OBJECTIVE: TO HAVE HEALTHY HAIR
Short, long, blond, brown, red, the hair is a real asset of seduction that can be personalized, accessorized according to the mood, the seasons … Hair can be straightened, curled, cut, lengthened and styled in many ways. They can also be colored with an infinite range of shades and colors.
All alterations involve stress (chemical for coloring or physical for perms and brushings …) that adds to environmental stress (pollution …) and damage the hair.
The hair
The hair fits into the scalp and is composed of two parts:
- The visible part: the shaft.
- The invisible part: the follicle that includes the bulb.
The shaft will have a key importance for the appearance of the hair. The bulb will greatly influence the health of the hair. It is therefore necessary to develop treatments adapted to one and the other of these parts.
CONSUMERS’ EXPECTATION
To have healthy hair
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To have less brittle, stronger hair
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To have shinier hair
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To have silky hair
- To protect hair
- To have easy to comb hair
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To avoid frizz
- To have thicker hair
- To stimulate hair growth
- To reduce hair loss
- To prevent the apparition of grey hair
- Treatment against dry or oily hair
- To prevent dandruffs
EXSYMOL’S ANSWER
To meet these expectations, Exsymol has developed a series of active hair care products.
Treating the shaft for stronger and shinier hair
The hair shaft, is made of 90% keratin fibers. It is the dead part of the hair. It is composed of 3 parts (from inside to outside):
- the medulla : absent in the finest hair, it participates in the rigidity or the flexibility of the hair
- the cortex: the thickest part of the hair. It is composed of collagen fibers arranged longitudinally all along the shaft.
- The cuticle: the outermost part of the hair, it is composed of keratine scales linked to each other by ceramides. The role of the cuticle is to protect the cortex and to ensure strength and resistance to the hair.
Stronger and less brittle hair
The strength of a hair is its ability to avoid breaking. This resistance is mainly modulated by the cuticle and the cohesion between keratin scales.
By increasing the cohesion of the keratin scales of the cuticle, the strength and resistance of the hair is increased.
Shinier hair
The brilliance of a hair depends on its ability to reflect light. The smoother the surface of cuticle, the brighter the hair will be.
Different stresses damage the hair and alter the integrity of the cuticle. The keratin scales lose their cohesion and the surface of the shaft will become rough, for a dull hair.
By increasing the cohesion of the keratin scales of the cuticle the hair is provided with a smooth surface for more shine.
To have silky hair
The cuticle is covered with a thin lipid layer: the “F layer”. This gives the the hair shaft a soft and silky touch.
Restoring the lipid layer on the surface of the hair improves its texture.
Hair protection
The cuticle ensures the protection of the hair, but also the hydration of the fibers.
By covering it with a protective film, the protection of the shaft is further improved.
Easy to comb hair
Covering the surface of the shaft with a protective film, will ease combing and will avoid knots.
Frizzless hair
Frizz are curls that form because of moisture. They are often the result of too dry hair.
By improving the hydration of the fibers, we will avoid frizz.
Treating the bulb for healthier hair
The bulb is the living part of the hair. It is part of the hair follicle that is embedded in an epithelial sheath. The bulb will determine the thickness, color and speed of hair growth.
Thicker hair
The hair thickness will be determined by the size of the bulb. It is located around the papilla which is crossed by multiple capillaries that bring to the bulb all the nutrients it needs.
By increasing the size of the papilla, the bulb will be wider, and the hair thicker.
Hair growth stimulation
The matrix is mainly composed of keratinocytes. The proliferation of keratinocyte stem cells is responsible for the hair growth.
The hair has a 3-step life cycle:
- The anagen phase: during which the hair grows
- The catagen phase: regression phase of the hair
- The telogen phase: phase of quiescence
By keeping the hair in its anagen phase, we will stimulate the growth and thus increase hair density.
Slowing down hair loss
During the catagen phase, the hair disengages from its sheath to which it is normally bound via anchoring proteins. This will therefore cause hair loss.
By maintaining the hair in the anagen phase, the hair is kept in the sheath and its fall is avoided.
Preventing grey hair
The matrix also contains melanocytes that will synthesize melanin, the pigment responsible for the hair color.
ROS such as H2O2 degrade melanin and are therefore responsible for the appearance of white hair. By trapping ROS, we can avoid the apparition of grey hair.
Melanocytes synthesize melanin from an amino acid, tyrosine. By providing additional tyrosine, the melanin synthesis is promoted to reinforce the natural color of hair.
Avoiding dry or oily hair
At the base of each hair is a sebaceous gland which role is to produce the sebum that will cover the shaft and protect it.
Oily hair is the result of too much sebum production, while a too low sebum production will cause dry hair.
Normalizing the production of sebum makes it possible to avoid oily and / or dry hair.
Treating the scalp
A healthy scalp will give the hair an optimal environment for all involved actors (keratinocytes for growth, melanocytes for the color …).
Avoiding dandruff
Inflammation causes an increase in the keratinocyte proliferation rate. Keratinocytes do not have time to dry out before desquamating. They will therefore form white aggregates: dry dandruff.
Reducing inflammation reduces the appearance of dandruff.
When the hair is too oily, the sebum will bind the corneocytes in small yellowish aggregates: the oily dandruff.
By normalizing the production of sebum, oily dandruff is avoided.
