January 1991 in “Journal of Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Japan” In this study, researchers found that specific enzyme activities in young females' hair follicles were correlated with changes in hair shaft structure and properties, and permanent waving was associated with chemical changes that suggest hair damage.
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.
30 citations
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April 2009 in “Mycoses” This study found that the fungus Microsporum gypseum enzymatically degrades keratin in human hair, with the sequence of degradation reflecting the keratinization and cystine content of individual hair components in vitro.
6 citations
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January 2005 in “Han-guk hyeonmigyeong hakoeji/Applied microscopy” This study found that the 16th-century mummified hair from a female mummy in Paju was remarkably well-preserved, with the hair's ultrastructural features maintained likely due to a calcium-rich surface coat.
199 citations
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January 2004 in “The International Journal of Developmental Biology” This review discusses advances in understanding hair and hair follicle structure, gene expression, and molecular signals in hair formation, without reporting new clinical findings.