January 2014 in “한국미용학회지” This study observed that long-term UV-A exposure and semi-permanent dye treatment can cause significant structural damage to human hair, particularly affecting the cuticle and cortex layers.
May 2026 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” This study found that UV radiation exposure during a simulated Brazilian summer caused more significant mechanical damage to natural hair than bleaching, although both caused comparable structural alterations, with double bleaching leading to the most severe protein degradation.
8 citations
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March 2018 in “Cosmetics” In this study, researchers found that UV radiation causes hydroxy radicals to form cuticle holes specifically between the cuticle layers in wet hair, unlike random holes caused by Fenton's reaction.
18 citations
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March 2009 in “Skin pharmacology and physiology” This study found that sunlight exposure causes significant structural and chemical damage to hair, including cuticle loss, cortex damage, and discoloration, with water playing a major role in discoloration of brown hair.
5 citations
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March 2012 in “Microscopy Research and Technique” In this study, UVB exposure was found to alter certain chemical properties of the hair shaft, such as keratin components and water content, without significantly affecting its physical morphology.