Folli-Flux

Full product name

Product description

Who it's for

• People following Dr.

Not suitable for

Tips

Notes

How do I use Folli-Flux?

Apply 1–2 ml directly to a clean, dry scalp, twice daily (morning and night).

Yes. The carton carries the official user protocol for Dr.

Is Folli-Flux a hair-loss treatment?

No. Folli-Flux is a cosmetic scalp-care serum, not a medicine. If your hair loss is sudden, patchy or worrying, please see a doctor.

What is GHK-Cu?

GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1) is a small copper-binding peptide that occurs naturally in the body. Research on it is mostly laboratory and animal work1.

Scalp serum · 30ml

Copper peptides, in focus.

Concept artwork. For the product itself, see the photo above.

Source: drstevengoh.com

Pickart L et al. · Biomed Res Int · 2015

Randomised, placebo-controlled trial (30 volunteers)

Loing E et al. · J Cosmet Sci · 2013

Systematic review (5 RCTs, 2 cohort studies)

Evron E et al. · Skin Appendage Disord · 2020

Review + RCT summary

Bravo B et al. · Dermatol Ther · 2022

General information only, not medical advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your own scalp and hair.

Source: drstevengoh.com

Folli-Care

Scalp gel · 10ml

Hyaluronic acid scalp moisture gel in a precision syringe. 10ml.

Folli-Fix X10

Men's liquid, dropper · 60ml

Source: drstevengoh.com

It combines copper tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu), Capixyl (acetyl tetrapeptide-3 with red clover flower extract) and saw palmetto fruit extract with caffeine, niacinamide, panthenol, hyaluronic acid and allantoin.

GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1) is a small copper-binding peptide that occurs naturally in the body. Research on it is mostly laboratory and animal work⁴.

Caviar has long been a symbol of luxury on the plate. More recently, scientists have become interested in what sturgeon roe and other marine materials can do for skin and hair. Rich in proteins, peptides and omega-3 fatty acids, marine extracts are now among the most researched 'beauty-from-the-sea' ingredients. Here is what the science shows, and how strong that evidence really is.

What is caviar extract?

Caviar is sturgeon roe (fish eggs). Its extracts contain phospholipids, including the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as one of the main components. When caviar is enzyme-treated, its proteins are broken down into mainly low-molecular-weight peptides made of amino acids such as leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine.

Caviar is used both as a nutritional food and in cosmetic products.

Caviar and skin: the strongest evidence

The most robust caviar study to date is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants taking an oral enzyme-treated caviar extract showed significant improvements in skin hydration, dermal hydration and transepidermal water loss after four weeks, and in skin elasticity after eight weeks.

Laboratory and animal research helps explain why:

• In mice exposed to UVB light, enzyme-treated caviar protected against dehydration, oxidative stress and inflammation. In human skin cells, it increased antioxidant enzyme activity and levels of hyaluronic acid and sphingomyelin, a barrier lipid.
• Caviar extract and its DHA promoted adiponectin production and suppressed MMP-1, an enzyme that breaks down collagen, in skin-cell models.
• Caviar extract showed antioxidant activity and reduced markers of UV-induced photoageing in cells and mice.

For a scalp exposed to tropical sun, antioxidant and hydration support is a sensible goal. But note: these are skin studies, and the human trial used an oral extract.

Caviar and hair: an honest gap

We found no published studies testing caviar extract directly on human hair growth. The closest evidence comes from related marine ingredients:

• Fish-derived DHA. Fermented mackerel fish oil and its omega-3 DHA increased dermal papilla cell proliferation and promoted entry into anagen, the growth phase, in follicle and mouse models. Caviar is also a source of DHA, but this was not a caviar study.
• Oral marine-protein supplements. In a 90-day randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 60 women with self-perceived thinning hair, an oral marine-protein supplement significantly increased terminal hairs and reduced shedding compared with placebo. In another randomised trial of 96 premenopausal women, a marine-extract supplement significantly reduced shedding over three to six months and increased the diameter of fine, vellus-like hairs at six months.

These trials are encouraging for marine-derived nutrition in general. They are not evidence for any specific topical caviar product, and we will not pretend otherwise.

Peptides: small proteins with big signalling roles

Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Some act as messengers that tell cells what to do, which is why they are widely used in skincare.

• Copper peptides. GHK, a copper-binding peptide naturally present in human plasma, declines with age. Research describes it supporting skin repair, collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, and wound healing, including of hair follicles in animal studies.
• Direct follicle effects. The tripeptide-copper complex AHK-Cu stimulated elongation of human hair follicles grown in the lab and the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. A copper-binding peptide enlarged hair follicles in rats, with an effect similar to topical minoxidil in that model.
• A small human trial. In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 30 volunteers, a topical combination of red clover extract and a biomimetic peptide increased anagen hair density and decreased telogen hair density over four months compared with placebo.

Peptide research is promising, but results depend on the specific peptide, its concentration and its delivery. 'Peptides' on a label does not tell you which ones.

How to read marine beauty claims

Marine ingredients are often marketed with sweeping promises. A few questions keep things honest:

• Oral or topical? The strongest caviar and marine-protein trials tested supplements that were swallowed. A topical product works through a different route.
• Skin or hair? Caviar's human evidence is for skin hydration and elasticity, not hair growth.
• Which peptide? Copper peptides such as AHK-Cu have follicle data; that does not mean every peptide does.
• What kind of study? A randomised, placebo-controlled trial in people counts for more than a cell or mouse study, however impressive the mechanism.

Allergy and safety

Marine ingredients are natural, but natural does not mean allergy-free.

• Fish roe allergy is real. Two people were reported with IgE-mediated allergy to fish roe, one with anaphylaxis, without having a general fish allergy. A case of anaphylaxis to Beluga caviar has also been reported.
• What this means for you: if you have ever reacted to fish, seafood or fish roe, tell your adviser before using a caviar-containing product, and stop if you notice itching, swelling or a rash.

Where Folli fits

The research above was not conducted on Folli-Fuel. We include caviar and peptides for their skin-hydration and antioxidant research, and we are clear that direct hair studies on caviar do not yet exist.

Folli-Fix (foam, for men and women) and Folli-Fix X10 (liquid, for adult men) are our minoxidil treatments; use one or the other on a given area, not both. Folli-Care is our hyaluronic-acid scalp hydrator. Folli-Fuel is a professional in-centre treatment delivered by our experienced team. Ask us to help you choose a routine that suits your scalp and goals.

Is caviar good for hair?

It has not been tested directly on hair growth. Caviar extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a randomised oral trial and showed antioxidant effects in the lab, but no human hair studies exist yet.

Do marine protein supplements help thinning hair?

Clinical trials suggest they can. Two randomised, placebo-controlled trials in women found more terminal hairs or thicker fine hairs and reduced shedding.

What do peptides do for the scalp?

Some act as cell messengers. Copper peptides support skin repair and stimulated human hair follicle elongation in the lab.

Can I use caviar products if I have a seafood allergy?

Talk to your doctor first. Fish roe allergy, including anaphylaxis, has been reported even in people without a general fish allergy.

Why is omega-3 DHA linked to hair?

In laboratory and mouse studies, fish-oil DHA increased dermal papilla cell proliferation and promoted the growth phase. Human evidence is still limited.

Are marine ingredients better than plant ingredients for hair?

Not necessarily. Evidence depends on the specific ingredient and study, not on its source; each should be judged on its own research.

Great hair starts at the scalp. Yet most routines are designed around the hair shaft: shampoo, conditioner, styling. A scalp care routine flips the focus to the skin your hair grows from. The good news is that it does not need to be complicated. It needs to be consistent, matched to your goals, and based on what research actually supports.

Why the scalp matters

The scalp is skin with an unusually dense population of hair follicles. When it is irritated, flaky or inflamed, hair suffers. Over 20 epidemiological studies associate abnormal scalp conditions with impaired hair, and a treatment study showed those effects on hair were reversible once the scalp was normalised. Scientists describe oxidative stress as the mechanism linking an unhealthy scalp to poorer hair growth and retention.

So a scalp routine is not a luxury. It is the foundation.

Step 1: Know your goal

Before choosing products, decide what you are trying to achieve:

• Comfort and hydration: dryness, tightness, itch or sensitivity.
• Balance: oiliness, flaking or dandruff.
• Thinning or pattern hair loss: a gradual reduction in density, a widening part or a receding hairline.
• Excess shedding: sudden, diffuse hair fall, often two to four months after a trigger such as illness, childbirth or major stress.

Sudden patchy loss, scarring, pain or significant redness are reasons to see a doctor first.

Step 2: Cleanse often enough

Many people under-wash because they fear washing will make hair fall out. Research says otherwise. In a study of Asian populations, washing five to six times a week gave the best overall scalp and hair satisfaction, and daily washing outperformed weekly washing with no detrimental effects.

Hairs released during washing are mostly resting (telogen) hairs that had already reached the end of their cycle; clinicians even count them in a standardised hair-wash test.

If you have dandruff, use an anti-dandruff shampoo. Dandruff is linked to Malassezia yeasts and responds to treatments that inhibit them, and improving dandruff has been shown to reduce scalp oxidative stress and improve the quality of hair grown afterwards.

Step 3: Hydrate the scalp, not just the hair

Conditioners are formulated for the hair shaft. The scalp needs its own lightweight hydration. Hyaluronic acid is a well-tolerated, hygroscopic ingredient supported by multiple clinical studies for skin hydration, which makes it a natural choice for a scalp hydrator.

Apply hydrating products to clean, dry scalp, section by section, and massage in.

Step 4: Add a targeted treatment for thinning

A meta-analysis of randomised trials found it superior to placebo in both sexes.

To get the most from a minoxidil product:

• Apply to a dry scalp, directly on thinning areas, then wash your hands.
• Be consistent. Results may take two months, and some people need four months or longer.
• Expect possible early shedding. A temporary increase in shedding can occur in the first weeks and is not a reason to stop.
• Keep going. Continued use is needed to keep results.
• Know when to pause. Stop and see a doctor if you experience chest pain, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, swelling or persistent scalp irritation. Do not use it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Step 5: Layer products in the right order

A simple layering principle: treatment first, on a dry scalp; hydration and styling after it has absorbed. If you use a minoxidil product and a scalp gel, apply them at different times of day if possible, or follow your product instructions carefully so each one can do its job.

Step 6: Massage

Massage helps distribute products and is a pleasant habit. In a small study of nine healthy men, four minutes of standardised scalp massage daily for 24 weeks was associated with increased hair thickness. These are small or self-reported studies, so think of massage as a supporting habit, not a treatment.

Step 7: Protect against the sun

UV radiation is the most frequent cause of structural damage to the hair shaft: UVB degrades hair proteins and UVA changes colour. Solar radiation can reduce hair strength, lustre and protein content. A hat or shade during the strongest midday sun protects both scalp and hair.

Step 8: Support from within

Hair is built from what you eat. Iron, zinc, vitamin D and B vitamins all play roles in the hair follicle cycle, and deficiency may be a modifiable risk factor for hair loss. If you suspect a deficiency, ask your doctor for a blood test before supplementing.

Be cautious with megadoses. Supplements without a documented deficiency have unproven benefit, and some may worsen hair loss. Biotin is a good example: reported benefits occur in people with an underlying deficiency, and high-dose biotin can distort common blood tests, including thyroid tests. Tell your doctor if you take it.

Lifestyle matters too. In a population study of Asian men, smoking was significantly associated with more severe pattern hair loss.

Track progress the smart way

Hair grows in cycles that span months to years, so daily mirror checks will only frustrate you. Take photos in the same light, from the same angles, once a month. Judge a hair-loss treatment after at least four months of consistent use.

How often should I wash my scalp?

Most people can wash often. Among Asian participants, five to six washes a week gave the best results, and daily washing outperformed weekly washing.

Does washing hair every day cause hair loss?

No. Daily washing showed no detrimental effects in a study of Asian populations, and hairs shed while washing are mostly resting hairs at the end of their cycle.

Should I apply minoxidil to a wet or dry scalp?

Dry. Apply minoxidil to a dry scalp on the thinning areas and wash your hands afterwards, as product directions advise.

Can I use a scalp serum with minoxidil?

Usually, yes, with good timing. Apply the minoxidil treatment to a dry scalp first, let it absorb, and follow each product's directions.

Does scalp massage help hair growth?

It may help a little. Small studies linked daily massage to thicker hair, but they were small or self-reported.

How long before a scalp routine shows results?

Comfort improves quickly; hair takes months. For minoxidil, results may take two to four months or more.

Do I need supplements for healthy hair?

Only if you are deficient. Correcting a deficiency matters, but supplementing without one has unproven benefit.