Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives

Weeratian Tawanwongsri; Chime Eden

doi:10.29333/ejgm/16520

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Weeratian Tawanwongsri ¹ ^* , Chime Eden ²

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¹ Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, THAILAND² Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, BHUTAN^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Melatonin, a neurohormone regulating circadian rhythms, also plays a role in hair follicle physiology through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This scoping review aimed to assess preclinical and clinical evidence supporting melatonin as a therapeutic option for alopecia. A systematic search of MEDLINE, Scopus, and DOAJ identified studies on androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and diffuse hair loss. Preclinical findings suggest melatonin promotes follicular stem cell proliferation, modulates signaling pathways, and protects against damage. Clinical trials indicate that topical melatonin increases hair density, prolongs the anagen phase, and reduces hair shedding with minimal adverse effects. While current evidence supports its potential, variability in study design highlights the need for standardized clinical trials.

Keywords

alopecia
hair follicle
hair regeneration
melatonin
oxidative stress
signal transduction

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Review Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 22, Issue 4, August 2025, Article No: em669

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

Publication date: 01 Jul 2025

Online publication date: 18 Jun 2025

Article Views: 137

Article Downloads: 159

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How to cite this article

Vancouver

Tawanwongsri W, Eden C. Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives. ELECTRON J GEN MED. 2025;22(4):em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

APA

Tawanwongsri, W., & Eden, C. (2025). Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives. Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 22(4), em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

AMA

Tawanwongsri W, Eden C. Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives. ELECTRON J GEN MED. 2025;22(4), em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

Chicago

Tawanwongsri, Weeratian, and Chime Eden. "Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives". Electronic Journal of General Medicine 2025 22 no. 4 (2025): em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

Harvard

Tawanwongsri, W., and Eden, C. (2025). Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives. Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 22(4), em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520

MLA

Tawanwongsri, Weeratian et al. "Melatonin for hair regrowth: Preclinical insights, current evidence, and future perspectives". Electronic Journal of General Medicine, vol. 22, no. 4, 2025, em669. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/16520