27 citations
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February 1991 This study found that extensive cuticle damage from diperisophthalic acid oxidation did not alter the tensile properties of human hair, suggesting that these properties are mainly due to the cortex rather than the cuticle.
20 citations
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January 2015 in “Journal of cosmetic dermatology” This study found that as Japanese women age, their hair cuticle becomes more prone to damage, shifting from type L to type E damage patterns, and hair surface properties, including fatty acid content, deteriorate.
May 2024 in “Indian journal of pharmacy and pharmacology” This in-vitro study reported that a luliconazole-based formulation improved hair cuticle integrity and was more effective than ketoconazole in repairing damaged hair after 5 and 10 washes, with sensory analysis supporting these results. Further human studies are needed to confirm its clinical effects.
February 2020 in “The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan” 
13 citations
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March 2019 in “Journal of cosmetic dermatology” This study found that thermal hair-straightening devices significantly damaged the cuticle and cortex of virgin Asian and Caucasian hair, with Asian hair experiencing more protein loss than Caucasian hair.