What Ages Hair?

Pharmaceutical based cosmetic serums

The growth and demand for cosmeceuticals (cosmetic products that have medicinal or drug-like benefits) have been enhanced for the last few decades. Lately, the newly invented dosage form, i.e., the pharmaceutical-based cosmetic serum has been developed and widely employed in various non-invasive cosmetic procedures. Many pharmaceutical-based cosmetic serums contain natural active components that claim to have a medical or drug-like effect on the skin, hair, and nails, including anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, anti-acne, hydrating, moisturizing, repairing, brightening and lightening skin, anti-hair fall, anti-fungal, and nail growth effect, etc. In comparison with other pharmaceutical-related cosmetic products (creams, gels, foams, and lotions, etc.), pharmaceutical-based cosmetic serums produce more rapid and incredible effects on the skin. This chapter provides detailed knowledge about the different marketed pharmaceutical-based cosmetic serums and their several types such as facial serums, hair serums, nail serums, under the eye serum, lip serum, hand, and foot serum, respectively. Moreover, some valuable procedures have also been discussed which provide prolong effects with desired results in the minimum duration of time after the few sessions of the serum treatment.

Pharmacological Management of Pattern Hair Loss

Pattern hair loss (PHL) is a condition that worsens with time and the only way it can be slowed down is with pharmacological intervention. Pharmacological treatments for PHL, from an evidenced-based perspective with respect to safety and efficacy, are limited to only two drugs, minoxidil and finasteride. However, there are a host of drugs being used, off-label with limited evidence. This article attempts to review the literature on this topic, and the authors add to this, with their experience of over two decades on incorporating pharmacologic treatments along with hair transplantation in their management of PHL.

New antioxidant lauryl-free herbal shampoo formulation with a Brazilian plant extract

Abstract Sodium lauryl sulfate is the main cleaning ingredient in shampoos, even though it may be potentially damaging to hair. The demand for antioxidant-rich cosmetics, on the other hand, has encouraged green cosmetics research. Brazil has vast biodiversity that can be exploited for the production of these cosmetics. This work aimed to develop a minimalist antioxidant lauryl-free shampoo formulation with leaf extracts from the Brazilian plant Hancornia speciosa Gomes. Two hydroethanolic extracts were prepared using different extraction methods, Soxhlet, and ultrasound. The extracts were characterized by the presence of saponins, polyphenol quantification, and HLPC chemical identification of the compounds. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH method. The antioxidant lauryl-free shampoo was developed using hydroxyethyl cellulose with two concentrations of leaf extract obtained by Soxhlet, 0.125 mg/g (XP1) and 0.250 mg/g (XP2). Along with the antioxidant activity, the physical and chemical properties, cleaning potential, and foam quality were evaluated. The Soxhlet leaf extract revealed a more favorable chemical profile, including a positive result for saponins, as well as a larger quantity of polyphenols and increased antioxidant activity. The XP2 formulation showed better foam height, dirt dispersion, and antioxidant activity. Thus, the use of mangabeira leaf extract appears to be promising for the development of shampoos with antioxidant activity.

Hair Aging in Different Races and Ethnicities

BACKGROUND: Aging is an unavoidable biological process with many influencing factors, accounting for a multitude of visible manifestations on the hair as well as the skin. As the population ages while becoming more diverse, it is increasingly important to better understand the hair aging process. METHODS: A literature search was performed to review what is known about changes in hair structure over time, focusing on the differences in hair aging according to ethnic background. RESULTS: Sixty-nine publications were selected and information regarding hair structure, aging characteristics, and responses to extrinsic damage together with differences between races and ethnicities was collected. Hair-graying onset varies with race, with the average age for Caucasians being mid-thirties, that for Asians being late thirties, and that for Africans being mid-forties. Caucasians and Asians typically experience damage to the distal hair shaft, while African-Americans see damage occurring closer to the hair root. Postmenopausal changes include decreased anagen hairs in the frontal scalp, lower growth rates, and smaller hair diameters. CONCLUSION: There is a paucity of literature examining the characteristics of hair aging across all races. The unique characteristics of hair aging in different ethnicities provides information that will aid in a culturally sensitive approach and recommendations.

Age-Related Changes in Female Scalp Dermal Sheath and Dermal Fibroblasts: How the Hair Follicle Environment Impacts Hair Aging

In women, aging leads to reduced hair density and thinner fibers and can result in female-pattern hair loss. However, the impact of the aging dermal environment on female scalp hair follicles remains unclear. In this study, we document in situ changes in 22 women (aged 19-81 years) and primary cultures of dermal fibroblast and dermal sheath cells. In situ, the papillary reticular boundary was indistinguishable in the young scalp but prominent in the scalp of those aged >40 years, accompanied by reduced podoplanin (PDPN) expression, increased versican expression, and changes in collagen organization. Hair follicles were shorter, not reaching the adipose layer. Hyaluronic acid synthase 2 was highly expressed, whereas matrix metalloproteinase 1 was elevated in the dermal papilla and dermal sheath in situ. Primary dermal fibroblast cultures confirmed that matrix metalloproteinase 1 mRNA, MMP1, increased with aging, whereas in dermal sheath cells, hyaluronic acid synthase 2, HAS2, and PDPN increased and α-smooth muscle actin αSMA mRNA decreased. Both exhibited increased cartilage oligomeric protein, COMP mRNA expression. Proteomics revealed an increase in dermal sheath proteins in the dermal fibroblast secretome with aging. In summary, aging female scalp shows striking structural and biological changes in the hair follicle environment that may impact hair growth.

Evaluation of Hair Density and Hair Diameter in the Adult Thai Population Using Quantitative Trichoscopic Analysis

The data of hair density and hair diameter in the Asian population, especially in Thais, are limited. We aimed to evaluate hair density and hair diameter of members of the Thai population at different scalp sites and to determine the effect of sex and aging as well as to compare the results with those in groups of other ethnicities. Healthy Thais whose hair examination findings were normal were evaluated. Two hundred and thirty-nine subjects participated in this study, of whom 79 were male and 160 were female. Hair density and hair diameter were analyzed at four different scalp sites using quantitative trichoscopic analysis. The highest hair density in Thais was observed in the vertex area. Hair densities at four different scalp sites were significantly different from one another; only hair density at the vertex site showed no significant difference from that in the occipital area. In contrast, hair diameter did not show any statistically significant differences for the different sites. We observed decreased mean hair density with increasing age and found statistically significant differences between participants in their 20s and those in their 60s, while hair diameter remained consistent. Comparing our results with a previous study in other ethnicities, the hair densities in Asians are generally lower. In conclusion, hair density in the Thai population varies at different scalp sites. Aging is a factor in declining hair density. Asians have a lower hair density compared to Caucasian and African populations.

A possible new oxidation marker for hair adulteration: Detection of PTeCA (1H-pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid) in bleached hair

Hair analysis has become a valuable tool in forensic toxicology to assess drug or alcohol abstinence. Yet, hair adulteration by cosmetic products presents a major challenge for forensic hair analysis. Oxidative treatments, e.g. bleaching, may lead to analyte loss and thereby to false negative results. Currently, the eumelanin degradation product 1H-pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) serves as a marker for oxidative hair treatment, but requires the definition of cut-off values. To investigate further eumelanin degradation products as markers for oxidative hair treatment, hair samples with and without in vitro bleaching (hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ) concentrations 1.9% up to 12%; incubation times 15 min, 30 min, 60 min) were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS). The distribution of eumelanin degradation products along the hair shaft was investigated for routine applicability after segmentation of cosmetically untreated hair samples and authentically treated hair samples. The signals of the eumelanin degradation products PTCA, 1H-pyrrole-2,3,4-tricarboxylic acid (isoPTCA), and 1H-pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid (PTeCA) were found to be significantly elevated after in vitro bleaching already with low H₂ O₂ concentrations and after short incubation times. In contrast to PTCA and isoPTCA, PTeCA was not detectable in cosmetically untreated segments up to 12 cm from hair root and was only formed through the oxidation process. The results of the study show that the detection of PTeCA within the proximal 3 to 6 cm segment can be applied to reliably detect hair adulteration attempts through hair bleaching.