Oxidative Modification in Human Hair: The Effect of the Levels of Cu (II) Ions, UV Exposure and Hair Pigmentation

The study investigated the oxidative degradation of human hair proteins, focusing on the effects of copper (II) ions, UV exposure, and hair pigmentation. It found that higher levels of copper (II) ions led to increased oxidative modification of hair proteins, regardless of hair pigmentation or UV exposure. Even without UV light, both lightly and darkly pigmented hair showed oxidative damage, which intensified with higher copper (II) ion concentrations. The findings suggested that reducing copper (II) ion levels in hair could mitigate protein oxidation and decrease overall hair damage.