A recent study from Taiwan has made waves online, revealing a natural fatty acid serum that can reportedly stimulate hair regrowth in just 20 days. The news sparked intense discussion among international netizens, with some jokingly saying, “Protecting Taiwan is more important than ever.”
On October 25, foreign media outlet Nexta shared an article on social platform X (formerly Twitter) titled, “Goodbye Baldness — Scientists Develop Serum That Promotes Hair Regrowth in Just 20 Days.” The post described how Taiwanese researchers tested the new formula on mice, showing that completely bald mice could regrow hair within three weeks. The secret lies in natural fatty acids, which stimulate hair follicles without irritating the skin. Scientists emphasized that the serum is safe and is now preparing for human trials.
The research was led by Professor Sung-Jan Lin from the Department of Medical Engineering at National Taiwan University and was published on October 22 in the prestigious journal Cell Metabolism. The study, titled “Lipolysis in Adipocytes Activates Hair Follicle Epithelial Stem Cells via Fatty Acid Metabolic Signaling to Promote Hair Regeneration,” details the underlying mechanisms.
The study found that after skin injury, macrophages quickly enter the dermal fat layer and release free fatty acids through serum amyloid A3 (SAA3)-induced lipid breakdown. Hair follicle epithelial stem cells (eHFSCs) absorb these fatty acids via the CD36 transport protein. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) then activate the transcriptional coactivator Pgc1-α, promoting fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis. This boosts energy production, awakening dormant stem cells. Topical application of MUFAs alone is enough to activate hair follicle stem cells and promote hair regrowth.
The news post on X went viral, reaching over 17.9 million views. Many international users expressed excitement, calling it “a blessing for bald men” and “global news if it works on humans.” Others jokingly commented, “Protecting Taiwan is more important than ever” and “Taiwan has become a strategic asset worth defending at all costs.”
However, some expressed skepticism. Critics noted, “Don’t get too excited; results in mice may not translate to humans,” and “The mechanisms causing baldness in humans differ from those in these mice, so what works for them might not help most men with hair loss.”
