I originally wrote this post in 2020. It is now updated due to the arrival of various new hair growth products containing all four of: Redensyl, Capixyl, Procapil and Baicapil.
Of the hundreds of natural hair loss products and peptides, only several dozen are well known. Among these, there are four whose names end in “yl” or “il” that I have heard mentioned a few times recently. These four are:
- Redensyl.
- Capixyl.
- Procapil.
- Baicapil.
- Redensyl™ is a trademark of Givaudan (Switzerland) that is produced by subsidiary Induchem.
- Capixyl™ is a trademark of Lucas Meyer Cosmetics (IFF — US).
- Procapil™ is a trademark of Sederma (Croda — France).
- Baicapil™ is a trademark of Provital (Spain).
Update October 4, 2024
New Products with Redensyl, Capixyl, Procapil and Baicapil
There is a great new product from Ifra called Minimalist Hair Growth Actives 18%. It was first released in August 2021. It is a multi-functional hair growth serum with Capixyl 5%, Redensyl 3%, Procapil 3%, Baicapil 4% and Anagain 3%. For a sum total of 18%, hence the name. It is non-comedogenic and free from harmful fragrances and irritants. According to the manufacturer, all these ingredients are directly obtained from their respective manufacturers.
Yet another product that contains Redensyl, Capixyl, Procapil and Baicapil is Curlsmith’s Full Length Density Elixir (h/t “HZF”). It is a vegan night serum that also contains a fifth active called AnaGain™. These five are supplemented by a host of natural products such as Amla, Green Tea and Castor Oil (which increases PGE2). AnaGain™ is based on organic pea sprouts and made by Mibelle Group (Switzerland).
There is also a third product that contains all four peptides. It is made by “The Ordinary” and is called Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density. Note that the ingredients do not list any of these four peptides, but the company website mentions them under the “Overview” section. They classify all four as “technologies present” in the formula. A bit strange. It also contains caffeine and various plant-based extracts.
Key Benefits
The advantages of each of these key ingredients per Minimalist’s website and other sources are as follows:
- Capixyl modulates dihydrotestostaerone (DHT) and preserves hair follicle stem cell activity.
- Redensyl promotes hair growth by revitalizing outer root sheath hair follicle stem cells.
- Procapil strengthens the hair follicle metabolism and anchoring.
- Baicapil extends the anagen growth phase of the hair cycle.
- Anagain reduces hair loss by stimulating specific signal molecules in the dermal papilla.
I am skeptical about some of these claims. However, combining all these ingredients into one product seems very interesting. Taken individually, I would not expect much from any of these peptide based products. Individually, they cannot be as effective as either of the two FDA approved hair loss drugs on the market: Finasteride and Minoxidil.
Note that a peptide is a short chain of amino acids. Make sure to read my detailed post on amino acids and hair growth.
Redensyl, Capixyl and Procapil Combination
It seems like there are a growing number of compounded products on the market that include more than one of these four ingredients. I list some of these “combo” products later in this post. You can get both serums and hair loss shampoos containing these combination ingredients.
Last month, a reader e-mailed me a link to a 2019 Turkish study that analyzed a Redensyl plus Capixyl plus Procapil (“RCP”) combination topical hair loss treatment. The surprising conclusion was that the RCP serum grew more hair in users than topical 5% Minoxidil. One of the before and after photos with clear new hair growth is pasted below.
Note that this “RCP” product is currently reserved by the Turkish Patent Institute under the name “Procare”. In the above mentioned study, the description of making this combination product seems relatively simple.
Redensyl
On Amazon, laser hair growth device manufacturer iRestore recently introduced a Redensyl 3% plus Capixyl 2% plus biotin based Anti-Hair Loss Serum. Its average rating currently stands at 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on less than 30 reviews.
Redensyl stimulates stem cells and human fibroblasts from the dermal papilla to increase scalp hair growth. While Redensyl is side effect free, it is not officially approved to treat hair loss like Finasteride and Minoxidil.
Redensyl is made of a combination of natural botanical ingredients and plant extracts. It also contains Dihydroquercetin Glucoside (DHQG) and Epigallocatechin Gallate Glucoside (EGCG2). The latter has anti-inflammatory properties via the reduction of IL-8 release by keratinocytes. Redensyl is often described as a hair galvanizer that acts at the cellular level.
Many people find the synergistic effects of using Redensyl in combination with Minoxidil beneficial to hair growth.
Capixyl
Capixyl is a biomimetic signal peptide complex (acetyl tetrapeptide-3) that is combined with a red clover extract rich in Biochanin A. Red clover is known as trifolium pratense, which has proven hair growth and hair density increase benefits. It does this via the inhibition of 5-α-reductase activity; reduction of inflammation and cytokines; and stimulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein synthesis in the hair follicle vicinity.
Note that GroMd makes a shampoo and conditioner that includes both Redensyl and Capixyl. It also contains Hairgenyl, which is a peptide-rich yeast extract isolated from azalea flowers. No reports any significant capixyl related side effects in this product.
Procapil
Procapil contains three plant-derived substances (with the key peptide being biotinoyl tripeptide-1).
- Oleanolic acid, which is extracted from olive leaves. It inhibits 5α1 and 5α2 reductase enzymes, thereby reducing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) related hair loss.
- Apigenin, a flavonoid extracted from citrus peel. Aids in vasodilation and increases blood flow to the hair roots.
- Glycinehistidine-lysine peptides, which boost pro-matrix
metalloproteinase activity. This in turn benefits the metabolic
requirements of hair follicles.
One very popular product that contains both Procapil and Redensyl is Australian made BondiBoost HG shampoo. It is sulfate and paraben free and made for both women and men. It is also vegan and cruelty-free.
Further reading: Reduction of Hair-loss: Matrikines and plant molecules to the rescue.
Baicapil Joins the Club
A lesser known but still popular product is Baicapil. It contains a combination of three key botanical ingredients: Scutellaria baicalensis, soy sprouts and wheat sprouts. None of these are thought to cause any side effects in humans at normal doses.
Scutellaria baicalensis contains Baicalin, an important ingredient in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Baicalin is thought to increase hair growth via increasing canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling and activating dermal papilla cells.
Other Combination Products
— On Amazon, there is a super expensive product called “More Hair Naturally 9: Advanced Stem Cell Therapy For Thinning Hair”. It contains clinical strength Biacapil, Redensyl and Capixyl. It also contains mountain ginseng root, bamboo sprouts and stem cells from adult human fat cells.
— Also available on Amazon is United Pure’s Hair Growth Support serum and shampoo line. It contains Redensyl, Baicapil and Capixyl.
— Reader “Tim” pointed out another interesting product called RevivHair Max Hair Stimulating Serum. It contains original brand: maximum strength Redensyl 5%; Capixyl; and Procapil. Moreover, it also contains Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17 (keratin stimulating peptide), often used to make eyebrows and eyelashes thicker. The RCP in this serum is incorporated into a liposome for time-released benefits. Other ingredients include copper peptide, keratinocyte growth factor and Astragalus (which is a flavonoid and adaptogen).
— Reader “George” found an interesting hair regenerator serum product from Spain-based Redenhair. It contains 3% Redensyl, 3% Procapil and 2% Capixyl.
Interestingly, reader “Toccata” posted the below comment on this blog in January 2019:
“A few posts ago, John Doe mentioned a company — More Hair Naturally — selling a ferociously expensive, all natural, topical treatment. I noticed it shared a lot of the same ingredients as another topical I bought last year. The difference being I paid $17CAD for 60ml and they are charging $125US! for 50ml.
The topical I bought is: Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density.
It was a whimsical purchase that I thought would be for an occasional ‘whatever’ application. But now that I’ve looked closer at the actual studies of the ingredients, I might give this a legitimate daily 12 month trial run. I also microneedle and use Minoxidil so I won’t be able to make a reliable judge on its actual efficacy.”
I assume that Toccata did not see any miracle results with this potion, but nonetheless quite interesting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions about Redensyl, Procapil and Capixyl.
Does Redensyl regrow hair?
Redensyl can regrow up to 10 percent of hair per some reviews and studies. Moreover, it can increase hair density and thickness significantly. It sends more hair follicles into the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle.
What are the ingredients in Redensyl?
Redensyl is made of a combination of natural botanical ingredients and plant extracts. It also contains Dihydroquercetin Glucoside (DHQG) and Epigallocatechin Gallate Glucoside (EGCG2).
What is Procapil?
Procapil contains three plant-derived substances: Oleanolic acid, which is extracted from olive leaves and inhibits the 5α1 and 5α2 reductase enzymes; Apigenin, a flavonoid extracted from citrus peel that aids in vasolidation and increases blood flow to the hair roots; and Glycinehistidine-lysine peptides, which boost pro-matrix metalloproteinase activity. This in turn benefits the metabolic requirements of hair follicles.
What is Capixyl and does it grow hair?
Capixyl is a biomimetic signal peptide complex (acetyl tetrapeptide-3) that is combined with a red clover extract rich in Biochanin A. Red clover is known as trifolium pratense, which has proven hair growth and hair density increase benefits.