A report in Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics (SPC) demonstrates the potential that apple stem cell extract has for rejuvenating thinning hair.
Scientists have used plant stem cells created from the apple of an old cultivar to create PhytoCellTec, an innovative form of biotechnology that has been shown to restore thinning hair. The apple, a rare Swiss fruit called Uttwiler Spatlauber derived from a seedling planted in the middle of the 18th century, has long been famous for its excellent storability without shrivelling. But its acidic taste has made it a less popular fruit for consumers, so researchers at Mibelle Biochemistry chose it to create their culture technology with.
Having cultivated the stem cells, Mibelle incubated isolated human hair follicles with the technology for five days and observed growth in the follicles. The scientists’ conclusion was that apple stem cell extract was shown to improve the maintenance of the stem cell characteristics of epidermal stem cells in the hair follicle. The exact mechanism remains a bit of a mystery, but apple stem cell extract offers real promise in this area.