Biomechanics of Chemically Treated Hair for Continuous 1D Strands

    February 2026
    Abhiram Podili, Allison S. Meer, Jash Mody … Roche C. de Guzman
    Studysummary This study observed that treating human hair with NaOH led to partially removed cuticles, resulting in better fiber cohesion and mechanical properties similar to wool, unlike bleach or formic acid treatments, which weakened the fibers.
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    Research cited in this study 4

    1. Impact of Acid (Progressive Brush) and Alkaline Straightening on the Hair Fiber: Differential Effects on the Cuticle and Cortex Properties International journal of trichology · 2022
    2. The Susceptibility of Disulfide Bonds to Modification in Keratin Fibers Undergoing Tensile Stress Biophysical Journal · 2022
    3. Protein Loss in Human Hair from Combination Straightening and Coloring Treatments Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2015
    4. A Review of Keratin-Based Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications Materials · 2010