3 min read
A good hair day can boost your confidence tenfold. This is because, for many, hair is a form of identity. We style, dye, or shave it as an expression of self. But what happens when that trait starts to disappear? That’s the unfortunate reality for 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States who suffer from androgenic alopecia, a common form of hair loss, colloquially called pattern balding. Studies show that androgenic alopecia is a significant stressor in people’s lives, negatively impacting quality of life.
For centuries, we’ve been covering thinning locks with wigs, and more recently started grabbing at regrowth with hair plugs, topical ointments, and oral treatments. But it turns out the simplest, or rather the most natural, solution might be key to keeping your mop—and it’s been hiding beneath our feet the whole time.
In a December 2025 scientific review, a team of researchers from across China found that an ancient Chinese medicinal root could be the titan that stops balding in its tracks—not only by slowing hair loss, but also by encouraging regrowth. Perhaps even more shocking, the findings are also reshaping history, as they imply that scientific understanding was more advanced than previously believed. The paper was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Holistic Integrative Pharmacy.
The team focused on a root known as the Polygonum multiflorum. Also known as the Chinese climbing knotweed or Fo Ti, practitioners have historically used the root for hair loss and hair graying, tuberculosis, erectile dysfunction, as well as for a myriad of other conditions. Fo Ti is native to China, though people have cultivated it elsewhere, including in the United States. Traditionally, Fo Ti is prepared before use, often in teas, tonics, ointments, or pills.
In the paper, researchers analyzed several kinds of evidence from across years of field study, including clinical reports, laboratory research, and historical herbal records (which were compared against modern biological findings). They found that Fo Ti works across multiple active components such as emodin, physcion, and TSG, which are all common in plants and fungi. Research suggests that emodin and physcion are responsible for “hair-darkening” and “hair-nourishing” effects. On the other side of the coin, the authors believe that TSG has impressive regenerative effects, with studies showing “significantly increased” hair growth and length in mice.
The root may also “influence several processes involved in hair loss and regrowth at the same time,” according to a press statement. For instance, the team believes that Fo Ti activates key signaling pathways, prevents follicles from dying too early, and improves blood flow to the scalp, all of which contribute to its hair growth potential. They argue that this “multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway” effect naturally mimics the approach modern precision medicine is pursuing.
“Our analysis bridges ancient wisdom and modern science,” Bixian Han, the first author of a review, says in the statement. “What surprised us was how consistently historical texts—from the Tang Dynasty onward—described effects that align perfectly with today’s understanding of hair biology. Modern studies now confirm that this isn’t folklore; it’s pharmacology.”
Fo Ti also has an edge on other market treatments, such as minoxidil and finasteride, because it doesn’t cause frustrating side effects such as sexual issues or scalp irritation. More simply put, the researchers describe it as “mild.” However, there have been reports of the root causing liver injury in previously healthy patients. The authors of the recent review acknowledge this, noting these instances may have resulted from improper processing and individual genetic susceptibility. Because of this risk, the researchers emphasize that future research should focus on precision application in controlled settings, with standardized processes to mitigate any potential toxicity risks. Likewise, much more clinical testing is still needed before Fo Ti could even come close to replacing modern treatments, they stress in the statement.
Incredibly, it seems the research is already advancing. Four months after the researchers published the review, an unrelated team in South Korea tested Polygonum multiflorum on dermal papilla cells (located at the base of the hair follicle) ex vivo. The results are published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Physiology. The team found that the plant-derived vesicles—or tiny vehicles that transport bioactive components—significantly enhanced human hair follicle elongation, indicating that the treatment stimulated the hair growth phase.
While there is still much work to be done, it seems like researchers are certainly on track to halting hair loss. A 1,000-year-old remedy might just be the solution modern medicine needed all along.
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Emma Frederickson graduated from Pace University where she studied communication and media. Prior to her time as an editor, she was a freelance science reporter. She enjoys covering everything from shipwrecks to pimple popping, but her favorite topics include climate change, conspiracy theories, and weird biology. When she’s not writing, Emma can be found hopping between coffee shops on the hunt for the world’s best oat milk cappuccino.