May 2026 in “International Journal of Health Management Review” This study found that the use of high pH chemical agents for hair straightening can cause significant damage to hair, including protein degradation and weakened fiber strength, and may lead to permanent scalp conditions like contact dermatitis and cicatricial alopecia.
10 citations
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February 2018 in “Royal Society Open Science” This study found that a shampoo containing quaternized wheat protein hydrolysate can effectively improve hair recovery by smoothing and compacting damaged hair surfaces, thanks to modifications that enhance protein adherence and disulfide bond formation at pH levels typical in hair care products.
This study evaluated the therapeutic response of an Afro-descendant patient with non-scarring alopecia after prolonged use of alkaline straighteners and mechanical traction, highlighting the susceptibility of Afro hair to chemical and mechanical damage due to its structure.
68 citations
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February 2011 in “European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics” This study found that keratin films made from human hair can potentially substitute for human nail plates in drug permeability studies, but they show higher sensitivity to penetration enhancers compared to bovine hooves.
23 citations
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January 2012 in “International Food Research Journal” This case report describes a 39-year-old woman whose dermatomyositis-systemic lupus erythematosus overlap syndrome symptoms resolved after switching to tofacitinib.