Comparison of Physical and Chemical Properties of Black and White Hair

This study compared the physical and chemical characteristics of black and white hair using samples from an 88-year-old Korean female. The analysis revealed that white hair had a denser morphology and higher sulfur content (8.80 wt%) compared to black hair (7.08 wt%). FT-IR analysis showed a stronger lipid peak in white hair, and polarized microscopy indicated that white hair was brighter, suggesting greater double refraction. Swelling tests with surfactants showed that anionic surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) caused the highest swelling, while cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC) resulted in the lowest. The study concluded that white hair exhibited more dense and hydrophobic properties than black hair.