Asian Hair Research Articles

Advancements in Graft Placement Techniques.

For decades, the placement of follicular units (FUs) into incisions in the recipient area was exclusively carried out using forceps. In 1992, Dr. Choi introduced an instrument known as the "implanter," which had the advantage of simultaneously creating incisions and placing FUs without damaging sensitive parts. Its initial popularity was greater in the East, primarily due to the characteristics of Asian hair. Asian hair is typically straight and thick, with FUs mostly consisting of just one or two hair.With the description of the follicular unit excision (FUE) technique in 2002 and its widespread adoption nearly a decade later, the advantages of using the implanter also gained popularity in the West. The uniformity in the size of FUs provided by the FUE technique and the possibility of delegating the placement were key attractions in the use of this placement tool. In addition to the traditional Korean implanter with a sharp needle, other implanters and inserters have been described.The choice of implantation technique depends on individual adaptation and the advantages and disadvantages offered by each instrument. Although forceps allow for safe placement in the hands of well-trained teams, the increased fragility of FUs obtained with the FUE technique has led to the growing acceptance of techniques that employ implanters and inserters.

Advancements in Graft Placement Techniques.

For decades, the placement of follicular units (FUs) into incisions in the recipient area was exclusively carried out using forceps. In 1992, Dr. Choi introduced an instrument known as the "implanter," which had the advantage of simultaneously creating incisions and placing FUs without damaging sensitive parts. Its initial popularity was greater in the East, primarily due to the characteristics of Asian hair. Asian hair typically has straight and thick hair, with FUs mostly consisting of just one or two hairs. With the description of the FUE technique in 2002 and its widespread adoption nearly a decade later, the advantages of using the implanter also gained popularity in the West. The uniformity in the size of FUs provided by the FUE technique and the possibility of delegating the placement were key attractions in the use of this placement tool. In addition to the traditional Korean implanter with a sharp needle, other implanters and inserters have been described. The choice of implantation technique depends on individual adaptation and the advantages and disadvantages offered by each instrument. Although forceps allow for safe placement in the hands of well-trained teams, the increased fragility of FUs obtained with the FUE technique has.

1387 A combination of honey to repair Asian hair from UV-A and environmental pollution-induced damage

1387 A combination of honey to repair Asian hair from UV-A and environmental pollution-induced damage

Mechanism of Hair Curling via Laccase-Assisted Tyrosine Grafting Using BSA as a Model Protein

ABSTRACT Commercial hair perming uses strong reducing agents and harms hair fiber’s quality even human health. In this study, tyrosine is adopted as a cross-linking agent between thiols and/or amines as the shape-changing of hair involves the breakage of disulfide bonds and the rearrangement of new bonds between keratin molecules. To investigate the mechanism of keratin cross-linking, bovine serum albumin (BSA) is used as a model protein. Disulfide bonds in BSA are successfully reduced by L-cysteine to provide free thiols. Four new cross-linked peptides are formed inter- or intra-BSA monomers, indicating that tyrosine can be adopted as a cross-linking agent not only between amines but also between thiols. Moreover, curling of Asian hair is conducted using tyrosine as a perming agent by the laccase-assisted reaction. The optimized operational conditions are hair with L-cysteine pre-treatment (50.0 mM) followed by laccase-assisted grafting with 3.0 mM tyrosine. The reshaped hair performed a better perming performance than commercial perming product before washing, although a lower perming efficiency after washing. The curling process could be accomplished without strength loss of hair fibers and with a blow-drier easily. Hence, this new methodology may lead to the development of a gentle and user-friendly approach in the hair care industry.

343 A mixture of honeys and royal jelly to protect and repair Asian hair from UVA combined with environmental pollution

Medicine with natural bee products is getting more and more attention. Bee products have their activities on the skin proved by numerous studies and have been used in medical treatment and for cosmetic skin care. Each bee product possesses specific components which determine their activities. Honey contains more than 180 ingredients making each honey singular with unique properties. Beside carbohydrates, royal jelly contains among others amino acids, proteins, lipids, vitamins and is different from honey. Like skin, hair is exposed to UV and pollution causing oxidative damage such as protein carbonylation which lead to dull and brittle hair. The use of bee-products for hair care is poorly documented excepted for hair luster or conditioner. To investigate bee products hair care activities, we studied the protective and repair properties of a combination of 4 honeys from Ouessant, Corsica, Aland and Ikaria islands and a royal jelly (all with biological activities previously demonstrated) versus a stress generated by UVA exposure plus PM-10 (particle matter-10). Chinese hair shafts were stressed after or before the treatment with an aqueous solution of our bee product combination or with positive controls. After washing and drying, hair shafts were cryo-preserved, snap-frozen and cross-sectioned. Carbonylated proteins were labeled using a fluorescent probe functionalized with an aminooxy moiety. Following epi-fluorescence microscopy observations, analyses of cuticle and cortex areas were carried out with Image J software. Our bee products association allowed to protect hair shafts (cuticle by 100%, cortex by 94% versus control) and to repair them (cuticle by 99%, cortex by 82% versus control) from the aggression. For the first time with this original assay based on protein carbonylation on hair shafts, we have demonstrated the protective and repair activities of a bee products combination for hair, making this association a good candidate for hair care.

Antioxidant extracts from Dicerocaryum senecioides as active ingredients in semi-permanents and hair conditioners.

Different hair types respond differently to cosmetic treatments; hence, many options ought to be availed to the consumer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of antioxidant extract from Dicerocaryum senecioides as active alternatives in hair semi-permanent waving and hair conditioning. The antioxidant phytochemicals were first identified and isolated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and spraying with revealing agents. The antioxidant potency was determined by DPPH antiradical scavenging and ferric reducing power methods. The extract was incorporated in two different formulations to make the extract perm (bio-semi-permanent) and the antioxidant hair conditioner (AC). The formulations had their performance examined for hair curling and conditioning on Asian and African hair types. Hair damage was assessed by scanning the surface of treated samples on an attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (ATR-FTIR) and by quantifying lost protein on ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The extract antioxidant had an IC50 of 26.54±0.34µg/ml exhibiting greater antioxidant potency compared to the controls quercetin (38.84±0.12µg/ml) and ascorbic acid (35.22±0.07µg/ml). The extract perm had a lower curling ability indicated by a perm set of 85.10±3.92% and 81.35±2.35% for Asian and African hairs, respectively, while commercial product, ammonium thioglycolate (ATG) had 96.05±1.70% and 93.60±2.21% for the same. The curling of hair with extract perm resulted in less oxidative damage with oxidative peak areas of 3.37±0.09 and 3.71±0.03 as well as lower protein losses of 4.72±0.71µg/mg and 5.62±0.70µg/mg on Asian and African hair samples, respectively. The application of AC reduced the oxidative damage peak areas of ATG and extract perm treated Asian hair samples by 1.15 and 0.48 units, respectively. AC was also effective in reducing damage caused by UV radiation on ATG-treated samples by 1.06 units (African hair) and 1.09 units on Asian hair. The results show antioxidant extracts from Dicerocryum senecioides as a promising and safer alternative for hair conditioning and semi-permanent curling.

냉전기 한국 가발공의 탄생(1963~1970)

Korea entered the US wig market in the mid-1960s and rapidly grew at once. This was possible in a trade environment where wigs were popular as fashion accessories in the West from the 1950s, and the United States participated in the Vietnam War and regulated the trade of Chinese people. Korean wig workers processed Asian hair from underdeveloped countries, including Korean hair, to suit the taste of whites in the West. In the late 1960s, when the fashion changed from human hair wigs to synthetic fiber wigs in the United States, Korean wigs responded with mass-production of small items, and mass-produced low-wage wig workers. As a result, the price of wigs became cheaper, and blacks joined the wig consumers, which in conflict with the American black human rights movement led to a decline in wig prevalence, leading to a reduction in wig workers in Korea.

Proteins as Hair Styling Agents

The perming of hair is a common styling procedure with negative impact on the overall properties of the hair fibers. Usually, this process uses harsh chemicals to promote the disruption of disulfide bonds and the formation of new bonds to change the shape of hair. Here, we explored bovine serum albumin (BSA), silk fibroin (SF), keratin and two fusion recombinant proteins (KP-UM and KP-Cryst) as new perming agents. A phosphate buffer prepared at different pH values (5, 7 and 9) was used to apply the proteins to virgin Asian hair, and a hot BaByliss was used to curl the hair fibers. To assess the potential of the protein formulations for hair styling, the perming efficiency and the perming resistance to wash were measured. Furthermore, the fiber water content was evaluated to assess if the proteins protected the hair during the styling process. Despite all of the proteins being able to assist in the curling of Asian hair, the best perming efficiency and perming resistance to wash results were observed for BSA and keratin. These proteins showed perming efficiency values close to that measured for a commercial perming product (chemical method), particularly at pH 5 and 9. The increase in the hair’s internal and external water contents revealed a protective effect provided by the proteins during the application of heat in the styling procedure. This study shows the potential of proteins to be used in the development of new eco-friendly hair styling products.

Effect of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. on Tensile Strength of Virgin and Bleached Hairs

In Ayurveda medicine, Phyllanthus emblica Linn. (emblica) has been used as a hair nourisher for more than a decade by soaking it overnight, but no study has proved the effect of emblica on hair. This research aims to determine the effect of emblica solution on the tensile strength of three types of hair: virgin hair (VH), bleached hair (BH), and twice bleached hair (TH). The investigated active substances were deionized water (DI water) as a control, 3% emblica extract solution (3% EXS), 6% emblica extract solution (6% EXS), and 9% emblica extract solution (9% EXS). Black Virgin Asian hair was measured and analyzed before bleaching with a 12% bleaching agent once (BH) and twice (TH). Three treatments and the control were applied to each type of hair under a controlled condition. The tensile characteristics and surface morphology of all treated hairs were measured and analyzed by texture analysis (TA.XT Plus Texture Analyzer, Stable Micro Systems), Aramo (Aramo-SG Skin & Hair analysis system), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM model JSM-5410LV JEOL). The results of the nanoindentation test proved that the tensile strength and extensibility of all three types of hair increased in all concentrations (DI water, 3% EXS, 6% EXS, and 9% EXS). High magnification SEM images were taken from the cuticle surfaces and cross-sections. Emblica extracted solution (EXS) formed a coating around the hair, especially cuticle damaged by bleaching (BH and TH). The breaking pattern from the cross-section images showed that emblica extract solution reinforced all hair types. In conclusion, the emblica extract solution has a significant positive effect on the tensile strength and extensibility of VH, BH, and TH. The result has proved the ancient intelligence that the emblica nourishes the hair. In addition, our results show additional benefit by strengthening virgin hair and bleached hair.

<p>Asian Hair: A Review of Structures, Properties, and Distinctive Disorders</p>

Asian hair is known for its straightness, dark pigmentation, and large diameter. The cuticle layer in Asians is thicker with more compact cuticle cells than that in Caucasians. Asian hair generally exhibits the strongest mechanical properties, and its cross-sectional area is determined greatly by genetic variations, particularly from the ectodysplasin A receptor gene. However, knowledge on Asian hair remains unclear with limited studies. This article aimed to review and summarize the characteristics and properties of Asian hair. It also aimed to discuss hair disorders including linear lupus panniculitis and pseudocyst of the scalp that occur distinctively in Asian populations.

On the Strength of Hair across Species

Summary The hair of mammals varies in diameter across species from ∼60 μm in humans to over ∼400 μm in giraffes and elephants. Here, we establish that the tensile strength of hair generally decreases with increasing diameter. Although there is a commonality in the morphology of the hair in such differing species as they all possess a cortex surrounded by cuticles, there are also significant differences in the hierarchical structure that contribute to the observed differences in strength. In this work, the internal structure of the hair from different species is examined, with some unique peculiarities in javelina and capybara hair uncovered. The dimensional dependence of hair strength is compared using Weibull predictions. The good correlation of the strength of hair using such Weibull analysis suggests that the failure strength is dictated by the probability distribution of flaws within the cortex.

α-Chymotrypsin catalysed oligopeptide synthesis for hair modelling

Abstract Conventional chemical treatments imply the use of harsh chemicals which can cause serious adverse effects on consumers’ health, hair fibre and environment. In this work was reported for the first time the modelling shape of Asian hair by oligopeptide coating synthesized by a protease. α-Chymotrypsin from Bovine pancreas catalysed the oligomerization of the tri-peptides, KCL (Lysine-Cysteine-Leucine) ethyl ester and KSL (Lysine-Serine-Leucine) ethyl ester in aqueous media. The synthesis reaction gave rise to oligopeptides with DP = 6, which were characterized by mass spectra (MALDI-TOF). The in situ synthesis reaction onto the hair surface, under controlled pH (8.5–9) and temperatures between 25 °C and 55 °C, formed a coating layer inducing changes in the hair shape from straight to curly. Qualitative and quantitative characterization of coated hair was performed by image visualization and by perming efficiency assessment. The developed strategy revealed to be a safer and cleaner alternative to the conventional chemical treatments generally used for hair shape modification. Low cost associated to the catalyst and lower side effects to the hair fibre, health consumer and environment might lead to the development of a cost-effective and sustainable approach in the hair care industry.

Analysis of Asian Male Eyebrow by Trichoscopy for a Better Reference on Eyebrow Transplantation

Introduction: Eyebrow transplantation has become a more popular non-scalp hair transplantation request. For Asian males, eyebrows influence face impression, sometimes even more than hair loss, since make-up or tattoos usually cannot conceal eyebrow defects. Thus, Asian males who wish to have a pair of nice eyebrows come for eyebrow transplants. However, compared to Caucasians, Asian males have straighter and coarser donor hair that makes eyebrow transplantation more difficult to be soft and pleasing at first glance. We often consider fine hairs more compatible for the eyebrow transplantation. However, how to define the most appropriate caliber is rather ambiguous. This author evaluated more than 51 patients with nice eyebrows to find a better reference for eyebrow transplantation. Methods: From February 2015 to March 2018, the author used a digital trichoscope to get a general concept of caliber and density in the body of eyebrow hairs of Asian males between the ages of 25 to 47 years. Results: After statistical analysis, we determined the average caliber and density of Asian eyebrow hairs. The hairs are thicker in the medial part and thinner in the lateral part of the eyebrows. By using our data as a reference for donor hair selection, we could create a more natural hair distribution. Patients were satisfied with the results. Conclusion: By using digital trichoscopy, we could get a better understanding of normal eyebrow hairs. As a reference, we could use this data to provide a more aesthetic approach to Asian male eyebrow transplantation.

Keratin-based particles for protection and restoration of hair properties.

Human hair is an element with unquestionable relevance in society both for women and men. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop new cosmetic products for hair care capable to restore and improve hair's characteristics. Here, we explore the potential of keratin-based particles in the protection and recovery of hair mechanical properties and thermal stability. Keratin-based particles were obtained by high pressure homogenization (HPH) using keratin and silk fibroin. The particles were characterized regarding size, superficial charge and polydispersity index. Their safety to cells was assessed using human skin keratinocytes. Virgin and overbleached Asian hair were treated with eight keratin-based formulations. The effect of particles on hair's mechanical properties was evaluated in terms of stiffness and tensile strength. The impact of treatments in hair thermal performance was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Keratin-based particles were capable to recover and/or improve the mechanical properties of virgin and overbleached hair. Virgin hair treated with K80 SF20 P particles presented an improvement in the mechanical properties of around 40%. An increase in keratin α-helix denaturation enthalpy and in surface smoothness for both types of hair was also verified after treatment. These particles demonstrated stability over time and proved to be safe when tested in human keratinocytes. The keratin-based particles here presented have the potential to be incorporated in the development of new and effective hair care cosmetic formulations.

Pollution Damage and Protection of Asian Hair

Cigarette smoke was used to simulate a polluted environment and an experiment was performed to reveal how virgin and bleached hair are damaged by a polluted environment. The dry/wet combability, surface contact angle, tryptophan content, and cuticle morphology of the smoke exposed hair were evaluated, and compared to unexposed virgin hair. The results showed that pollution exposure can cause significant chemical damage to hair. In particular, virgin hair exposure to pollution can cause damage to the hair cuticles (higher wet/dry combing), protein degradation, and a more hydrophilic hair surface. The experiment also demonstrated that the styling polymer, polyimide-1 (isobutylene/dimethyl amino propyl maleimide/ethoxylated maleimide/maleic acid copolymer), can provide effective protection against such hair damage.

In vitro determination of Mexican Mestizo hair shaft diameter using optical coherence tomography.

Mexican mestizo population has a pluriethnic mixture of Amerindian, European and African ancestry, predominant in most Latin American countries. Until now, there are no reports about hair characteristics in this population, necessary to define normal values, for hair diseases evaluation and comparison among other ethnic groups. The VivoSight® swept-source multibeam optical coherence tomography system was used to evaluate hair diameter and shape in 30 females. Three hair samples from each volunteer were measured transversely along three distances, generating nine cross-sectional images, two measurements per image and 18 measurements per patient for a total of 540 diameter measurements. Minimum hair diameter (n=540) was 0.06mm while maximum was 0.14mm. Mean diameter was 0.10±0.01mm as compared with Asian hair, which ranges from 0.08mm to 0.12mm. On morphological analysis, Mexican Mestizo hair tends to have a round shape with homogenous diameters, resembling Caucasian and Asian hair. Mexican hair is similar to Asian hair in diameter and shape and can be classified as 'thick' hair, which make it more resistant and with more volume. Cosmetic products intended to improve hair care in this population must to consider this characteristic.

Effect of a peptide in cosmetic formulations for hair volume control.

The capacity of hair to absorb water causes changes in its physical and cosmetic properties under different environmental conditions. Hence, the control of hair volume in variable relative humidity settings is an important topic in cosmetics. The behaviour of two types of hair, Caucasian and Asian, was studied regarding their volume change in different relative humidity conditions. The ability of a peptide as a hair volume treatment was evaluated in two climate control formulations. Tresses of the two types of hair were tested in two relative humidity (RH) conditions: (A) variable relative humidity (2h 40% RH, followed by 2h 90% RH and 2h of 40% RH), and (B) continuous high relative humidity (90% RH for 6h). Changes in the hair tress volume were assessed throughout time. Hair treated with two climate control formulations, with and without a peptide (KP peptide), were tested under the two relative humidity conditions. Caucasian hair had a higher change in volume compared to the Asian hair in variable and high relative humidity conditions. The hair volume increase when subject to high air humidity, and it was lower with the incorporation of a peptide into climate control formulations. Caucasian hair showed higher volume than Asian hair when submitted to both relative humidity conditions. The incorporation of the peptide into the climate control formulations, a base (mostly composed of water≈94%) and an ethanolic, was found to reduce the volume of Caucasian hair tresses. The presence of the peptide improved the hair volume change more than 60% in high relative humidity conditions.

Retrospective Assessment of Follicular Unit Density in Asian Men With Androgenetic Alopecia.

Hair density, together with hair diameter has a tremendous impact on the cosmetic outcome of hair transplantation surgery. This retrospective study aims to assess the average number of follicular unit (FU) grafts in the donor area of Asian men with androgenetic alopecia. Seventy patients (ages 24-65 years old) with virgin scalp who had their first hair transplantation were included. During the harvesting procedure, a 2- to 3-cm-wide area of the donor site was shaved from ear to ear with 5 specific areas assigned as reference points for the study namely the central occipital area, left and right parietal and temporal areas. A video microscope was used to capture the field of each reference point. Follicular units in each area were counted and the number of 1-hair, 2-hair, and 3-hair follicular groupings was recorded. East and Southeast Asians had an average of 61.1 FU/cm (111.2 hairs/cm); West Asians had an average density of 63.6 FU/cm (126.8 hairs/cm); South Asians were noted to have an average density of 63.5 FU/cm (126.8 hairs/cm). Asian hair density has slight variations in the number of FU grafts in each donor area.

Metal-Chelation-Assisted Deposition of Polydopamine on Human Hair: A Ready-to-Use Eumelanin-Based Hair Dyeing Methodology.

Permanent dyeing of gray hair has become an increasingly active area in the cosmetics industry because of the increasingly aging population in developed countries. So far, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and related diamine-based monomeric compounds have been widely used for the dyeing processes, but toxicological studies have revealed such compounds to be carcinogenic and allergenic. Here, we for the first time demonstrated that polydopamine, a mimic of human eumelanin, gives rise within a commercially acceptable period of time (i.e., 1 h) to deep black colors (i.e., natural Asian hair colors) in human keratin hairs in the presence of ferrous ions. The dyed hairs showed excellent resistance to conventional detergents, and the detailed color was readily varied by changing the kind of metal ion used. SEM images and FT-IR-ATR spectra suggested that the extent of polydopamine aggregation was crucial for the dyeing efficiency. High-resolution (15 T) FT-ICR mass spectrometry performed on the products detached from hairs with either 0.1 N HCl or NaOH indicated that similar polydopamine products were recruited into the hair matrices whether in the presence or absence of metal-based chelating. Polydopamine chains were determined using EPR and ICP-OES to use chelation of ferrous ions to self-assemble as well as to bind keratin surfaces in the dyeing conditions. Also, mice subjected to skin toxicity tests showed much greater viability and much less hair loss with our dyeing agents than with PPD. In conclusion, this study showed that a safe eumelanin mimic may be used to permanently dye gray hair, and showed three kinds of deposition mechanisms (i.e., innate binding ability of polydopamine, metal-assisted self-assembly of polydopamine, and metal-related bridging between keratin surface and polydopamine) to be involved.

Quantifying variation in human scalp hair fiber shape and pigmentation.

This study aims to evaluate the use of quantitative methods of measuring variation in scalp hair fiber shape and pigmentation and carry out exploratory data analysis on a limited sample of individuals from diverse populations in order to inform future avenues of research for the evolution of modern human hair variation. Cross-sectional area and shape and average curvature of scalp hair fibers were quantified using ImageJ. Pigmentation was analyzed using chemical methods estimating total melanin content through spectrophotometric methods, and eumelanin and pheomelanin content through HLPC analysis of melanin-specific degradation products. The initial results reinforced findings from earlier, traditional studies. African and African Diaspora scalp hair was significantly curled, (East) Asian hair was significantly thick, and European hair was significantly lighter in color. However, pigmentation analyses revealed a high level of variability in the melanin content of non-European populations and analysis of curvature found a large range of variation in the average curvature of East African individuals. Overall, these results suggest the usefulness of chemical methods for the elucidation of nonperceptible differences in scalp hair color and highlight the need for improvements in our assessment and understanding of hair fiber curvature. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:341-352, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.