Conducted at the Center for Experimental and Applied Skin Physiology and Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Physiology of the University Clinic
Effectiveness Study Tests regarding the penetration of caffeine from a shampoo formula Following successful tests at the University of Jena on the hair organ culture model regarding the effi cacy of caff eine as a hair growth stimulant in hereditary hair loss, the availability of caff eine aft er hair washing was examined. In these tests, the preferred method of caff eine penetration was particularly important.
Previously, it was assumed that the skin forms a barrier against the supply of
substances from the outside due to its protective function. Th
assumed with regard to the hair follicle (Image 1). As a result, only external
eff ects were attributed to the active ingredients in shampoos.
Based on two novel measuring methods, the staff of the Center for Experimental
and Applied Skin Physiology at the Charité in Berlin succeeded in proving
that caff eine penetrates the hair follicle aft er just a brief processing time and
remains detectable there aft er 24 hours.
During an initial test series, the caff eine-containing shampoo was applied
to the scalp of the test subjects and left on for 2 minutes while a scalp massage
was performed. Aft erwards, the excess product was rinsed off. To make the
shampoo visible under the microscope, a fl uorescent marker substance was
Using innovative laser scan microscopy, the researchers ascertained that parts
of the shampoo penetrated the hair follicle aft er a processing time of 2 minutes
and the subsequent rinse process (Image 2).
e hair follicle clearly demonstrated fl uorescence in all of the test subjects.
Over the course of 24 hours, fl uorescence decreased successively but was still
Conducted at the Center for Experimental and Applied Skin Physiology and Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Physiology of the University Clinic
Effectiveness Study
e caff eine-based shampoo was also examined for the fi rst time anywhere
with a caff eine measuring probe during two additional test series. First the
hair follicles were closed off with a special varnish to examine the penetration
of caff eine via the skin. Aft er 30 minutes, caff eine was detected in the blood
vessels for the fi rst time. Even aft er 24 hours, the caff eine applied through the
During the second test series, the hair follicles remained open. During these
tests, caff eine penetration accelerated signifi cantly, and the caff eine was
detected aft er only 5 minutes (Figure 1). Both tests showed that caff eine
preferably penetrates via the hair follicle and is therefore quickly available at
Caffeine penetration Figure 1: Caffeine penetration in skin and hair follicle over the course of 24 h
e tests at the university clinics in Berlin and Jena point to the fact that
caff eine shampoo may be an appropriate product to prevent premature hair
loss, since caff eine from a shampoo formula can penetrate the skin and the
hair follicle to create a depot eff ect with availability for up to 24 hours.
For more information, please visit www.caff eine-shampoo.com.
NUTRITIONAL INFLUENCES ON REPRODUCTION: EFFECTS OF ENDOPHYTE-INFECTED TALL FESCUE F. N. Schrick, J. L. Edwards, J. C. Waller, and F. M. Hopkins Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Introduction Tall fescue, a cool-season perennial grass, is one of the most commonly grown forages for over 8.5 million cattle in the United States [Hoveland, 1993].