- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Keep Asthma, Allergies at Bay for the Holidays
- Folic Acid Might Offer Allergy Relief
- Herbal Remedy Could Halt Peanut Allergy
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Ginkgo No Shield Against Alzheimer's
- U.S. Spends Billions On Alternative Medicine
- Birds Don't Miss a Beat
- ANIMAL CARE
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- BONES & JOINTS
- Using a Balloon to Repair a Broken Back
- Varicose, Spider Veins May Be Inevitable for Some
- Pain More a Cause of Arthritis Than a Symptom
- CANCER
- Lifting Weights Can Ease Arm Swelling in Breast Cancer Survivors
- U.S. Reported 25,000 Cases of HPV-Related Cancers Annually
- Some Spices Cut Cancer Risk That Comes With Grilled Burgers
- CAREGIVING
- MRSA Infections Spreading to Kids in Community
- Falls Are Top Cause of Injury, Death Among Elderly
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help 'Preemie' Girls' Brains
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Smog Tougher on the Obese
- Vitamins Do Older Women Little Good
- Bad Marriages Harder on Women's Health
- COSMETIC
- Wrinkle Fillers Need Better Label Warnings: FDA Panel
- New Genetic Links to Baldness Discovered
- Contact Lenses Boost Kids' Self-Image
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Gummy Bears Join Cavity Fight
- Scientists Find Gene for Tooth Enamel
- An Oral Approach to Heart Disease
- DIABETES
- Strict Blood Sugar Lowering Won't Ease Diabetes Heart Risk
- Brown Rice Bests White for Diabetes Prevention
- Whole Grains Take a Bite Out of Type 2 Diabetes Risk
- DIET, NUTRITION
- More Whole Grains May Mean Less Fat
- Asparagus May Ease Hangover
- 'Soda Tax' Wins Health Experts' Support
- DISABILITIES
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Greener Neighborhoods Mean Slimmer Children
- Radiation Exposure Linked to Aggressive Thyroid Cancers
- Green Areas Lower Health Inequities Between Rich, Poor
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Cases of Age-Related Farsightedness to Soar
- Drinking Green Tea May Protect Eyes
- Just Like Skin, Eyes Can 'Burn' in Strong Sun
- FITNESS
- Seniors Who Exercise Help Their Health
- Antioxidants Blunt Exercise Benefit, Study Shows
- Yoga Can Ease Lower Back Pain
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- New Guidelines Issued for Management of IBS
- Gum Chewing May Speed Colon Surgery Recovery
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Swine Flu May Pose Problems for Pregnant Women
- Even Young Kids Can Learn CPR
- Diet, Exercise May Slow Kidney Disease Progression
- HEAD & NECK
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- Study Suggests Link Between Cell Phones and Brain Tumors
- Imaging Sheds Light on How Acupuncture Works
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Cherry-Enriched Diet Cut Heart Risks in Rats
- Implanted Defibrillators Boost Long-Term Survival
- Polyunsaturated Fats Really May Lower Heart Risk
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Chinese 'Devil Dung' Plant Could Be a Swine Flu Fighter
- Dry Weather Boosts Odds of Flu Outbreaks
- Older Adults May Have Some Immunity to Swine Flu
- KID'S HEALTH
- Help Your Kids Stay Active
- Pregnant Women Exposed To Certain Pollutants Could Lower Childs IQ
- Guard Kids' Eyes Against Long-Term Sun Damage
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Varicose Veins May Mask Larger Problem
- Countdown to Hair Loss
- Whole Grains, Bran May Fight Hypertension in Men
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Teen Internet Addicts More Likely to Self-Harm: Study
- Meditation, Yoga Might Switch Off Stress Genes
- Common Social Groups and Race, Seem to Help People Relate
- PREGNANCY
- Before Conceiving, Take Folic Acid for One Full Year
- Acupuncture May Relieve Acid Indigestation In Pregnancy
- Calcium Supplements Cut Blood Lead Levels During Pregnancy
- SENIORS
- Martial Arts Training May Save Seniors' Hips
- 15-Point Test Gauges Alzheimer's Risk
- Older People at Greater Risk of Swine Flu Death
Science May Banish Bad Hair Days
By eHolistic.com Published: 08/18/2008
MONDAY, Aug. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Whether it's frizzy or flyaway, nearly everyone puts up with an unruly head of hair from time to time. Now scientists have trained their microscopes on hair to find out why it misbehaves -- and how to tame it.
In a new study, said to be the first of its kind, German researchers say they've gotten extreme-close-up views of how hair fibers interact. Their insights could lead to products that banish bad hair days for good, they say.
"At the moment, it is not known why hair feels good," explained study co-author Eva Max, a doctoral student in chemistry at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. That, in turn, makes it difficult to scientifically study hair care products, which make up a $60 billion industry worldwide.
In the new study, Max and colleagues explored the workings of hair with an atomic-force microscope and samples of Caucasian female hair. The study authors were scheduled to present their findings Aug. 17 at the American Chemical Society's national meeting, in Philadelphia.
According to the team, damage to hair causes scaly projections to protrude from hair fibers. These projections create friction with other fibers and make hair feel rough to the touch and hard to comb.
The researchers also found that electrical charges build up on hair, causing friction.
The next step is to figure out what happens to the hair when it's exposed to hair-care products such as shampoo and conditioner.
"There are several changes that take place at the same time when hair is exposed to hair care products, and it will help greatly to understand which of those changes is crucial for optimizing hair care," Max said. "If, for example, it would turn out that there is an optimum friction between single hairs for pleasant (touch), the molecular composition of hair-care products can be optimized to achieve this friction."
Steven Shiel, who studies hair at Proctor & Gamble, said the German research could help shed more light on how hair fibers interact and lead to better hair care products. "Those invisible-to-the-eye changes have a great impact on how the ingredients in the products affect the hair," he said.
Hair styling products have become more sophisticated in recent years, and this has much to do with science, said Shiel, an associate director with P&G Beauty.
"A lot of this is based on this fundamental understanding of hair's underlying structure and properties," he said. "Fundamentally understanding the hair structure is really important in terms of developing products that really deliver."
-Randy Dotinga
More information
Learn about hair loss and disease from the National Institutes of Health.
SOURCES: Eva Max, doctoral student, University of Bayreuth, Germany; Steven Shiel, Ph.D., associate director, Proctor & Gamble Beauty, Cincinnati; Aug. 17, 2008, American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia
Last Updated: Aug. 18, 2008
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