Effects of arginine on hair damage via oxidative coloring process.

The purpose of this study was to measure the protective effects of arginine in oxidative coloring or bleaching process. Contact angle measurement, tensile measurement and amino acid analysis were employed. As the first step, it was shown that oxidative coloring or bleaching process decreases hair surface hydrophobicity and tensile strength in wet condition. Next the study has been conducted with coloring agents in which part of the ammonia was replaced with arginine, to find that arginine reduced the oxidative change in contact angle and tensile strength. These results suggest that arginine prevents the undesirable attack by hydrogen peroxide on hair proteins and hair surface lipids. Furthermore, it is also suggested from amino acid analysis that a considerable amount of arginine is deposited on, or in hair fibers from coloring agents.