The Effect of the Application Method of Heat Protectant on the Tensile Strength of Heat Styled Hair
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Consumer Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Using a heating iron to straighten hair has become a prominent daily task, mainly for African-American women, which in turn has caused rapid growth economically and in popularity in the cosmetic industry. However, this practice causes permanent damage to the mechanical, structural, and chemical properties of hair, so heat protectants are used to preserve the hair. The purpose of this project was to compare cream and spray heat protectant products in order to provide women security when styling their hair. It was hypothesized that if cream heat protectant was applied to hair and treated with heat, then it would be the most effective at increasing tensile strength and preventing scale lifting and cracking because of its consistent spread throughout the hair and application of mineral oils, polyquaternium polymers, and hydrolyzed proteins that provide a layer of film. Different commercial heat protectant products were applied to remy hair tresses, including CHI spray, CHI cream, OGX spray, and OGX cream. After heating with an iron, tensile strength was found (N/nm2) by measuring the mass a hair could support. A one-way ANOVA with an alpha value of 0.05 suggested the results were significant (p = < 0.05). The post-hoc Tukey test found significant differences between the means of the control and OGX cream with every other experimental group. All heat protectant products reduced heating damage by increasing tensile strength, but the OGX cream was the most effective with a mean tensile strength of 0.207 N/nm2, therefore supporting the hypothesis.
Recommended Citation
Dillon, Lee, "The Effect of the Application Method of Heat Protectant on the Tensile Strength of Heat Styled Hair" (2023). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 42.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2023/all/42
Location
BS 202
Start Date
3-25-2023 11:15 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
The Effect of the Application Method of Heat Protectant on the Tensile Strength of Heat Styled Hair
BS 202
Using a heating iron to straighten hair has become a prominent daily task, mainly for African-American women, which in turn has caused rapid growth economically and in popularity in the cosmetic industry. However, this practice causes permanent damage to the mechanical, structural, and chemical properties of hair, so heat protectants are used to preserve the hair. The purpose of this project was to compare cream and spray heat protectant products in order to provide women security when styling their hair. It was hypothesized that if cream heat protectant was applied to hair and treated with heat, then it would be the most effective at increasing tensile strength and preventing scale lifting and cracking because of its consistent spread throughout the hair and application of mineral oils, polyquaternium polymers, and hydrolyzed proteins that provide a layer of film. Different commercial heat protectant products were applied to remy hair tresses, including CHI spray, CHI cream, OGX spray, and OGX cream. After heating with an iron, tensile strength was found (N/nm2) by measuring the mass a hair could support. A one-way ANOVA with an alpha value of 0.05 suggested the results were significant (p = < 0.05). The post-hoc Tukey test found significant differences between the means of the control and OGX cream with every other experimental group. All heat protectant products reduced heating damage by increasing tensile strength, but the OGX cream was the most effective with a mean tensile strength of 0.207 N/nm2, therefore supporting the hypothesis.
