Split ends, scientifically known as trichoptilosis, is when the ends of your hair split or are frayed. Unfortunately, I have a lot of split ends because of my constant use of hair dryers and straighteners. Most people solve this issue by getting hair cut, but it turns out that scientists are researching on an alternative way!
The strands of hair are made of three layers: the medulla, cortex and cuticle. The cuticle is the outermost layer and is formed from overlapping dead cells. It’s job is to protect the cortex, however the usage of heat from hair dryers and contact with chlorine can wear it out. Thus, the cortex’s protein fibers are exposed and unravel, causing the hair to split. This protein is known as keratin and makes up approximately 95% of hair.
Many researchers believe that the usage of wheat gluten can be used to rebuild the broken chemical bonds in keratin! For instance, scientists conducted an experiment where they developed a shampoo that had had wheat gluten and tested it on trimmed human hair. The results showed that the hairs with the wheat gluten shampoo were visibly smoother than the ones that weren’t. Hence, it shows that wheat gluten can possibly lead to the formation of new bonds in keratin.
Although this is still in the early stages of research, I look forward to more updates as just using a special shampoo is a great alternative to cutting a lot of hair!
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