New Study: Emu Oil Facilitates Hair Follicle Restoration

Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University in previous research found that topically applied Emu Oil reactivated dormant hair follicles, returning miniaturized follicles to their original size. These findings, along with its apparent firming, anti-aging effects on skin prompted Dr. Holick to apply for a patent, the details of which were published in the US patent registry:

Use of Emu Oil for Stimulating Skin and Hair Growth

Several subsequent studies have identified specific mechanisms by which Emu Oil can produce a hair growth stimulation effect.

A single pilot study conducted in the UK on humans assessing hair growth produced positive results:

New Emu Oil Study from England

This just published study demonstrates that Emu Oil can have a hair follicle restoration effect even under burn wound conditions that exceed in severity the inflammation incurred in Androgenetic Alopecia, (both MPB and Female pattern hair loss).

Emu Oil also had the effect of modulating the inflammatory/healing response, thus ameliorating the acute effects of the burns on the skin and hair follicles.

Dermatol Res Pract. 2016;2016:6419216. doi: 10.1155/2016/6419216. Epub 2016 Mar 16.
Effects of Topical Emu Oil on Burn Wounds in the Skin of Balb/c Mice.
Afshar M, Ghaderi R, Zardast M, Delshad P.;
Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of topical Emu oil on the healing of burn wounds and hair follicle restoration in superficial II-degree burns in the skin of Balb/c mice. Thirty-two male Balb/c mice with burns on the back of the neck were divided into two groups: The Emu oil group received topical Emu oil twice daily, whereas the control was left untreated. Skin biopsies were obtained on days 4, 7, 10, and 14 of the experiment. Then the specimens were viewed with Olympus SZX research microscope. The Emu oil treated burns were found to heal more slowly and inflammation lasted longer in this group. The number of hair follicles in the margins of the wounds increased through time in the Emu oil group compared to the control group. Also, the hair follicles in the Emu oil group were in several layers and seemed to be more active and mature. Moreover, Emu oil had a positive effect on fibrogenesis and synthesis of collagen. The findings indicate that although Emu oil delays the healing process, it has a positive effect on wound healing and it increases the number of hair follicles in the margins of the wound. 

This particular study has clear implications for the treatment and/or prevention of Androgenetic Alopecia, as it points to the specific inflammation modulation effects (AGA is established to be a hormone mediated inflammatory condition) that facilitate hair follicle regeneration.

In a published study, Emu Oil was combined with Rogaine, which significantly enhanced its hair growth stimulation effects:

Published Study: Emu Oil Enhances Effectiveness of Minoxidil

Prior research, has found that low temperature processed
Emu Oil produces hair growth effects, but has never been able to fully explain why. We are now able to more clearly elucidate the multiple mechanisms by which this occurs.