A presentation for NC Level 6 hairdressing on the physical changes that take place within the hair structure

1. Physical changes that take place within hair
structure
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2. The physical changes that take place
within the hair structure
• Alpha keratin is when hair is in its natural
shape
• Beta keratin is when hair has been set or
blow-dried into a new shape
• Hair will remain in beta keratin until it is
washed or moisture from the air attacks the
hair then it will then return to Alpha keratin

3. Poly peptide chain
• This is made up of keratin
• The keratin is a combination of -
• Carbon
• Hydrogen
• Oxygen
• Sulphur
• Nitrogen

4. The physical changes that take place
within the hair structure
• Alpha keratin is when hair is in its natural
shape
• Beta keratin is when hair has been set or
blow-dried into a new shape
• Hair will remain in beta keratin until it is
washed or moisture from the air attacks the
hair then it will then return to Alpha keratin

5. Hydrogen bonds
• These are temporarily broken during the
setting or blow-drying process

6. Wet setting
• Shampoo the hair to ensure it reverts back to
its original state (alpha keratin) as the
hydrogen bonds will break when water enters
the cortex
• During the setting or blow-drying process hair
is changed to beta keratin and will stay this
way until it is shampooed again or until
attacked by moisture from a humid
environment

7. Dry setting
• You would not shampoo hair before a dry set
and the bonds are not as easily broken
• By applying styling products in conjunction
with heat a few bonds will be broken and give
a much softer curl

8. Humidity
• This is moisture in the air and as hair has the
ability to absorb moisture in a very humid
environment this would attack a hairstyle and
it would loose its shape due to the hair shaft
swelling taking the hair back to alpha keratin

9. Allow hair to cool prior to dressing out
• This allows the hydrogen bonds to fix into
their new state of beta keratin. It will also
allow the style to last longer