles produced in each follicular unit. 

Re-establish fat cells.

Up-regulate FGF-7 expression.

Up-regulate VEGF expression.

Up-regulate IGF-1 expression.

DHT inhibition- DHT can bind to receptors in your hair follicles and cause them to shrink, weaken and eventually die. Since DHT is the primary hormone responsible for hair loss in women and men, an effective way to both slow down and prevent further hair loss is to inhibit DHT

TNF-a down regulation- (Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays important roles in diverse cellular events such as cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, and death. As a pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF is secreted by inflammatory cells, which may be involved in inflammation-associated hair loss)

TGF down regulation- (inflammation and irritation is neutralized preventing hair loss by counteracting the hair loss factor TGF-β1)

PKC down regulation (Laboratory tests suggest that PKC isozymes, especially PKC-betaI and -betaII, play an important role in hair cycle progression and that the hair-growing mechanisms of procyanidin B-2 are at least partially related to its down regulation of PKC isozymes or its inhibition of translocation of PKC isozymes to the particulate fraction of hair epithelial cells)

The 5 key ingredients:
1. Copper Tripeptides (GHK-Cu): Copper peptide GHK-Cu and its analogues were found to stimulate hair growth and to promote collagen production. Using copper peptides topically on the scalp will help strengthen already existing hair, while also stimulating new hair growth. GHK-Cu benefits hair health through a number of mechanisms: First it improves microcirculation. Hair follicles need oxygen and nutrients to survive, just like the rest of your body. While vital organs like your heart and lungs are connected to the largest blood vessels, it is more difficult for oxygenized blood to reach your extremities (toes, fingertips, cheeks and scalp), especially if you have bad peripheral (capillary) circulation. Not to mention the metabolism of your hair follicles is extremely fast! The copper in GHK-Cu, however, has angiogenic properties and improves microcirculation.

Second it reduces inflammation as hair loss is often triggered by an auto-immune reaction (i.e., A situation where the immune system treats your own body cells as intruders and attacks them; this frequently causes inflammation). GHK-Cu reduces inflammation by inhibiting the action of cytokine Interleukin 1 and polypeptide Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) beta 1.

Third it blocks DHT and TGF-beta formation. According to Sugimoto et al, the copper in GHK-Cu inhibits 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Moreover, GHK-Cu also stimulates the production of decorin, a protein that inhibits the formation of TGF-beta (a cytokine involved in the miniaturization of the hair follicle)

2. Apple Polyphenol Procyanidin B-2: reduces the expression of PKC-alpha, -betaI, -betaII and -eta in cultured murine hair epithelial cells and also inhibits the translocation of these isozymes to the particulate fraction of hair epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that PKC-alpha, -betaI, -betaII and -eta are specifically expressed in the outer root sheaths of both anagen and telogen hair follicles. The hair matrix at the anagen stage showed no positive staining for these PKC isozymes. Moderate to intense staining for PKC-betaI and -betaII in the epidermis and hair follicles was observed in a telogen-specific manner; however, expression of PKC-alpha and -eta during the telogen stage was not conspicuous. Gö 6976, an inhibitor of calcium-dependent (conventional) PKC, proved to promote hair epithelial cell growth. Laboratory tests suggest that PKC isozymes, especially PKC-betaI and -betaII, play an important role in hair cycle progression and that the hair-growing mechanisms of procyanidin B-2 are at least partially related to its downregulation of PKC isozymes or its inhibition of translocation of PKC isozymes to the particulate fraction of hair epithelial cells.

3. Maqui Berry Extract: In-vitro experiment was conducted to examine the effect of Maqui Berry Extract in the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. Dermal papilla cells proliferation increase with increasing concentration of Maqui Berry Extract. It is believed that promoting dermal papilla cells proliferation at hair follicles is important in the promotion of hair growth.

Up-regulation of hair growth genetic factors
An experiment was conducted on the secretion of dermal papilla cells to examine the effect of Maqui Berry Extract on the expression of hair growth genetic factors (FGF-7, VEGF, IGF-1). Genetic expression of FGF-7, VEGF and IGF-1 is significantly up-regulated in samples treated with Maqui Berry Extract.
a) Up-regulatory effect on FGF-7 expression
b) Up-regulatory effect on VEGF expression
c) Up-regulatory effect on IGF-1 expression

4.Oryza rice polyamines: Information under patent review

5. Pea Sprout Peptides: Pea Sprout Peptides is a clinically proven solution to stimulate hair growth and to prolong life cycle of hair. In addition, inflammation and irritation is neutralized and reportedly prevents hair loss by counteracting the hair loss factor TGF-β1. -
Pea Sprout Peptides have been proven to clearly reactivate hair growth by directly targeting the dermal papilla cells that are key to the hair growth cycle.
The results of the gene expression profile before and after treatment indicates a stimulatory effect of the pea sprout extract on hair growth. FGF7 and noggin proteins, are well known signaling compounds, important for the induction of a new hair growth phase. Both proteins are mainly synthesized in dermal papilla cells.  Noggin has an indirect function. It inhibits the activity of the bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) that has a suppressive role in telogen-anagen transition. Over-expression of noggin results in a shortened refractory phase. FGF7 is a dermal papilla signal that participates in instructing hair germ cells to proliferate and initiate the new hair cycle.
Thanks to its double action, Pea Sprout Peptides successfully boosts the expression of the noggin gene, which results in a shorter resting period, and enhances the expression of the fibroblast growth factor-7 gene.
This in turn stimulates the proliferation of hair germ cells to trigger the anagen growth phase. This active has a size of less than 2000 Mw.