Benefit of coconut-based hair oil via hair porosity quantification

The present study is intended to characterize the surfactant damage suffered by the hair cortex in routine washing and the mechanistic effect of Coconut Based Hair Oils (CBHO) to mitigate the damage.

Surfactants which diffuse into the hair structure solubilize protein moieties, leading to an increase in porosity and internal surface area as well as the pore volume. The changes in hair pores occurring in the hair cortex are measured by nitrogen sorption method in line with the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory. Single fiber tensile parameters were measured using Diastron MTT 175. Color protection was measured quantitatively using spectrophotometer as well as visual rating by trained panelists.

The pore surface area data clearly show the benefit of introducing coconut-based hair oils (CBHO) into the hair by preventing increase in hair porosity. A statistically significant decrease in break stress and toughness were observed and the same were reversed by the application of CBHO. A pronounced color protection effect was also recorded with the application of CBHO.

The porosity reduction effect seen with the use of CBHO is attributed to the CBHO molecules blocking the diffusion pathways in the endocuticle and the matrix part of the cortical cells, limiting protein surfactant interaction resulting in reduced solubilization and loss. Since, the color molecules are likely to be much smaller than the protein moieties, a pronounced color protection effect suggests that the penetrated CBHO molecules form a dense diffusion barrier in the matrix, cell membrane complex (CMC) and the endocuticle regions of hair - which are the main diffusion pathways out of hair. The study confirms the damage repair potential of CBHO and that it works by increasing the hydrophobicity of hair - both on the hair surface and in the cortex.