Mechanism of Hair Curling via Laccase-Assisted Tyrosine Grafting Using BSA as a Model Protein

This study presents a new method for curling hair using tyrosine as a cross-linking agent, which is less damaging than traditional perming techniques. By employing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein, researchers showed that tyrosine can form new cross-linked peptides, essential for reshaping hair. The process involves pre-treating hair with L-cysteine and using laccase-assisted tyrosine grafting, resulting in better initial perming performance compared to commercial products, though the curls are less durable after washing. This method maintains hair strength, operates at lower temperatures, and is less time-consuming, offering a gentler and environmentally friendly alternative for hair perming.