Hair Growth Promoters

Blood supply to hair follicles

The hair follicle is nourished by small blood vessels or capillaries in the papilla at the base of the hair follicle. This blood supply provides nutrients to the rapidly dividing cells of the hair root. The skin is also supplied by a network of capillaries around the hair follicles.

Promoting hair growth

Products like minoxidil and aminexil that act as vasodilators to dilate or widen blood vessels are used in topical applications for the scalp to help promote hair growth. They work by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and papilla of the hair follicle and increasing blood flow in the scalp, which is thought to directly stimulate hair growth, by enhancing cell proliferation in hair follicles that were in resting phase. It is also thought that minoxidil may increase the anagen phase of hair growth to allow hairs to increase in size and prevent the hair follicle entering the resting phase early.

This action is most effective when hair loss is at an early stage and can trigger new hair growth in follicles that have not been inactive for long and have not yet become dormant.