THE SPECIAL EFFECTIVE SPECTRUM OF HYPOGEN HAIR CARE

The hair in particular

For HYPOGEN HAIR CARE^® it is not only a claim to present irritation-free and allergy-minimized products. Long cooperation with hairdressers has proven that the hair of an allergy sufferer and also the hair with an irritated scalp have special requirements for care and regeneration.

Hair plasticity

Hair plasticity is a property of hair that many take for granted. Hair with plasticity is easy to style and takes on volume when styling. Just with allergy sufferers, with irritated scalp or also with pregnancies, illnesses and many more, the hair almost always lacks plasticity and volume. The hair can no longer be styled and quickly falls down lifelessly without taking shape.

The stratum corneum nourishes the hair

In the scientific sense, hair is an appendage structure of the skin. For a long time, its structural property was attributed exclusively to the keratin fiber structure. Today, however, science is further along: it is known that this fiber structure accounts for only approx. 55 - 65 % of the hair volume. The other 35 - 45 % consists of the cell membrane complex of the hair, which is located between the keratin fiber strands of the fiber stem and between the cuticle rings of the hair. 35 - 45 % of the properties of a hair are thus variable and not constant. The cell membrane complex is not only a "putty mass" that holds the keratin fibers together - the cell membrane complex of the hair is significantly responsible for plasticity such as volume and thus also for the conditioning of the hair.

The cell membrane complex is therefore the natural conditioning factor of the hair. This conditioning factor is most efficient when the cell membrane complex of the hair can store as much water as possible (molecularly bound water). This is called the Moisture Balance of the hair.

The special sublevactum formula and the LLS system as the key to HYPOGEN CARE.^® -Working are precisely targeted to the water-binding property of the cell membrane complex of the hair. These are biomimetic hair care systems based on nature on a purely natural, non-irritant basis. Hair damage is thus regenerated and leveled. The scalp is also so cared for, protected and regenerated.

The core of the consideration of any hair care must be, as shown, the functioning of the natural conditioning, that is, the cell membrane complex. One thing follows from this: hair does not need many of the unnatural "care substances" of conventional hair care and cosmetics. These can even have a negative effect on hair. For example, silicone and microplastic particles put a shiny film on the hair, but in the process weigh it down and take away its elasticity and volume. In addition, silicone and microplastic particles have no regenerative effects - so broken hair is often hidden under the shiny film.

What is hair damage?

Hair damage is known to most only as hair splitting, i.e. hair breakage. However, this is only a small part of the spectrum of possible hair damage.

• Hair damage science divides into the following areas:
  Internal structural damage, i.e. damage to the fiber stem of the hair,
• Surface damage, i.e. damage to the cuticle of the hair,
• Damage to the cell membrane complex, i.e., damage to the lipid layers (a) between the fiber strands of the hair's fiber stem and/or (b) between the scale rings of the hair's cuticle.

Inner structural hair damage

Internal structural damage to the hair occurs directly at the fiber strands of the fiber stem. Here, the cross-links of the fibers are very often damaged by physical stress such as blow-drying and straightening as well as by chemical stress such as coloring, bleaching or reshaping (perming).
This type of damage is noticeable by a lack of elastic properties of the hair. In particular, the hair can be literally torn apart in the case of severe damage.
Internal structural damage can be detected by determining the melting point of the hair: The less cross-linking there is in the hair, the more the melting point of the hair drops. Normally, i.e. in unstressed hair (also called remi hair), it is around 300° C.

Hair surface damage

Hair surface damage is mostly caused by physical influences (blow-drying, hair straightening). Here, the cuticle layer becomes rougher due to these very influences.
The hair loses its shine in particular and appears frizzy overall, i.e. straw-like.

Degrees of damage to the hair

The degrees of damage are categorized by level:

Level 0

A flat lying, closed scale layer can be seen. The transitions from scale to scale are very soft. The surface of the hair appears almost smooth. The hair diameter is expansive, as the cell membrane complex richly binds water. The hair is shiny and plastic.

Level 1

A contiguous scale layer can be seen. The transitions from scale to scale are minimally harder. The surface of the hair still appears quite smooth. The hair diameter is smaller compared to level 0, as less water is stored in the cell membrane complex. The hair is less shiny and less plastic.

Level 2

The scale layer appears slightly erect. The transitions from scale to scale are clearly visible. The surface of the hair appears distinctly rough. The hair diameter is smaller compared to level 1, as even less water is stored in the cell membrane complex. The hair is even less shiny and clearly less plastic.

Level 3

The cuticle layer is broken and partially no longer present. The fiber stem of the hair is partially exposed. There is a distinct lack of shine and plasticity and frizz can be seen. The hair exhibits critical tensile strength.

Level 4

The cuticle layer is no longer present. The fiber stem of the hair is completely exposed. The hair is dull, no longer exhibits plasticity and is no longer malleable. The hair breaks easily.

A very recent finding is that damage can also occur to the cell membrane complex of the hair. The lipid layers of the cell membrane complex are the putty mass that permeates the entire hair, the fiber strands of the fiber stem, the scale rings of the cuticle layer and again fiber stem with cuticle layer together.
Not only physical influences such as heat, but also chemical influences damage the cell membrane complex. Here, not only colorations, bleaching and reshaping are to be mentioned as factors. In particular, conventional shampoos and styling products such as hairspray also cause noticeable damage by destructuring or eroding the cell membrane complex of the hair.

The consequences can be many, such as dry and rough hair without shine and without volume.
Damage to the cell membrane complex is detected by the hair's moisture balance: In an intact state, the cell membrane complex is capable of storing water. The more damaged the cell membrane complex is, the less it can do this.

Hair damage always occurs in the same order

In general, damage always starts via the cell membrane complex. Only when this is destructured or even degraded does damage to the cuticle layer occur in the second step. If this is more massively damaged, the fiber strands of the hair are exposed. Thus, the cross-links of the fiber strands of the fiber stem can now be attacked until the hair is finally no longer tear-resistant and hair breakage occurs.

Consequently, the cell membrane complex of the hair must be at the center of any hair cosmetics:

• To prevent damage, the cell membrane complex of the hair must be strengthened (stabilization).
• In the event of damage, the aim is to rebuild the hair as quickly as possible via its cell membrane complex (regeneration).