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How do keratolytics affect hair keratin or other hair components/lipids?
Hello,
As we all know keratolytics exfoliate the skin. But how does it affect hair? Do keratolytics (such as Lactic Acid or Salicylic Acid) dissolve hair keratin? Or dissolve the CMC within the hair shaft?
Does it only happen at a certain concentration percentage or at a certain pH level?
And does it only happen with a certain type of keratolytic (AHA, BHA?)
Thank you in advance for answering my questions!
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1 Reply
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Here’s and extract from a very interesting paper:
“penetrate the epidermis, inducing an increase in stratum corneum turnover and cause desquamation of the outermost layer without impairing barrier function [21]. They reduce intercorneocyte bonds by increasing the distance between corneocytes due to increased stratum corneum water content, by reducing the charges on the surface of cells, by inhibiting enzymes involved in the cohesion between corneocytes, and by breaking desmosomes as they diminish the pH of the medium. This reduction can also degrade keratinocytes directly, thus promoting cell proliferation”.
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