Ask A Scientist© General Science Archive

name         Franky
status       student
age          16

Question -   Phisyque hairstyling products say in their advertisements
that "Science gives you the hair nature didn't" and they claim that new
discoveries can greatly volumize the hair.What is the chemistry behind
volumizing hair, and specifically in physique products, what makes them
different?

Franky,

Except where it is attached to the head in the follicle, hair (a protein) is
essentially dead keratin tissue. Advertisements for hair care products that
purport to revitalize hair by implying they can give it new life are simply
dishonest. Once damaged, by neglect, misuse of hair care instruments and or
chemicals, hair cannot be restored. However, the good news is that it can be
re-grown.

Relative to the "volumize" claim: I suspect they are referring to something
that can soak into or coat the hair shaft to give it apparently greater
thickness. For the most part, it's not a long-term fix for problem hair.

In general, by preventing moisture loss, some hair care products can (at best)
delay normal wear-and-tear destruction of the hair shaft. By the way, no hair
care product can restore moisture (water) to the protein itself -- nor can any
product cure split ends. You can, of course, cut it all off and start over.
Nature knows best.

Avoid highly alkaline shampoos, do not torture your hair with harsh permanent
treatments, don't use heat-treatments and hot air blow dryers, never force 
your
comb or brush through tangled hair -- all this encourages "brittle frizzies"
and split ends.

Yes, I know your stylist may tell you otherwise. Nevertheless, treat your hair
gently and it will look as good as it can. If you follow those in the 
crowd who
constantly brutalize their hair, you should be prepared to spend a lot of 
money
and accept brittle frizzies and worse. Personally, I could never 
understand why
a person would want their hair to look like a cocker spaniel's ear.

By the way, I'll wager that those who are trying to sell you their miracle
products cannot produce a single double-blind scientific study that supports
their advertising claims. The cosmetics industry is simply after your money.
Learn all you can about the science of hair proteins and you will discover 
that
many advertising claims are not only false, but , if accepted and acted upon,
can actually lead to hair damage.

Regards,

ProfHoff
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I do not know this product and cannot answer the question BUT one should
hardly believe what is said in the media generally and in advertisements in
particular.  There are exceptions, of course, but not too many.  As a rule, I
never buy a product that is heavily advertised for two reasons. First, many
consumer products, such as shampoos pretty much do the same job and second, I
will be paying for the cost of advertising.

The standard of proof for advertisements is rather low, and one must be very
skeptical about claims. In this case, perhaps you can write to the company and
ask them the same question.

Shampoos and the like are high margin products and unless made for specific
medical conditions are often indistinguishable except for color, smell,
consistency, packaging, and perhaps inconsequential additives. I recommend
Consumer Report magazine and similar publications for recommendation on such
products.  Some people, when in doubt, buy the cheaper brand.


Ali Khounsary, Ph.D.
Advanced Photon Source
Argonne National Laboratory
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