title: Trehalose in hair care: heat styling benefits at high humidity.
abstract: Human hair switches that have been treated with trehalose solution and straightened using hot irons show longevity of the straight style even in high-humidity conditions. This anti-humidity benefit is especially noticeable if the straight style has been created at low relative humidity. It is proposed that hot-iron straightening of trehalose-treated switches produces in situ glassy forms of the sugar that act as water sinks at high humidity to provide anti-humidity benefits. Adsorption isotherms and powder x-ray studies of different forms of trehalose and moisture uptake of hair treated with the sugar suggest that the ability of a glassy form of trehalose to regulate moisture in the fiber and consequently affect its viscoelastic properties is a major factor in providing long-lasting straight style in humid conditions.
authors.affiliation: Unilever R&D, Portsunlight, Wirral, UK CH63 3JW.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pye
authors.forename: Prem K C
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000327:Adsorption; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006361:Heating; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D014199:Trehalose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014199:Trehalose