Adverse Effects of Permanent Waving and Hair Relaxation—Assessment by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

doi:10.4236/jcdsa.2013.33A1007

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Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, 2013, 3, 45-48

http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jcdsa.2013.33A1007 Published Online September 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jcdsa) 45

Adverse Effects of Permanent Waving and Hair

Relaxation—Assessment by Scanning Electron

Microscopy (SEM)

Tokuya Omi1,2*, Seiji Kawana2

1Department of Dermatology, Queen’s Square Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan; 2Department of Dermatology, Nippon Medical

School, Tokyo, Japan.

Email: *[email protected]

Received July 17th, 2013; revised August 16th, 2013; accepted August 23rd, 2013

License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Permanent waving is very popular in Japan. Polypeptide chains (main chains) form the principal components of hair,

and they are lined up longitudinally. Hair relaxation is also called straight permanent waving, and there are methods that

change curly or wavy hair into straight hair. Hair damage as a result of winding, combing, and using high-temperature

hairdressing irons is also often seen. By using scanning electron micrographs (SEM) we showed broken hairs and hair

damage caused by permanent wave solutions. The hair damage is obvious when comparisons are made with the condi-

tion of the hair surface, condition of the cuticle, etc. Hair swelling by permanent wave solutions, manipulations such as

winding, etc., inadequate rinsing with water, procedures on injured hair at the outset, etc., are considered possible rea-

sons for any of these types of injury.

Keywords: Permanent Waving; Hair Relaxation; Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM); Hair Damage

1. Introduction

Permanent waving and hair relaxation are techniques that

are widely performed in Japan, and they are very popular.

The mechanisms by which they are performed are oxida-

tion and reduction reactions that are achieved by using

permanent wave solutions. Injuries caused by permanent

wave solutions that have been reported thus far have

been primarily irritant contact dermatitis as a result of the

oxidizing and reducing actions of permanent wave solu-

tions, and in some cases there has been allergic contact

dermatitis. There have also been hand injuries suffered

by beauticians. In this paper we outline the principles of

permanent waving and hair relaxation, and we discuss

broken hair and hair damage by permanent wave solu-

tions, using scanning electron micrographs.

2. Discussion

2.1. The Principle of Permanent Waving [1-4]

Polypeptide chains (main chains) form the principal com-

ponents of hair, and they are lined up longitudinally. Ad-

jacent main chains are connected by cysteine chains by

cysteine bonds, electrical salt bonds, hydrogen bonds,

etc., in the form of side chains, and they form a network.

The springiness and resilience of hair are achieved by

these side chains.

Permanent wave solutions have two components: solu-

tion 1 and solution 2. After using solution 1, the hair is

limp instead of springy, but after using solution 2 the

waves become set, and the hair’s original springiness is

restored. Weakening the hair’s resilience by cleaving the

side chains of the hair is the role of solution 1 (reduction

reaction), and reconnecting the side chains in their new

curved position is the role of solution 2 (oxidation reac-

tion). Waves that have continuity are formed by this se-

ries of reactions.

Representative main ingredients of solution 1 are thio-

glycolic acid, cysteine, and acetylcysteine as reducing

agents, and they cleave the cysteine bonds. The role of

solution 2 is to reconnect the cysteine bonds through the

oxidizing action of an oxidizing agent, and their active

ingredients are sodium bromate, potassium bromate, and

hydrogen peroxide. The solution 2 reaction is some-

times called “neutralization”, but the term is used in the

*Corresponding author.

Adverse Effects of Permanent Waving and Hair Relaxation—Assessment by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

figurative sense of undoing the reaction by solution 1,

not in the chemical sense of a reaction between an acid

and a base.

In addition, because the salt bonds are strongest at pH

4.5 - 5.5, bases such as ammonia are included in solution

1 in order to weaken these bonds, and the bonds are re-

stored by removing the bases by rinsing with water. Be-

cause the hydrogen bonds are weakened by water, water

is effective as a solvent, and the bonds are restored by

drying after rinsing.

2.2. Permanent Wave Procedure [2]

The permanent wave procedure starts with a shampoo as

pretreatment. Since the purpose of the shampoo is to al-

low the permanent wave solution to act evenly by re-

moving the dust, sweat, etc., attached to the hair, using a

tonic shampoo, etc., that contains scalp stimulants, etc.,

is inappropriate. Next, damaged hair or areas of hair

where waving is not desired are protected with a cream-

type hair treatment solution.

Permanent waving is not achieved simply by exter-

nally applying permanent wave solution 1; a step in

which the hair is wound around rods according to the

degree of the wave is also necessary. The rods range in

diameter from 6 mm to 15 mm, and winding 3 times is

necessary to achieve a full wave. The choice of rods is

important, because it depends on hair quality and the

degree of the w av e.

The preparation to use for permanent wave solution 1

reaction must be selected according to hair quality and

ability to form waves. Highly alkaline preparations have

stronger ability to form waves. There are two methods of

applying solution 1, i.e., a water-winding method in

which the solution is applied to the entire head of hair

after first winding moistened scalp hair around rods, and

an application-winding method in which the hair is

wound around the rods after first applying the permanent

waving solution to the hair. Evenly applying the perma-

nent wave solution to all of the hair and not allowing the

solution to run down onto the scalp are important precau-

tions that are common to both methods. If the solution is

allowed to remain on the face or ba ck of the neck, it may

cause contact dermatitis.

The hair is rinsed with water after completion of the

solution 1 reaction. This step is essential, because many

preparations that are used as solution 1 are alkaline and

they weaken the oxidizing action of solution 2.

Next, solution 2 is applied . As stated in the “principle”

section above, the action of solution 2 is essential in or-

der to maintain the wave th at was produced with solution

1. Because the hair swells when it reacts with solution 1,

it has a high water content, and since, because of that, if

solution 2 is applied all at once, most of it trickles down,

solution 2 must be applied to the hair carefully one strand

at a time.

The permanent wave is completed by treatment with

solution 2. The rods are removed, and solution 2 is thor-

oughly rinsed away with water. The scalp as well as the

hair often becomes soft and swells as a result of the oxi-

dizing action and reducing action of the solutions, and

inadequate rinsing is a possible cause of increased dan-

druff, etc., in patients who have received a permanent

wave.

2.3. Principle and Procedures of Relaxing

Hair [5]

Hair relaxation is also called straight permanent waving,

and there are methods that change curly or wavy hair into

straight hair. Commercialization of products was permit-

ted in Japan by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in 1985.

The principle of hair relaxation is exactly the same as the

principle of permanent waving, and the sole difference is

that in hair relaxation the winding around the rods in

permanent waving is replaced by stretching the hair out

straight with a comb. The solution 1 used for hair relaxa-

tion takes the form of a viscous cream that contains a

thickener. It also has stronger reducing power than the

permanent wave solution.

Combing is performed as the step that corresponds to

the winding step in permanent waving. More specifically,

the hair is combed out straight with a rather coarse comb.

The step in which the hair is stretched out with th e comb

after the solution 1 reaction causes a great deal of dam-

age to the hair, and caution is required because of the risk

of damaging or breaking the hair.

In 2001, a method in which an iron is used was au-

thorized as a substitute for combing, and a method in

which hair is relaxed with a high-temperature hairdress-

ing iron after the solution 1 reaction has become main-

stream. In this method the hair is treated by placing bun-

dles of hair, starting at the roots, between the flat plates

of a straight iron heated to 180˚C and sequentially sliding

the iron to the tips of the hair.

The same as in permanent waving, the hair is then

treated with solution 2 and rinsed with water.

2.4. Safety Management and Unintended Uses of

Permanent Wave Solutions

In order to ensure the safety of permanent wave solutions,

in Japan they have been designated quasi-drugs, and per-

mission for quasi-drug production and importation is re-

quired to manufacture or import permanent wave solu-

tions. Consequently, the administration, dosage, indica-

tions, and efficacy of permanent wave solutions have

been stipulated [5].

The Japan Poison Information Center receives about 20

inquiries a year regarding incidents related to misuse of

Adverse Effects of Permanent Waving and Hair Relaxation—Assessment by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) 47

permanent wave solution, and close to half of the inquir-

ies are from medical facilities [4,5]. Many of them are

the result of accidental swallowing by children or eye or

skin contact while using it. When solution 1 is acciden-

tally swallowed, patients complain of abdominal symp-

toms because of the irritant action due to the solution’s

alkalinity, and when solution 2 is accidentally swallowed,

they complain of abdominal symptoms 1 - 2 hours later,

but inducing vomiting with solution 1 is contraindicated

from the standpoint of its pha r maceutic a l pro p erties.

There have also been reports of unintended uses that

are inconsistent with the purposes of using permanent

wave solutions. About 20 years ago, a fatal case was re-

ported in a 6-month-old infant in addition to acute der-

matitis medicamentosa in a group of beauticians who

attempted to popularize an acidic permanent wave solu-

tion as being able to improve overall health and having

efficacy against trichophytosis and dermatitis when ex-

ternally applied to the who le body. Eye injuries have also

been reported as a result of permanent waving eyelashes.

At both times strong notifications calling for proper use

were issued by the Environmental Health Bureau of the

Ministry of Health and Welfare. If by chance a solution

enters the eye, solution 1 has a greater irritant action than

solution 2.

2.5. Hair Injury by Permanent Wave Solutions

As described above, permanent waving is performed on

the basis of the oxidizing action and reducing action of

permanent wave solutions [1,2], and hair damage as a

result of winding, combing, and using high-temperature

hairdressing irons is also often seen. Figures 1-4 are

scanning electron micrographs of broken hairs and hair

damage caused by permanent wave solutions. The find-

ings in healthy hair are shown in Figure 5 for reference,

and the hair damage is obvious when comparisons are

made with the condition of the hair surface, condition of

Figure 1. Broken hair as a result of a permanent wave.

Broken hair is often seen during winding after the action of

solution 1.

Figure 2. Damage as a result of a permanent wave. The

surface of the hair is shaggy, and damage to the cuticle is

also seen.

Figure 3. Broken hair as a result of hair relaxation. Hair

relaxation subjects hair to considerable stress, and when

solution 1 is applied close to the roots, many broken hairs

like these are often seen. Combing manipulations also tend

to cause hairs to break.

Figure 4. Damage as a result of hair relaxation. Insufficient

rinsing is another possible reason besides damage due to

combing or ironing after using solution 1.

Adverse Effects of Permanent Waving and Hair Relaxation—Assessment by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Figure 5. Healthy hair. The surface of the hair is smooth,

and no damage to the cuticle is seen.

the cuticle, etc.

Hair swelling by permanent wave solutions, manipula-

tions such as winding, etc., inad equate rinsing with water,

procedures on injured hair at the outset, etc., is consid-

ered possible reasons for any of these types of injury.

Using a hair dryer immediately after permanent waving

is another possible cau se of hair injury [6].

2.6. Skin Injury by Permanent Wave Solutions

Almost all of the skin injuries caused by permanent wave

solutions on the basis of their oxidizing action and re-

ducing action is primary irritant contact dermatitis, and

allergic contact dermatitis is very rare [1,2].

The hairline on the forehead, behind the ears, the front-

al region, etc., are the most common sites of skin injury

in people who get a permanent wave, and diagnosis is

easy.

By contrast, injury to the hands is very common among

beauticians [7,8]. The barrier function of beauticians’

skin is reduced by the mechanical irritation of giving

shampoos daily and dilapidation due to using surface-

active agents. When their hands are exposed to irritation

by permanent wave solutions that have chemical actions

under these circumstances, beauticians develop so-called

occupational chapped hands. As a result of frequent use

of cysteine permanent wave solutions in the past, a phe-

nomenon call flaking, in which insoluble cysteine ad-

hered and exacerbated the chapping, was also often seen,

but as a result of commercialization efforts by manufac-

turers’ based on studies of the components of permanent

wave solutions, it is hardly ever seen today.

Due to similar corporate efforts, the irritant actions of

per manent wave solutions have also decreased, but, n eed-

less to say, beauticians’ hand injuries are a major prob-

lem.

Furthermore, dressing up at younger ages has become

more popular recently, and the number of parents who

want permanent waves for their children has also in-

creased. The cysteine content of children’s hair is lower,

and it is difficult to permanent wave their hair. When we

also consider the irritation caused to the skin of their

scalps, it appears better to avoid permanent waving chil-

dren’s hair as much as possible.

3. Conclusion

Almost all skin injury by permanent wave solutions is

primarily irritant contact dermatitis due to the oxidizing

action and reducing action of the permanent wave solu-

tions. Hair damage as a result of the oxidizing action of

permanent wave solution is also often seen.

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