March 2026 in “Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials/Journal of mechanical behavior of biomedical materials” This study investigated the mechanical response of the human hair cuticle to strain and found that cuticular deformation directly corresponded with fiber elongation, revealing significant molecular-level changes in disulfide crosslinks but maintained structural stability, highlighting the role of the cuticle in stress resistance.
52 citations
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February 2005 in “Biopolymers” In this study, chemical treatments during permanent hair straightening were found to randomize proteins in the cortex, aiding in the reconnection of disulfide bonds during oxidation.
January 2025 in “SSRN Electronic Journal” 
January 2025 in “Journal of Raman Spectroscopy” This study observed that the Raman spectra of human hair cuticle vary with polarization and direction of signal collection, identifying certain spectral bands as markers sensitive to the structural changes in keratin secondary and tertiary structures.
25 citations
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May 2019 in “Heliyon” This study found that excessive heat caused the most significant structural changes in hair from Caucasian and Afro samples, especially when combined with other treatments like bleaching and straightening.
