Hair Types and Required Specific Ingredients for Conditioning ...

Hair Types and Required Specific Ingredients for Conditioning ... Hair Types and Required Specific Ingredients for Conditioning ...

03.06.2014 Views

Hair Types and Required Specific Ingredients for Conditioning Treatments An emerging market trend is to differentiate hair care products by specific hair type, for example for fine hair, for colored hair or for grey/white hair. With regard to this we differentiated the hair types and their special needs for conditioning improvement. The main tasks were to define the performance criteria and identify the most suitable conditioning additive for a particular need. 1. Global Hair Types For the selection of the right product, a distinction has first to be made between the various hair types. Hair can be differentiated according to hair diameter into fine (thin), medium and thick hair. The mean fiber diameter of human scalp hair is 29 – 125 µm [1]. By treating the hair with different cosmetic or chemical treatments or by natural changes (hair becomes grey), the quality of the hair is altered. Figure 1 details the various hair types, which can be differentiated for their specific hair care needs. Hair Fiber Diameter Fine/thin (29 – 49 μm) Medium (Caucasian) (50 – 90 μm) Hair Quality based on chemical treatment or natural change • virgin (= not altered) • permed • dyed • virgin • grey/white • permed • dyed Thick/coarse (91 – 125 μm) straight (Asian) curly (South American/Mediterranian) curly (African) • virgin, grey/white • permed • dyed • virgin, grey/white • straightened • dyed • virgin, grey/white • straightened • dyed Figure 1: Global hair types 2

Thin/fine and medium hair Thin/fine and medium hair types are both represented by the Caucasian type, which is the most common hair type in Europe. The mean diameter of adult Caucasian hair diameter is 50 – 90 µm; infant hair has a diameter of about 31 µm [1]. Thin or fine hair may occur mostly in the northern part of Europe. The disadvantages of this hair type are generally that the hair is often too smooth (like children’s hair), has a poor volume and exhibits “fly-away”, especially in dry climates. If the hair fibers are electrostatically charged by combing or other means, it can be nearly impossible to style the hair. Caucasian hair generally is just slightly curled; therefore a common cosmetic treatment is perming. Bleaching and dying are also common treatments on this hair type. With increasing age, a natural change occurs in the hair. The hair turns grey or white and becomes more rigid and slightly thicker. Therefore grey or white hair is not classed as fine hair, but rather as medium hair. Thick/coarse hair Hair types with a wider diameter are represented by the Asian, the South American/Mediterranian and the African hair types. Within this group the main distinction is the form of a cross section of the hair fibers. While Asian hair exhibits a circular cross section, the other hair types are more elliptic. An African hair fiber is most elliptical, appearing as a band. This structural form renders African hair more susceptible to mechanical damage. The degree of elliptic cross section correlates with the curliness. The Asian hair type is typically straight; therefore a common cosmetic treatment is permanent waving. In Asia, bleaching and dying are also widespread treatments. In the Asian markets, hair coloring is generally done to lighten the hair color. Grey coverage, which had not been common, is gaining in popularity. The South American and Mediterranean hair types are quite curly. Here, straight hair with a low volume is desired. Therefore, permanent straightening is an often-used cosmetic treatment. Permanent straightening is from a chemical point of view a very similar process to waving. Therefore hair care needs are very similar for both types of damage. The African hair type is very curly. If hair is very curly, this property dominates other fiber properties and controls hair effects [1], and needs therefore very specific cosmetic treatments. When straight hair with low volume is desired, chemical straighteners, which can damage the hair, are employed. Further damage is inflicted if the hair is subsequently bleached or dyed to achieve a specific color. 3

<strong>Hair</strong> <strong>Types</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Required</strong> <strong>Specific</strong> <strong>Ingredients</strong> <strong>for</strong><br />

<strong>Conditioning</strong> Treatments<br />

An emerging market trend is to differentiate hair care products by specific hair type, <strong>for</strong> example <strong>for</strong> fine hair, <strong>for</strong> colored hair or<br />

<strong>for</strong> grey/white hair. With regard to this we differentiated the hair types <strong>and</strong> their special needs <strong>for</strong> conditioning improvement. The<br />

main tasks were to define the per<strong>for</strong>mance criteria <strong>and</strong> identify the most suitable conditioning additive <strong>for</strong> a particular need.<br />

1. Global <strong>Hair</strong> <strong>Types</strong><br />

For the selection of the right product, a distinction has first to be made between the various hair types. <strong>Hair</strong> can be differentiated<br />

according to hair diameter into fine (thin), medium <strong>and</strong> thick hair. The mean fiber diameter of human scalp hair is 29 – 125 µm [1].<br />

By treating the hair with different cosmetic or chemical treatments or by natural changes (hair becomes grey), the quality of the<br />

hair is altered. Figure 1 details the various hair types, which can be differentiated <strong>for</strong> their specific hair care needs.<br />

<strong>Hair</strong> Fiber Diameter<br />

Fine/thin<br />

(29 – 49 μm)<br />

Medium (Caucasian)<br />

(50 – 90 μm)<br />

<strong>Hair</strong> Quality<br />

based on chemical treatment<br />

or natural change<br />

• virgin (= not altered)<br />

• permed<br />

• dyed<br />

• virgin<br />

• grey/white<br />

• permed<br />

• dyed<br />

Thick/coarse<br />

(91 – 125 μm)<br />

straight<br />

(Asian)<br />

curly<br />

(South American/Mediterranian)<br />

curly<br />

(African)<br />

• virgin, grey/white<br />

• permed<br />

• dyed<br />

• virgin, grey/white<br />

• straightened<br />

• dyed<br />

• virgin, grey/white<br />

• straightened<br />

• dyed<br />

Figure 1: Global hair types<br />

2

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