Water-Soluble Polymers in Hair Care

January 2002 in “ Springer eBooks ”

Ali N. Syed, Wagdi W. Habib, Anna M. Kuhajda

alkaline hair relaxers disulfide bonds hydrogen bonds tensile strength cuticle erosion hair fibers cationic polymers non-ionic polymers

TLDR Alkaline hair relaxers damage hair, but cationic and non-ionic polymers can help reduce this damage.

The study from 2002 examined the damaging effects of alkaline hair relaxers on excessively curly hair, particularly African-American hair. It highlighted that relaxers cause significant hair damage by breaking disulfide and hydrogen bonds, leading to a loss in tensile strength and increased susceptibility to breakage and cuticle erosion. Additionally, the study noted that hair fibers swell significantly during the highly alkaline treatment, causing radial and longitudinal cracks. To mitigate these issues, the research presented the use of cationic polymers to strengthen hair during relaxing and non-ionic polymers to control hair swelling.

View this study on link.springer.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 11 results

community Ejaculation and Oxytocin are responsible for Hair loss

6 years ago

The conversation discusses the idea that ejaculation and oxytocin might cause hair loss. It mentions treatments like Minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841.

community Dental technician is convinced that he has found the cause of pattern hair loss

in Research/Science 316 upvotes 4 months ago

A dental technician claims malocclusion causes pattern hair loss due to poor scalp circulation. Users debate this, noting treatments like finasteride, minoxidil, and microneedling focus on DHT and blood flow.

community Got a microscope camera. Here’s the difference between healthy and miniaturized hair

in Progress Pictures 492 upvotes 2 years ago

A user who shared progress pictures of their scalp using a microscope camera, demonstrating the difference between healthy and miniaturized hair. Various explanations for the cause of this were discussed, such as DHT build-up in scalp sebum causing an autoimmune response leading to inflammation and eventual hair loss, with some suggesting a do-it-yourself treatment involving adding ascorbic acid powder to shampoo.

community DIY Shed treatment & thick regrowth, Vitamin C shampoo

in Treatment 8 upvotes 2 years ago

DIY hair loss treatment with vitamin C in shampoo reduced shedding and promoted regrowth, benefiting both the original poster and their wife.

community New and Interesting HairLoss Studies/Papers/Reviews

in Treatment 42 upvotes 4 years ago

Hair loss treatments discussed include Dutasteride with Ketoconazole, tissue engineering strategies, and androgenetic alopecia therapies. Massage doubles follicular retention, improving treatment effectiveness.

community Injecting stomach fat into the scalp could cure baldness in just six months

in Update 114 upvotes 6 years ago

A potential treatment for hair loss that involves injecting fat into the scalp; the role of testosterone and estrogen in thinning fat tissue under the skin; research on using lard to treat androgenic alopecia, as well as PRP + ACELL/amniotic stem cell treatments; and ongoing clinical trials by doctors involved in the study.

Related Research

1 / 1 results

research Disorders of Hair Growth: Diagnosis and Treatment

26 citations, January 1994 in “McGraw-Hill eBooks”

Many hair loss conditions can be treated.