Shiretoko Peninsula, one of the World Natural Heritage Sites is in the eastern part of Hokkaido Japan. Rausu is on the east coast of Shiretoko Peninsula. This town's noted product Rausu-kombu is a sea tangle which is same size as the human's stature. This sea tangle is called "oni-kombu" too and useful to make soup stock.

Chemicle Inc. , a company which specializes in development, production and deal of foods, took action to let people know advantages of Rausu-Kombu. Rausu-Kombu contains amino acids such as glutamic acid and aspartic acid 10times higher than other kelps. Chemicle started on development of a special product which is good for health of hairs with wasted stems.

Hair's one of the principal ingredients is protein. The protein is made from amino acids. That's why intake of high-quality amino acids is essential for not only hairs but also scalp health. Recent study shows that people can apply it to the hair and scalp, to get a effect of keeping moisture.

Amino acids of Rausu-kombu is included in stems more than leafs. Moreover, a joint research by an associate professor of Tokyo University of Marine Science and technology, Takashi Kuda and Japan Barrier-Free has discovered that Rausu-kombu contains many alginic acid, a kind of dietary fiber in their stems.

Harbor Research Institute has reported that the extract of this kelp's stem activates IGF-1 inside dermal papilla cells (they are in the root of hairs). IGF-1 is a material that is made in livers by a growth hormone.  According to Harbor Research Institute, IGF-1 increased 51%. The activated IGF-1 works on hair matrix cells and stimulate hair restoration.

The hair growth cycle consists of three stages - anlagen, catagen and telogen. For men, if malnutrition and dryness happen in anagen-phase, growth of hairs will stop and hairs will fall off. IGF-1 plays an important part in the anagen-phase. The extract might be the solution to improvement of thinning hair.