Asian J Beauty Cosmetol. 2015; 13(4): 551-557.

Hair-growth Effect of ZnSO₄ and ZnCl₂ Solution in C57BL/6 Mice Model

Myung-Ja Min, Moon-Hee Choi, and Hyun-Jae Shin

Hair medically helps to protect scalp, maintain body temperature, emit heavy metals and so on. Aesthetically, while, it is important to express ones confidence through beautiful decoration of its style. Recently, therefore, hair loss and/or alopecia have received a lot of attention from the public as well as medical doctors and scientists. In order to treat alopecia and to improve the hair loss symptoms, many compounds have been tried to be included in hair tonics and remedy. This study considers if there are any connection between the zinc known as essential trace elements and the hair growth. through mouse experiments (C57BL/6). The effect of zinc sulfate and zinc chloride on the hair growth of mouse model has been investigated by visual observation (in terms of hair growth score) and histological section analysis. The experiment was conducted over a total of 6 weeks after depilating the dorsum of the C57BL/6 mice hair. No treatment and tonic water groups were negative controls and 3% minoxidil a positive control. Zinc solutions were mixed by the final concentration of 20 ppm ZnSO₄ and ZnCl₂ with a tonic water. Comparison of hair growth in C57BL/6 mice dorsum was done after application of 2 mL zinc solutions. Experimental results were as follows: 3% minoxidil > ZnSO₄ > tonic water > no treatment > ZnCl₂ groups. Experimental skin tissue was cut in a transverse plane in order to analyze a morphological change in five weeks. As the result, the hair follicles and hair growth condition, hair papilla and hair root well-developed were observed. This result showed that the coated zinc solution on the skin has been absorbed in hair follicles, induces the production of the capillary, and increases in the melanin pigment cells related to enable the hair-growth by having influence on growth hormones around the hair follicle. If the experiment were carried out with a further more in-depth research such as the additional clinical trial, the potential of zinc would be considered as a therapeutic agent for alopecia.

Keywords : Alopecia, Hair growth, Hair follicle, Melanin pigment, Zinc