Capilia Longa is a turmeric-derived cosmetic ingredient that may help reduce hair loss and improve hair density. Early results are promising, but the reliability of these results is very limited, so long-term safety and true effectiveness are yet to be determined. Capilia Longa is an experimental hair loss ingredient that may help those affected by temporary hair loss conditions.
Discover what Capilia Longa is, how it may help with hair loss, what the current evidence says about its effectiveness and safety, and which products are available in the UK. Plus, compare Capilia Longa with minoxidil and other effective hair loss solutions.
Key takeaways
Capilia Longa is a patented, turmeric-derived cosmetic ingredient designed to stimulate activity within the hair follicle and reduce hair loss.
Early studies suggest Capilia Longa can help reduce hair loss when used in a formula alongside other ingredients, but evidence for its safety and effectiveness is very limited at present.
Minoxidil is generally a more reliable hair loss treatment than Capilia Longa, thanks to its expansive supporting body of evidence. Other hair loss treatment options include finasteride, microneedling, caffeine treatments, and hair transplants.
Speak to the friendly professional team at the Wimpole Clinic to find out which treatments are best suited to your type of hair loss.
Capilia Longa is a cosmetic ingredient designed to help tackle hair loss. It’s derived from stem cells of the turmeric plant. Despite its natural origins, it’s patented by Vytrus Biotech, a Spanish biotechnology company. Vytrus claims that [1]:
“[Capilia Longa] produces an epigenetic reset of the hair bulb, re-starting the activity of dermal papilla cells thanks to the activity of Curcuma peptides, exosomes and Exopeptides™.”
That means Capilia Longa may be able to alter gene expression within the hair bulb to help minimise hair loss, without affecting the underlying DNA (although this has only been seen in lab studies so far, so the findings may be overstated). It can also stimulate activity within the hair follicle’s dermal papilla cells, which help regulate hair growth [2].
Curcuma peptides are derived from turmeric, and may have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, while exosomes may act as an anti-inflammatory agent [3-4]. Exopeptides refer to a proprietary technology owned by Vytrus, and it’s said to “power” Capilia Longa, though it’s unclear exactly how (or if) this works [5].
Antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and antimicrobials can help with hair loss, especially if it’s driven by oxidative stress, follicular inflammation, or bacterial infection [6-7]. However, it’s unlikely to stop or reverse balding caused by pattern hair loss, as this is driven mostly by genetics and hormones.
As of 2026, the evidence for using Capilia Longa for hair growth is pretty limited, though there are some signs that Capilia Longa may help reduce hair loss and improve hair thickness, especially when used alongside other proven ingredients.
One study found that a combination of Capilia Longa, peptides, and stem cell-derived nutrients led to a 23.9% reduction in hair loss in women affected by telogen effluvium [8]. Another found that a serum containing Capilia Longa (along with several other ingredients) led to improved hair growth, density, thickness, and strength [9].
However, two small, short studies don’t provide conclusive evidence for Capilia Longa’s effectiveness. Much larger studies are needed to establish true safety and efficacy. And it’s important to be wary of information presented as evidence when it hasn’t been peer-reviewed or otherwise independently verified (such as Vytrus’s study results that claim Capilia Longa can reduce hair loss by up to 89%) [10].
Both studies exploring the use of Capilia Longa for hair loss reported good tolerability, with no adverse effects reported [8-9]. But more research is needed to confirm that Capilia Longa is well-tolerated among the wider population.
Although Capilia Longa is a naturally-derived ingredient, turmeric is known to cause skin irritation and even allergic reactions when applied topically [11]. So it’s best to test a small amount of the product on your skin before applying it across your scalp.
Unlike Capilia Longa, which is a relatively new and untested ingredient, minoxidil is a well-established treatment for hair loss. Explore how minoxidil measures up against Capilia Longa in the table below.
Overall, minoxidil is a more reliable choice than Capilia Longa for most people affected by hair loss. It has a larger body of evidence to support its use, and is suitable for multiple types of alopecia, including male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss. More is known about the side effects of minoxidil, and users can potentially mitigate these by choosing a lower concentration product like minoxidil 2%.
If you’re looking for a more natural, non-pharmaceutical way to tackle hair loss, Capilia Longa may be an option. However, it’s also a good idea to consider other proprietary ingredients, such as Capixyl, AnaGain, and Baicapil. Many commercially available serums contain multiple ingredients alongside Capilia Longa.
Capilia Longa isn’t a controlled ingredient, so you can buy hair density serums containing Capilia Longa online or over-the-counter. The products below are available in the UK as of October 2026, and contain Capilia Longa as a hair growth active.
Note: The Wimpole Clinic isn’t affiliated with the cosmetic hair treatment manufacturers or sellers below. We don’t get commission if you buy any of the listed products.
Active ingredients: Capilia Longa, biotin, caffeine, niacinamide
Cost: £14.99 for 100 ml
How to apply: Apply the serum to thinning areas on your scalp morning and night. Massage into your skin to ensure even distribution of the product.
What to know: Caffeine is a proven treatment for hair loss, especially when used as a leave-on ingredient [15]. Topical biotin is often touted as a hair growth enhancer, but there’s not much evidence behind this claim. Early evidence suggests niacinamide may help promote hair growth, though more research is needed to confirm this [16].
Active ingredients: Capilia Longa, GHK-Cu copper peptides
Cost: £29.90 for a 50 day supply (100 ml)
How to apply: Apply 2-3 pumps of serum to thinning areas of your scalp once a day. Ideally leave at least 8-12 hours before washing your hair after serum application.
What to know: While copper peptides can help with hair loss, there are unresolved challenges with delivering the benefits of this ingredient through topical application [17]. So don’t overrely on this to produce significant hair growth effects.
Active ingredients: Capilia Longa, niacinamide, HotFlux
Cost: From £47.00 for 100 ml (one-time purchases cost more)
How to apply: Apply 3 ml of the serum to your scalp every day and massage it into the skin.
What to know: HotFlux is a proprietary warming agent that’s said to increase blood flow to the scalp, though there’s limited evidence for this ingredient as a hair loss treatment. Expect your scalp to feel warm and tingly after application.
Early evidence for Capilia Longa is promising, but there are many hair loss solutions with significantly more evidence to support their use. Here are the best proven ways to treat hair loss:
Whether you’re noticing the early signs of hair thinning or experiencing established, advanced hair loss, the Wimpole Clinic can help.
As one of the world’s longest-running hair transplant clinics, we have more than 50 years’ experience treating hair loss with surgical and non-surgical methods. And with free consultation available at our UK-wide and international clinic locations, you can get honest expert advice on your hair loss.
Discover more about your hair loss treatment options when you book a consultation at the Wimpole Clinic. We’ll discuss how to preserve your hair, what you can do about permanent hair loss, and when to expect results from any treatments you decide to use.
Learn how long to use Capilia Longa, whether it works for eyebrows, and more in our Capilia Longa FAQs.
There’s not much data available about the long-term safety of using Capilia Longa. It’s a naturally-derived product, so it’s unlikely that any significant safety concerns will be discovered about its long term use. But this can’t be guaranteed, so take this into account when deciding whether to use products containing Capilia Longa.
No topical or oral hair loss treatment continues to provide clinical benefits when you stop using it. So if you stop using a product containing Capilia Longa, expect any hair loss to continue after a while.
Vytrus suggests that Capilia Longa can enhance eyebrow and eyelash density, though there’s no independent research to verify this. There’s much stronger evidence for other eyelash/eyebrow growth treatments like bimatoprost and minoxidil [18-19].
The Vytrus formula tested on eyebrows and eyelashes is likely to differ from commercially available products containing Capilia Longa, so it’s best not to use these products on or around your eyes.
No studies have directly compared Capilia Longa vs finasteride, but finasteride is likely to be far more effective for men with male pattern baldness. Finasteride works by limiting the amount of dihydrotestosterone in your body, as this hormone binds to receptors in the hair follicles and causes them to shrink.
Capilia Longa doesn’t appear to have any hormonal effect, so it’s unlikely it would have a significant impact on male pattern baldness symptoms. However, it may help reduce symptoms of stress-related hair loss, which finasteride won’t help with.
Capilia Longa is derived from turmeric, but it’s not the same as turmeric powder or the turmeric root. Capilia Longa is the concentrated secretome of specific cells from the turmeric root.
Capilia Longa is most likely to be effective in those with telogen effluvium — temporary hair loss stemming from stress, trauma, and other psychological or physiological triggers. In many cases, telogen effluvium is short-lived and resolves by itself, but treatments like Capilia Longa may help encourage regrowth.
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Hair Transplants, Beard Transplants & Eyebrow Transplants.
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Dr Umear Ahmad (GMC: 6150115) graduated from Newcastle University Medical School in 2007 (MBBS) and has undertaken further postgraduate studies, obtaining a Masters in Health Research (MSc) and Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education (PGC Clin. Ed.). Dr Ahmad undertook his junior doctor training in the Newcastle Upon-Tyne hospitals trust, which included time in cardiology, accident & emergency, general surgery and ENT, head and neck surgery.
Having trained in hair restoration in 2019 under the stewardship of world renowned hair transplant surgeon Dr. Akaki Tsilosani, Dr. Ahmad has now dedicated his career to FUE hair transplants. He has presented at international conferences and is a member of the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
Dr. Ahmad’s ethos is to always strive to do the very best for every patient. That means taking a patient-centred approach and putting the patient at the forefront of everything that he does. He prides himself on being open and honest in helping patients make the correct decision, rather than simply advising everyone to have a transplant. He is focused on creating natural-looking, high-quality hair transplant results.
Dr. Ahmad endeavours to ensure that patients have a positive experience, from their initial consultation to the day of the procedure itself and throughout the aftercare process.
Aside from hair restoration, Dr. Ahmad is on the interview panel for Newcastle University’s undergraduate medical degree programme and also works for a charity called Freedom from Torture, undertaking medico-legal reports on a pro-bono basis.
Having undertaken a postgraduate diploma in clinical education, Dr. Ahmad is passionate about teaching. He currently supervises junior doctors in hospital, teaches medical students and has also trained doctors in hair restoration surgery.
