Hair loss affects millions globally, creating a demand for safer, more effective treatments. Traditional treatments like minoxidil often have limited efficacy and side effects. This study explores tannic acid, a polyphenol, as a promising alternative, serving as a multifaceted adhesion mediator that binds to keratin on the hair surface and serves as a reservoir for functional molecules‐salicylic acid (SCA), niacinamide (N), and dexpanthenol (DAL)‐collectively termed SCANDAL. Tannic acid forms a stable coating on hair through hydrogen bonding, while its unbound phenolic sites sequester SCANDAL molecules, enabling their controlled release upon exposure to moisture. This gradual release delivers active molecules directly to hair follicles, enhancing hair health and mitigating hair loss. In a seven‐day study with 12 human participants, an average reduction of 56.2 ± 18.2% in the number of shed hairs is observed compared to their baseline counts. The presence of tannic acid on the hair surface is confirmed via X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the formation of tannic acid/SCANDAL complexes is visualized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This approach demonstrates that hair keratin surfaces can serve as large‐area platforms for controlled release of therapeutic agents, addressing various challenges in hair and scalp health.

Kappa-carrageenan (κ-CRG) forms thermo-reversible physical hydrogels via a coil–helix transition and helix bundling, but its sulfate-driven electrostatic repulsion limits mechanical robustness and control over aqueous disintegration. Here, we show that plant-derived polyphenols reprogram κ-CRG gel through sulfate-directed binding in a structure-dependent manner. Tannic acid (TA) selectively engages κ-CRG sulfate groups, yielding transparent gels and a >5-fold increase in storage modulus, whereas the same TA triggers turbidity and precipitation in sulfate-free agarose, supporting sulfate-mediated specificity. Using monomeric pyrogallol as a galloyl analogue, we demonstrate that monovalent interactions partially reinforce κ-CRG but lack cooperative stabilization. Intervention timing further separates mechanism. Pyrogallol produces pathway-dependent mechanics and gelation temperature, while TA is stage-insensitive, consistent with multivalent network annealing. In simulated gastric/intestinal fluids, pyrogallol/κ-CRG gels retain morphology longer, whereas TA/κ-CRG ones disintegrate rapidly yet exhibit strong adhesion to rough substrates and human skin. These findings provide a fully food-grade route to tune κ-CRG mechanics, thermal behavior, adhesion and programmed disintegration.

Pluronic® F127 (Poloxamer 407) is a thermoresponsive triblock copolymer widely used for drug delivery and templating for porous materials, owing to its temperature‐dependent micellization and gelation in aqueous systems. While its self‐assembly behavior in water‐rich or low‐ethanol cosolvents (≤30%) is well established, the molecular behavior of F127 in near‐anhydrous ethanol (90%–100%) remains largely unexplored. Here, we report a reversed self‐assembly mechanism governed by the solubility and crystallinity of the hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks, rather than the hydrophobic PPO segments that drive micellization in water. F127 remains molecularly dissolved up to ~95% ethanol but undergoes precipitation above this threshold due to collapse of the dehydrated PEO chains. Upon heating, the precipitates reversibly dissolve through melting of PEO crystalline domains, a process confirmed by turbidity and dynamic light scattering analyses. Additionally, tannic acid (TA)—known to strongly hydrogen bond with PEO—modulates the precipitation and re‐dissolution kinetics. These findings highlight a fundamentally distinct assembly mechanism of F127 in ethanol‐rich environments, where solvent polarity and segmental solvation dominate. This study not only provides critical insight into the thermoresponsive behavior of amphiphilic polymers in poor solvents but also expands the potential utility of F127 in ethanol‐dominant drug formulations and soft‐material systems, particularly where aqueous conditions are undesirable.

Conventional gelatin's gel‐to‐sol transition upon heating restricts its utility in biomedical applications that benefit from a gel state at physiological temperatures such as Pluronic F127 and poly(NIPAAm). Herein, we present “rev‐Gelatin”, a gelatin engineered with reverse thermo‐responsive properties that undergoes a sol‐to‐gel transition as temperature rises from ambient to body temperature. Inspired by the phase dynamics of common materials like candy and ice cubes, whose surfaces soften or partially melt under warming, facilitating inter‐object adhesion‐ rev‐Gelatin leverages this concept to achieve fluidity at room temperature for easy injectability. At ambient temperature, rev‐Gelatin exists as a microgel solution with sufficient fluidity in the sol state. However, upon exposure to elevated temperatures approaching physiological temperature, rev‐Gelatin microgels coalesce through surface melting, forming a stable gel. This sol‐to‐gel transition is especially advantageous for hemostatic applications. Upon contact with blood, the temperature elevation induces rapid gelation of rev‐Gelatin, effectively creating a barrier that reduces bleeding time and blood loss. Additionally, rev‐Gelatin shows promise as a submucosal injection agent for gastrointestinal surgeries, making it a new class of thermo‐sensitive biomaterials.