Hair Perming via Thiol-Michael Click Reaction: A Strategy to Avoid Oxidative Damage

The study introduces a novel hair perming method using 1,4-butylenediamine bismaleimide (1,4-BB) through thiol-Michael click chemistry, aiming to avoid the oxidative damage caused by traditional perming agents. The research demonstrated that 1,4-BB, which was synthesized and confirmed to be non-cytotoxic, provided comparable perming efficiency and superior durability compared to conventional oxidative methods. The method preserved hair's mechanical properties by maintaining higher α-helix keratin content and reducing sulfonate formation. Additionally, it preserved hair color and surface properties, such as morphology and hydrophobicity, offering a promising non-oxidative alternative for hair perming with reduced damage and enhanced durability.