Repurposing Functional Human Hair Melanosomes As A Sunscreen Product
January 2026
in “
DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University)
”
Studysummary This study found that melanosomes extracted from human hair waste can effectively block UVA and UVB radiation when used as a natural UV filter in sunscreens, performing comparably to commercial UV filters and remaining stable in cosmetic formulations. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study explores the use of melanosomes extracted from human hair waste as a natural UV filter in sunscreen products. Melanosomes, which contain melanin, were isolated and shown to block about 96% of UVA and UVB rays. Two formulations containing these melanosomes were tested and found to outperform commercial sunscreens in UV blocking ability. The formulations maintained stability up to 100 °C, and their viscosity was unaffected by melanin content. This research highlights the potential of repurposing hair waste into effective and environmentally friendly sunscreen ingredients.
