Phyto Launches Thinning Hair Treatment

When it comes to thinning hair, four is better than two. Phyto, the hair care brand owned by Paris-based Alès Groupe, is phasing out a pair of hair-thickening products for men called Phytoaxil and rolling out a new duo called Phytolium 4.

Phytolium, which comprises a shampoo and scalp treatment and is meant to combat male pattern baldness, takes its name from the four proprietary botanical ingredients used in its formulations.

Phytolium employs a complex called CapicellPro, which features wild apple stem cells and a shiitake molecule to stimulate sirtuins. CapicellPro is supposed to stimulate and protect follicle cells and stem cells in the scalp for future hair growth. There’s also Serenoa extract, which is meant to inhibit an enzyme that causes hair thinning and uses essential oils of sage, cajuput, rosemary, lemon and cypress.

Meanwhile, solanum glycoproteins are intended to help stimulate keratinocytes, cells that produce hair, and act on the hair bulb to encourage growth. Finally, the grape procyanidols and cananga essential oil botanical complex is designed to help protect the tissue surrounding the hair bulb and improve intercellular communication for denser, stronger growth, according to Phyto.

Phytolium was inspired by research conducted on these ingredients at the Phytosolba Laboratories in Bezons, France, noted Jacqueline Fahey, vice president of sales for Phyto Haircare at Alès Group USA.

Phyto’s consumer research indicates that Phytolium was 88 percent effective on thinning hair. Sixty-nine percent of volunteers said their hair felt stronger, according to the brand, which added that 63 percent of those surveyed said their hair appeared denser.

Phytolium, which was launched last month in France, reached salons like Julien Farel, Rita Hazan and Salon AKS earlier this month in the U.S.

“So far, it’s positive,” Fahey said of Phytolium’s performance to date.

The duo is slated to roll out next month to Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus. Phyto has about 45 products in the U.S., and various quantities — depending on the retail outlet — are stocked at about 2,500 doors.

Additionally, the firm is planning to open shop-in-shop concepts at about 10 top salons in markets like Chicago, Florida, Colorado and Upstate New York.

The Phytolium shampoo is priced at $24 for 150 ml. and the treatment, which includes 12 vials containing 0.35 milliliters each, is priced at $60. Industry sources estimate Phytolium may garner sales of $1 million in its first year on the market.

Phyto, which has been marketing thinning hair treatments for about 20 years, is carried in 40 countries worldwide, predominantly in the pharmacy channel of distribution in Italy, France and Germany, as well as in Singapore.