LG Household & Health Care Unveils Steroid-Free Solution for Female Hair Loss

LG Household & Health Care has developed a new solution to alleviate female-pattern hair loss without using steroid ingredients.
 
The company announced on June 2 that it has discovered a solution that can help improve the environment for hair growth and mitigate female-pattern hair loss without relying on steroid-derived components. This research was presented at the World Congress for Hair Research (WCHR).
 
Historically, treatment options for female-pattern hair loss have been limited. Medications used for male-pattern hair loss, such as androgen inhibitors, are not suitable for women, and estrogen-based hormone therapies have been constrained by concerns over side effects and limited applicability.
 
In this study, LG Household & Health Care confirmed that a non-steroidal substance derived from vitamin A can activate the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), a receptor for female hormones. This substance was found to promote follicle activity and improve the hair growth environment, with clinical evaluations demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing hair thickness.
 
Notably, this research expands the scope of hair loss studies, which have primarily focused on dermal papilla cells, by opening the possibility of targeting both dermal papilla cells and hair follicle stem cells through the activation of estrogen receptors. This aspect has garnered attention in the academic community.
 
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology played a significant role in the research process. LG Household & Health Care conducted AI simulations on approximately 420,000 candidate substances to analyze their binding potential with follicle-related proteins and their mechanisms of action.
 
Additionally, by integrating lipid metabolism data and gene expression profiles related to female-pattern hair loss, the company identified ERα as a key target for hair loss improvement, with the vitamin A-derived substance emerging as a promising candidate for effective activation.
 
LG Household & Health Care also revealed findings from its research on a new material called Ramsidil. In follicle tissue experiments, Ramsidil was shown to reduce the expression of DKK1, a factor that induces the transition to the hair shedding phase, thereby creating a favorable environment for hair growth. This candidate substance was also identified through AI simulations.
 
The achievements of LG Household & Health Care's AI-based hair research do not stop there. Last month, the company announced the development of an optimal combination of ferulic acid, extracted from the herbal medicine Chuanxiong, and NMN, a substance known for extending skin lifespan, using AI. This combination was reported to enhance the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, the key cells for hair growth, and activate mitochondrial function, achieving a higher maintenance rate of the hair growth phase compared to minoxidil, a widely used hair loss treatment. This finding was published in the latest issue of Scientific Reports, a sister journal of Nature.
 
Kang Nae-kyu, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of LG Household & Health Care, stated, "We plan to continue collaborating with LG AI Research to advance our understanding of scalp aging mechanisms and focus on developing next-generation scalp and hair care solutions that can realize 'scalp longevity.'"