Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis of Reconstructive Hair Fibers

Reconstructive hair fibers are an innovative tool in cosmetic dermatology based on electrostatic adherent powder which bonds to the hair shaft and can disguise hair loss in men and women.

This study aims to analyze and compare five different brands of organic hair fibers.

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to obtain amplified images of samples to study their shape and morphological structure. X-ray microanalysis was performed to study the chemical composition of reconstructive hair fibers. The five samples were tested in patients attending a trichology unit of a tertiary hospital.

The main component in hair fibers products 1 (Blum Secret™) and 3 (Keratin™) was cotton (cellulose of vegetal origin), while product 2 (Viviscal™) was made of a vegetal keratin. All three samples appeared as parallel-arranged fibres on the scanning electron microscope. The X-ray microanalysis showed an organic polymer mainly composed of C, O, and Si. Hair fibers 4 (Toppik™) and 5 (Nanogen™) were similar. Sample 4 derived from a keratin organic fiber and sample 5 from pure, positively charged keratin. In both cases, SEM revealed microfibers covered by a fine squamous. The X-ray microanalysis in both cases revealed a high presence of S.

There was no discrepancy among the cosmetic results of the five samples, providing a successful esthetic effect in all of our patients despite the chemical differences found in the X-ray microanalysis.