Photodegradation of Hair of Different Ethnicities After One Year of Exposure to Natural Weathering in Arizona

    March 2007 in “ International Journal of Cosmetic Science ”
    Y. K. Kamath, S. B. Ruetsch
    TLDR Hair with more melanin resists weather damage better.
    The study investigated the effects of natural weathering on hair of different ethnicities in Arizona's dry, hot climate over 1 year. Hair fibers exhibited significant changes, including thinning, scale fusion, and inter-fiber fusion, leading to rigid and brittle hair with radial cracks. Scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible microspectrophotometry revealed that melanin in hair provides protection against photochemical degradation. Indian and Chinese black hair, rich in melanin, showed greater resistance to degradation compared to European hair with lower melanin content.
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