Evaluation of Hair Fibers Properties Treated with Acid Straightener at Different pH Values
April 2019
in “
Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
”
TLDR Hair straightening at pH 1.0 improves alignment but weakens hair more than pH 2.0.
The study evaluated the effects of an acid hair straightener containing glyoxylic acid, carbocysteine, and amino acids on hair fibers at pH values of 1.0 and 2.0. It was found that hair treated at pH 1.0 showed better alignment and straightening capacity, with a 59.4% improvement in combing tests compared to 33.0% at pH 2.0. However, the tensile strength decreased by 16.0% at pH 1.0 and 9.0% at pH 2.0. Hair treated at pH 1.0 also experienced more significant color changes and lower tryptophan content. Both pH treatments altered hair structure, and UV exposure caused more cuticle damage but offered some protein protection. Repeated applications improved alignment but increased stiffness and breakage risk, highlighting the importance of pH in minimizing hair damage.