Method for accessing and assessing hair damage

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for accessing hair damage and evaluating hair based on its resistance to elongation and deformation. The method consists of a six-level evaluation scale (0 to 5). The method is based on a standardized gesture protocol. The objective of the method is to evaluate how hair repair technologies act on reducing hair damage or how chemical treatments act on increasing hair damage and to provide statistical results.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for accessing and assessing hair damage Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for accessing hair damage and evaluating it based on its resistance to elongation and deformation. The method consists of a six-level evaluation scale (0 to 5). The method is based on a standardized gesture protocol. The objective of the method is to evaluate how hair repair technologies act on reducing hair damage or how chemical treatments act on increasing hair damage and to provide statistical results. CONTEXT OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The gestures used by hairdressers on strands of hair in the salon are the current way of assessing and evaluating the level of hair damage of a client when a chemical treatment (such as bleaching and straightening) is or will be applied to the hair.

[0003] This gesture consists of pulling a standardized quantity of strands of hair and, thanks to this gesture, the integrity of the fiber is evaluated and classified according to a general scale that hairdressers consider and use in their routines.

[0004] With this current assessment methodology used by hairdressers in salons, perceived hair elasticity and fiber deformation are the primary indicators of hair damage level.

[0005] Therefore, the greater the elongation of the hair sample, the greater the perceived elasticity. As a result, deformation may occur, and this increases the level of damage. The elasticity perceived as a sign of damage has no direct relationship with the elastic modulus of the hair fiber, which can be assessed by the tensile test.

[0006] US2021 / 0259381 describes a methodology which is used to evaluate the Preservation of hair integrity after the application of the patented technology. It consists of evaluating the elasticity of hair on wet hair by stretching a hair fiber on both sides. The more elastic it is, the more it regains its original shape and its integrity is preserved. If the hair breaks after the procedure, it is no longer elastic and its integrity has not been preserved. No scale was presented and no details on a quantitative analysis of the data are provided or proposed.

[0007] WO2019 / 016129 describes that the elasticity of hair is evaluated by stretching from 5 to 10 hair fibers and is rated from 1 (unacceptable result) to 5 (excellent - completely elastic recovery). The scale appears to be more qualitative and no details of quantitative data analysis are provided.

[0008] Other documents describing methodologies for evaluating hair integrity or elasticity have been found, in most cases the assessment is related to the use of equipment or the physical principle of elasticity.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for a method for assessing hair damage that is standardized and reproducible, and that can be used to evaluate and demonstrate the performance of repair technologies, assess the impact of chemical treatments on hair fiber integrity, and to perform hair diagnosis.

[0010] The developed method aims to evaluate hair repair technologies on the improvement of the level of hair damage, access to the integrity of the hair by analyzing its elasticity and statistical comparison to a previous damaged reference and to the bench performance of other products.

[0011] The results can be used to statistically compare the performance of different hair repair technologies and to make recommendations regarding the most suitable technology for a certain type of hair damage.

[0012] The results can also be used to monitor the impact on hair fiber integrity when chemical treatments are applied successively and to compare the impact of different chemical treatments on hair fiber.

[0013] Therefore, the present invention solves the technical problem with the method for accessing and evaluating hair damage based on its resistance to elongation and deformation as described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention relates to a method for accessing and assessing hair damage, the method comprising the steps of: a. separation of a lock of hair; b. spraying water on the lock of hair a first time, c. wait for 0.5 to 3 minutes; d. spraying water on the strand of hair a second time and removing the excess water; and e. carrying out the assessment procedure,

[0015] said evaluation gesture of step (e) comprises the steps of: i. holding the top of the hair strand evaluation area with the index finger and thumb of one hand, pressing with the fingers, at a distance of 3.0 to 7.0 cm, and ii. holding the bottom of the assessment area with the thumb and index finger of the other hand, and iii. with the hand holding the lower part, pull the lock of hair at least 2 times in a row, and iv. repeat the procedure for each assessment area, going from area 1 to area 3 of the hair strand.

[0016] The present invention relates to a method for evaluating and demonstrating the performance of repair technologies, for assessing the impact of chemical treatments on the integrity of the hair fiber and for performing hair diagnosis. The present method can be used to evaluate how hair repair technologies work to reduce hair damage and provide statistical results, and it can be used as training for hairdressers to perform hair diagnosis and score the level of hair damage in hair salons. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] illustrates the evaluation zones 1, 2 and 3 of hair strand.

[0018] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] illustrates the 6 levels of hair assessment, in which the Level 0 represents natural hair, Level 1 represents low elasticity, Level 2 represents elastic hair, Level 3 represents low deformability, Level 4 represents deformability, and Level 5 represents hair with immediate breakage. Images were taken immediately after the fibers were tensioned.

[0019] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] illustrates how to count strands of hair (from the tip of the wick).

[0020] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] illustrates how the strand of hair to be evaluated should be maintained.

[0021] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] illustrates the lock of hair to be evaluated glued with glue hot.

[0022] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] illustrates the lock of hair stuck in the holder for evaluation, timer and water sprayer.

[0023] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] illustrates the 15 cm separation of the lock of hair evaluation for in vivo assessment.

[0024] [Fig.8] [Fig.8] illustrates the elongation of the evaluation hair strand on the basis of a rule. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The present invention relates to a method for accessing and assessing hair damage, comprising the steps of: a. separation of a lock of hair; b. spraying water on the lock of hair a first time, c. wait for 0.5 to 3 minutes; d. spraying water on the strand of hair a second time and removing the excess water; and e. carrying out the assessment procedure,

[0026] said evaluation gesture of step (e) comprises the steps of: i. holding the top of the hair strand evaluation area with the index finger and thumb of one hand, pressing with the fingers, at a distance of 3.0 to 7.0 cm, and ii. holding the bottom of the assessment area with the thumb and index finger of the other hand, and iii. with the hand holding the lower part, pull the lock of hair at least 2 times in a row, and iv. repeat the procedure for each assessment area, going from area 1 to area 3 of the hair strand.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, in step (a), the lock of hair is an evaluation lock of approximately 12 to 35 cm from its top part to its end.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, in step (a), the hair strand is an evaluation strand and is divided into zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3, wherein zone 1 is closest to the top of the strand and zone 3 is closest to the end of the strand. Each zone measures 5.0 cm.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the strand of hair of step (a) comprises from about 25 to about 50 fibers, preferably about 30 fibers.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, in step (b), the lock of hair is sprayed 10 times from the top to the end of the lock.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, in step (c), the lock of hair is sprayed 5 times from the top to the end of the lock.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, in step (c), the waiting time is 1 minute.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, in steps (b) and (c), water is sprayed onto the strand of hair with a distance of about 5 cm between the sprayer and the strand of hair.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, in step (d), the evaluation gesture is performed immediately after spraying water for the second time on the lock of hair and removing the excess water.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, at point (i), the distance is 5.0 cm.

[0036] Similarly, the force applied, when pressing with the finger in step (e) (i), must be just enough to ensure that the strand of hair does not come loose or slip during the test.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, at point (iii), the lock of hair is pulled 3 times in a row and without a pause between the pulls which are carried out on the hair being evaluated.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, at point (iv), the procedure is repeated 2 to 5 times for each assessment zone.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the method is a six-level (0 to 5) evaluation, wherein level 0 is natural hair, level 1 is low-elastic hair, level 2 is elastic hair, level 3 is low-deformable hair, level 4 is deformable hair, and level 5 is hair with immediate breakage, according to the approximate elongation of the hair as in Table 1 below.

[0040] [Tables 1] Approximate elongation (cm) Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 0.5 1.0 1.5 1.7 2.0 -

[0041] Approximate elongation (cm) to estimate the level of hair damage

[0042] The present invention relates to a method for accessing and assessing hair damage, which consists of a scale from 0 to 5 and a standardized gesture. It can be used to assess how hair repair technologies work to reduce hair damage and provide statistical results, in vitro and in vivo. It can be used as training for hairdressers to perform hair diagnosis and score the level of hair damage in hair salons. It can be used in clinical studies as a criterion for inclusion or exclusion of volunteers.

[0043] The present method is based on a scale linked to a gesture consisting of pulling the lock of hair to be evaluated and observing its behavior throughout the test. Depending on the perceived elongation / deformation, the level of damage is classified according to a six-level scale, from 0 to 5.

[0044] Level zero (0) on the scale is the benchmark for natural hair that has not been chemically treated and is extremely firm. The opposite end of the scale is level 5, where breakage occurs in more than 20% of the hair fibers.

[0045] Table 2 presents the descriptions of each level of the scale.

[0046] [Tables2] Hair Hair Hair Hair Hair Natural hair little elastic deformable with elastic deformable with immediate cracks Scale 0 1 2 3 4 5 Description Hair Once the strand The strand The strand The strand that have not been pulled, it presents a present it does not undergo elasticity, and ap and stretch elasticity when it is pulled and, after the test, becomes rigid. It does not stretch after the test. It remains in its initial state. Once pulled open, it remains firm, but the fibers are strongly seized, and remain deformed. After the test, it always presents a slight elasticity. A case of firmness. its initial state is deformed after the test. A chip in the test part can be observed. (**) (**) Six-level scale of the intended process

[0047] The tests were also carried out under the following conditions: a. blind assessment; and b. 2 approved operators.

[0048] In scales 3 and 4 above, the reference (**) describes partial breakage, which occurs when there is a breakage of less than 20% of the hair fibers on the strand.

[0049] The evaluation wick is divided into three regions, as illustrated in [Fig.l], in which the gesture will be performed: zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3. Zone 3 is always closest to the end of the wick. Each region preferably measures 5.0 cm.

[0050] During the evaluation, a scale data is obtained for each of the three zones of the strand. The hair damage level (HDL) is the average of these three zones, according to the equation below: hey " 3

[0051] To access the statistical analyses of the results, it is necessary to follow the standards established for the process, taking into account the in vitro and in vivo studies, detailed respectively below in the sections “Evaluation of in vitro hair repair technologies” and “In vivo evaluation”. A. CAPILLARY INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT Al Equipment and materials

[0052] - Gloves (preferably black for bleached fibers);

[0053] - Spray bottle with water; and

[0054] - Timer. A.2. Preparation of the evaluation wick

[0055] For the evaluation, a wick of 30 fibers will be used, which must be prepared from the wick referring to the state to be evaluated.

[0056] Fiber Counting ([Fig.3]): Fibers should be counted from the tips of the main wick, in order to avoid broken fibers in the evaluation wick. A.3. Evaluation protocol

[0057] Standardized pre-gesture process: Spray water 10 times on the strand, dividing into 2 sprays of 5 along the strand. Distribute the sprays evenly to the tips, with a distance of approximately 5 cm between the sprayer and the strand. Set the timer for 1 minute and, once the time is up, spray the water 5 more times on the strand. Immediately continue with the evaluation gesture below.

[0058] Evaluation gesture ([Fig.4]): Hold the top of the evaluation area with the index finger and thumb of one hand and press with the fingers. Establish a distance of 5.0 cm and hold the bottom of the assessment area with the thumb and index finger of the other hand. With the hand holding the lower part, pull 3 times in a row, without pausing. Repeat the procedure for each assessment area. Always go from zone 1 to zone 3.

[0059] B. EVALUATION OF IN VITRO HAIR REPAIR TECHNOLOGIES Bl Equipment and materials

[0060] - Hot glue gun or equivalent;

[0061] - Thermal glove;

[0062] - Metal spatula;

[0063] - Scissors;

[0064] - Labeling machine;

[0065] - Holder for locks of hair; and

[0066] - Towel. B.2.1. Number of wicks per assessed state

[0067] Six evaluation strands per state are prepared. Each evaluation strand must come from a main strand of 30 fibers.

[0068] The same number of wicks per state must be prepared for 2 operators, and both wicks of the same state must come from the same main wick.

[0069] B.2.2. Preparation of in vitro evaluation strands

[0070] After counting the fibers, as described in point A.2, they should be cut at the top of the main wick, then follow the process described below to glue the top.

[0071] • Bonding process: placing the 30 hair fibers on a surface, preferably glass. Using a hot glue gun or equivalent equipment, place a coin-sized amount of hot glue ([Fig.5]) on top (referring to the start of the first evaluation area) of the evaluation wick, then press with a spatula until it cools. B.2.3. Evaluation wick and ambient conditions

[0072] Strands that undergo chemical transformations such as bleaching and / or straightening should be prepared, preferably at the latest two days before the application of the test products.

[0073] The ambient temperature and humidity must always be constant: 22°C or 72°F and 55%.

[0074] Standardization of product batches: use the same product batch for all evaluated states.

[0075] B.3. Preparation for the assessment of capillary integrity

[0076] The prepared evaluation wicks must be attached to a support, so that they are firm and resist tension, without loosening when pulled. The support must be located at the top of a surface providing height adjustment so that it can be adjusted for each operator.

[0077] The evaluation must be carried out the day after the product application, for all conditions referring to the same number of product / routine applications. The evaluations must also be carried out by both operators on the same day.

[0078] The reference strand, without product application, must be evaluated on the same day as the strands with product application. If the reference strands are prepared more than a day before, it is recommended to spray water 10 times at a distance of 5 cm between the sprayer and the wick, the day before the assessment.

[0079] Follow the evaluation by following the protocol described in point A.3 above.

[0080] At the time of evaluation, data relating to the scores of each region of the wick must be collected. C. IN VIVO EVALUATION Cl Equipment and materials

[0081] - Ruler (minimum 20 cm); and

[0082] - Hair clip.

[0083] C.2. Preparation and evaluation of hair strands in vivo

[0084] For the evaluation of in vivo repair technologies, the number of strands of hair assessed by condition and location of strands on the head will depend on the study design.

[0085] To prepare an in vivo evaluation wick, the following procedure should be followed:

[0086] After counting the fibers following the protocol described in point A.2, the ruler must be used to define where the first evaluation zone of the wick will begin.

[0087] Count 15 cm ([Fig.7]) from the tip of the strand towards the scalp and secure it with a hair clip just above the start of the first assessment area.

[0088] Evaluate the wick according to the protocol and gesture described in section A.3. Terms

[0089] Other than in the working examples, or unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts of ingredients and / or reaction conditions should be understood to be modified in all cases by the term "about", meaning to within 10% of the number indicated (e.g., "about 10%" means 9% to 11% and "about 2%" means 1.8% to 2.2% and so on).

[0090] It should also be understood that the precise numerical values ​​used in the patent specification, including the examples and claims, constitute further embodiments of the invention and are intended to include any range that can be reduced to any two bounds disclosed within the exemplary ranges and values. Efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the disclosed numerical values. However, any measured value may inherently contain certain errors resulting from the standard deviation found in its respective measurement technique.

[0091] The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" (or "comprise", "have" and "include") and are used in their broad, non-limiting sense.

[0092] The term "consisting essentially of" as used herein refers to the specifically recited materials or steps, but may include materials or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the compositions or their use.

[0093] All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated, and unless otherwise specified herein, all percentages and ratios of components are by weight relative to the total weight of the final composition.

[0094] For the purposes of this disclosure, it should be noted that, to provide a more concise description, some of the quantitative expressions given herein are not qualified with the term "about." It is understood, whether the term "about" is used explicitly or not, that each quantity given herein is intended to refer to the actual value given, and it is also intended to refer to the approximation to that given value that would be reasonably deduced by the person skilled in the art, including approximations due to experimental and / or measurement conditions for that given value.

[0095] All ranges and quantities set forth herein are intended to include subranges and quantities using any disclosed point as a bound. Thus, a range of "1% to 10%, such as 2% to 8%, such as 3% to 5%," is intended to encompass ranges of "1% to 8%," "1% to 5%," "2% to 10%," and so on. All figures, quantities, ranges, etc. are intended to be modified by the term "about," whether or not expressly stated. Similarly, a given range of "about 1% to 10%" is intended to have both its 1% and 10% bounds modified by the term "about."

[0096] The term "about" is used herein to indicate a difference of up to + / -10% from the indicated number, such as + / - 9%, + / - 8%, + / - 7%, + / - 6%, + / - 5%, + / - 4%, + / - 3%, + / - 2%, or + / - 1%. Similarly, all bounds of the ranges are understood to be individually disclosed, such that, for example, a range of 1:2 to 2:1 is understood to disclose both a 1:2 and a 2:1 ratio.

[0097] As used herein, the term "spraying water onto the hair strand" and variations thereof are intended to mean contacting the hair with water and at least one of the compositions of the disclosure, spraying water onto the entire hair strand being evaluated, from the top to the end of the strand. The number of sprays will vary depending on the stage of the process.

[0098] Unless otherwise specifically indicated, as used herein, the terms "substantially free" or "essentially free" mean that the specific material may be present in small amounts that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the compositions according to the disclosure. For example, there may be less than 2% by weight of a specific material added to a composition, based on the total weight of the compositions (provided that an amount less than 2% by weight does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the compositions according to the disclosure.

[0099] Similarly, the compositions may include less than 2%, less than 1.5%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than 0.1%, less than 0.05% or less than 0.01%, or no amount of the specified material. Furthermore, any components positively presented in the present disclosure may be negatively excluded from the claims, e.g., a claimed composition may be "free," "essentially free" (or "substantially free") of one or more components that are positively presented in the present disclosure.

[0100] The term "substantially free" or "essentially free" as used herein may also mean that the specific material is not added to the composition but may still be present in a starting material that is included in the composition, in an amount that does not substantially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the compositions according to the disclosure.

[0101] As used herein, terms such as "access", "evaluate" (and their grammatical variations) refer to analyzing and evaluating hair strands based on the method of the present disclosure. METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

[0102] A non-limiting example of the method of the present invention for accessing and assessing hair damage comprises the steps of:

[0103] (a) separating a strand of hair of 30 fibers;

[0104] (b) spraying water 10 times on the strand of hair of 30 fibers a first times,

[0105] (c) wait for 1 minute;

[0106] (d) spraying water 5 times on the strand of hair of 30 fibers a second time and removal of excess water; and

[0107] (e) immediate performance of the evaluation gesture,

[0108] said evaluation gesture of step (e) comprises the steps of: i. holding the top of the hair strand evaluation area with the index finger and thumb of one hand, pressing with the fingers, at a distance of 5.0 cm, and ii. holding the bottom of the assessment area with the thumb and index finger of the other hand, and iii. with the hand holding the lower part of the 30-fiber hair strand, pull the hair strand 3 times in a row without pause, and iv. repeat the procedure for each assessment area, going from area 1 to area 3 of the hair strand.

Claims

Claims

1. A METHOD FOR ACCESSING AND ASSESSING HAIR DAMAGE, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: (a) separating a strand of hair; (b) spraying water onto the strand of hair a first time, (c) waiting for 0.5 to 3 minutes; (d) spraying water onto the strand of hair a second time and removing excess water; and (e) performing the evaluation gesture, said evaluation gesture of step (e) comprises the steps of: (i) holding the top of the evaluation area of ​​the hair strand with the index finger and thumb of one hand, pressing with the fingers, at a distance of 3.0 to 7.0 cm, and (ii) holding the bottom of the assessment area with the thumb and index finger of the other hand, and (iii) with the hand holding the lower part, pulling the hair strand at least 2 times in a row, and (iv) repeating the procedure for each assessment area, going from area 1 to area 3 of the hair strand.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step (a), the hair strand is an evaluation strand about 15 cm from the top thereof to its tip, and wherein the hair strand is an evaluation strand and is divided into zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3, wherein zone 1 is closest to the top of the strand and zone 3 is closest to the tip of the strand, and wherein each zone measures 5.0 cm.

3. METHOD according to claim 1, characterized in that the lock of hair of step (a) comprises 25 to 50 fibers, preferably 30 fibers.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in step (b), the lock of hair is sprayed 10 times from the top to the end of the lock.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in step (b) the lock of hair is sprayed 5 times from the top to the end of the lock, and in which in step (c) the waiting time is 1 minute.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step (b), the water is sprayed onto the lock of hair with a distance of approximately 5 cm between the sprayer and the lock of hair.

7. METHOD according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step (d), the evaluation gesture is carried out immediately after spraying water for the second time on the lock of hair and removing the excess water.

8. METHOD according to claim 1, characterized in that, at point (i), the distance is 5.0 cm.

9. METHOD, according to claim 1, characterized in that, at point (üi), the lock of hair is pulled 3 times in succession and without a pause between the pulls which are carried out on the hair being evaluated.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a six-level evaluation (0 to 5), wherein level 0 is natural hair, level 1 is low-elastic hair, level 2 is elastic hair, level 3 is low-deformable hair, level 4 is deformable hair, and level 5 is hair with immediate breakage.

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