SEM/SDD-EDS: An Analytical Tool to Identify Waterborne Micro Minerals Pickup in Human Scalp Hair Cuticle Due to Water Quality

    Balasubramanian Somasundaram, Selvaraj Kunjiappan
    Image of study
    TLDR Water quality affects mineral content in hair, and coconut oil can protect against damage.
    The study used SEM/SDD-EDS to analyze the impact of water quality on the mineral content of human scalp hair cuticles from four male volunteers in India. It found that rural volunteers using untreated groundwater had higher calcium and aluminum levels, leading to hair shaft damage and increased moisture absorption, while urban volunteers using treated water had lower calcium but higher aluminum levels. The application of coconut oil before washing reduced calcium uptake, highlighting its protective effect. The study concluded that SEM/SDD-EDS was effective for identifying and quantifying mineral changes in hair due to water quality and hair care practices, suggesting the need for further research with a larger population.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    2 / 2 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Please stop looking for a natural way to stop your hairloss

      in Chat  247 upvotes 2 years ago
      There is no natural way to stop hair loss; pharmaceuticals like minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841 are the only effective treatments. Some users report success with minoxidil and microneedling, while others discuss the side effects of finasteride.

      community Scalp health/dandruff

       6 upvotes 5 years ago
      User is experiencing a very dry scalp with thick white flakes from using liquid minoxidil twice daily for a year. They use Nizoral every 10 days and are seeking advice for a healthier scalp, with a suggestion to use finasteride instead.

      community Fermented Rice Water ..... ???

      in Treatment  112 upvotes 1 year ago
      User discusses Fermented Rice Water as a hair loss treatment, with one person claiming it helped regrow their hair. Others share their experiences and opinions, with some skepticism and alternative explanations.

      community My Experience and a Discourse on "DUPA"

      in Treatment  9 upvotes 5 months ago
      The user discusses their hair loss experience, exploring various hypotheses including thyroid levels, vitamin D, DHEA, nutritional deficiency, diabetes, seborrheic dermatitis, lack of nutrition to hair follicles, chronic inflammation, female pattern hair loss causes, cortisol, and prolactin levels. They are currently using finasteride, beta-sitosterol, and have tried topical dutasteride and microneedling therapy.

    Related Research

    1 / 1 results