CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Purpose: A combination of extracts, from two plants species, i.e., Coffea arabica and Larrea divaricata (jarilla) (ECOHAIR®), is being successfully used in Argentina as cosmetic for hair recovery in androgenic and areata alopecia, and for eyelashes and eyebrows growth. The objectives of this prospective study was to evaluate the capacity of Jarilla-Coffea extract gel of improving hair growth in relation to thickness, appearance of new hair and hair length in comparison with a placebo in premenopausal and postmenopausal volunteers and to identify possible signs of ocular adverse local reactions related to the application of the gel.Volunteers and Methods: An open- label, placebo-controlled, prospective study was performed in healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal women during a daily administration period of two months (eyebrows growth), and three months (eyelashes growth). The thickness of hair was determined using a video-microscope MedicalSCOPE®. The appearance of new hairs and total area with hair in eyebrows and eyelashes length were quantified using a photographic record with Fotofinder® (Germany). The number of volunteers presenting variation in growth hair and length were also recorded.Results: The product significantly increased the thickness of eyebrows (20% in 80% women) and eyelashes (19. 44% in 100% of women). The gel also increased the appearance of new hairs, total area with hair, and length but there was no statistical difference between treatment and placebo. Conclusion: The gel was capable of improving growth of eyelashes, and eyebrows by inducing principally hair thickening without causing local adverse effects in a high percentage of volunteersKeywords: Eyelashes thickness, eyebrows thickness, plant extracts, menopause, adverse effects, cosmetic.