Spreading Clean Beauty

Structure of the hair: the natural ingredient for hair care at a molecular level

At a time when hair care industry is in full growth, the focus is placed more than ever on the structure of the hair. As such, the main focus of a number of innovative treatments is to achieve an ever deeper understanding of the structure of the hair and its molecular composition, aiming towards a comprehensive protection at these levels.

In many ways, getting closer to the structure of the hair means moving into an invisible world. Healthy looking hair on the external level implies that the complex interactions of chemical bonds that make up its internal structure are also in balance. In other words, problems in the appearance of hair are caused by problems at the structural level. This is precisely what some of these innovative treatments and ingredients acknowledge.

The rise of solutions beyond keratin to repair and strengthen hair reflects a fully grown market in which consumers are becoming more informed and demanding. At the same time, hair care brands are responding to align themselves with the expectations of this new type of consumer: claims are evolving and offer solutions to problems such as porous hair or hair density increase.

Behind these proposals lies always an improvement of the structure of the hair at a molecular level. In this context, an innovative natural ingredient based on pine bark extract offers an answer to prevent irreversible damage to hair proteins thanks to an in-depth understanding of hair structure based on cutting-edge technology.

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Understanding the structure of the hair and how to care for it

Looking at the structure of the hair from a physical point of view, it consists of three main parts: hair shaft, hair follicle and hair root.

However, by looking at molecular level, it is possible to obtain a deeper understanding of how it works and, at the same time, the necessary mechanisms for its protection. Broadly speaking, the molecular structure of the hair is divided into:

  • Proteins: made up of chains of amino acids, these are complex structures that can contain different types of molecules, with keratin being predominant at 90-95%. This, in turn, consists of 18 amino acids, including cystine, serine and glycine, among others.
  • Chemical bonds: responsible for holding molecules together, maintaining their structure and stability. While there are different types of bonds, disulphide bridges stand out for their importance. These are covalent bonds that hold the keratin chains together in a three-dimensional structure. They therefore play a decisive role in giving strength and elasticity to the hair.

Focusing on hair structure and damage, keeping the balance of chemical bonds provides crucial support for the health and appearance of hair. In contrast, oxidative stress caused by environmental factors or by chemical products (such as those used when bleaching hair) can unbalance the protein function, that is, they can weaken the proteins and chemical bonds that form the internal structure of the hair.

This is the case of carbonylation in particular. As a result of oxidative stress, it involves the attachment of carbonyl groups to the residues of certain amino acids in proteins. This involves an irreversible modification, altering the structure and function of proteins.

External symptoms include dull and brittle hair, becoming less soft and shiny and having more porous cuticles. But the real problem lies in the structure of the hair at a molecular level. Moreover, this damage is particularly harmful, since carbonylation involves permanent alterations to protein bonds and cuticles.

As such, in order to anticipate future damage to the hair, treatments seeking effective protection of the hair against carbonylation must have a preventive approach.

Keradeep: pine bark extract for the preventive care of the structure of the hair

Keradeep stands as a key ally for hair health care at a molecular level. Keradeep, based on pine bark extract, is rich in natural compounds such as polyphenols, which have significant antioxidant properties against irreversible damage to capillary proteins.

Hence, Keradeep’s protective action prevents the appearance of carbonyl groups and the formation of oxidised cystine species. It is thus an effective protection against hair damage caused by oxidative stress due to chemical treatments, as well as protection against environmental factors such as pollution or UV radiation.

The combination of advanced cosmetic science and high technology has allowed us to observe and confirm the protective effect of Keradeep on the structure of the hair in detail.

To this end, Provital has teamed up with highly innovative companies in the following three ex vivo efficacy studies, pioneering both for their thoroughness and the technology used to study the structure of the hair, as well as for the results obtained:

  • Visualisation and quantification of hair carbonylated proteins through a fluorescent probe patented by Oxi-Proteomics, for the quantitative evaluation of oxidation levels (carbonyl protein signal) in cuticle and cortex.
  • Study of the hair fibre at molecular level through the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), developed by ALBA Synchrotron.
  • Study of the structural arrangement of keratin through birefringence (Xpolar®), developed by Kamax Innovative System.

A series of cutting-edge tests that have shown Keradeep’s ability to prevent oxidation of various chemical groups within hair proteins, while protecting against changes in protein conformation.

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