Prevention of hair damage during multiple bleachings

FiberHance BM penetrates into the cuticle and cortex of hair to create hydrogen and ionic bonds, which stabilise its structural integrity. It is derived from gluconolactone, and is designed to strengthen and repair hair fibres. We investigated the influence of the novel gluconolactone derivative in the prevention of hair damage when applied to a bleaching mixture. Our measurements confirm that the small gluconolactone derivate is very effective at mitigating hair damage during the bleaching process.

Chemical treatments, such as colouring and bleaching, are known to cause extensive damage to the cuticle and cortex of the hair, compromising the hair’s structural integrity. Repeated colouring and bleaching reduce the elasticity and tensile strength of the hair fibre, making hair more prone to breakage. Small molecules can penetrate into the cortex and moderate the damage to the cortex. Bond builders/plexes are added to bleaches to help prevent damage and strengthen hair during the bleaching process. Typically, these treatments utilise small molecules, such as amino acids, low molecular weight proteins, and ceramides. Plexes which are added to bleaching products prior to application on hair have been growing in popularity. 

FiberHance™ BM has multiple hydroxyl groups and an amide group that allow the molecule to form hydrogen bonds, acting as a physical crosslinking agent to restore and stabilise the internal structure of hair.1 Because FiberHance BM (now referred to as ‘the hair protecting molecule’) is designed to penetrate into the cortex, and repair hair fibres, we investigated the efficacy of the molecule in the bleach/peroxide mixture during the application phase of the treatment. Our investigative techniques included cyclic fatigue testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).