Science May Banish Bad Hair Days.

Emmett Harlow

19 August 2008

Mon. , August 18-- If its frizzy or flyaway, almost everybody puts up with an uncontrolled head of hair from time to time. Now scientists have trained their microscopes on hair to find out why it misbehaves -- and ways to tame it. In a new study, claimed to be the first of its kind, German analysts say theyve gotten extreme-close-up perspectives of how hair fibers interact. Their knowledge could lead to products that banish bad hair days for good, they assert.

Now, it's not known why hair feels good, explained study co-writer Eva Max, a doctoral student in chemistry at the College of Bayreuth in Germany. In the new study, Max and comrades explored the workings of hair with an atomic-force microscope and examples of Caucasian female hair. According to the group, damage to hair causes scaly projections to stick out from hair fibers. These projections create friction with other fibers and make hair feel coarse to touch and hard to brush. The subsequent step is to work out what occurs to the hair when its exposed to hair-care products like shampoo and conditioner. There are many changes that happen at the same time when hair is exposed to hair care products, and it'll help severely to grasp which of those changes is vital for optimizing hair care, Max expounded. If, for instance, it might turn out that there is an optimum friction between single hairs for agreeable ( touch ), the molecular composition of hair-care products can be optimized to reach this friction. Steven Shiel, who studies hair at Proctor Bet , declared the German research could help shed more light on how hair fibers interact and lead to better hair care products. Hair styling products became more polished lately, and this has much to do with science, claimed Shiel, an associate director with PG Beauty. It maybe not a substitute for pro medical recommendation or a medical examination. Medical info changes quickly and whilst Yahoo and its content suppliers make attempts to update the content on the site, some info could be outmoded. No health info on Yahoo, including info about herbal therapies and other dietary additions, is controlled or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and that the info shouldn't be used to diagnose, treat, cure or forestall any illness without the supervision of a medical doctor.