If all hair is made up primarily of protein, then why is everyone’s hair so different? Why does a shampoo that works well on one person’s hair not work well on another’s?
The answer lies in the physical structure of hair. There are three factors that affect the behavior of hair.
- The first factor is heredity. The genes that each person inherits from his/her parents will determine many things about the makeup of the hair, such as its color, shape and diameter.
- The second factor is the environment or weather. If it’s rainy or humid, hair will absorb moisture from air. This extra moisture will alter some of the bonds that give hair its shape and, depending on the type of hair, it may become either limp or frizzy. On the other hand, wind may dry out the hair and sun may damage it. Both of these weather conditions-unusually wet or dry-can cause a need for products that either take excess moisture out of the hair or put more moisture back in.
- The third factor is the products or appliances used on the hair. For example, shampoos, conditioners, hair dryers, curling irons, perms, relaxers and hair color all affect the structural organization of the hair.
0 Comments