Despite their name, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are multifunctional regulators affecting a wide variety of physiological events. This review summarizes our recent studies on FGFs from mechanistic, physiological and application-oriented viewpoints. These include studies on the importance of βKlotho and glycosaminoglycans for the signaling of hormonal FGFs (FGF21 and FGF19); the physiological role of a paracrine FGF (FGF18) in hair cycle regulation; and the development of a stable, chimeric FGF protein composed of FGF1 and FGF2 domains suitable for radioprotection.