Trehalose in hair care: heat styling benefits at high humidity.

Human hair switches that have been treated with trehalose solution and straightened using hot irons show longevity of the straight style even in high-humidity conditions. This anti-humidity benefit is especially noticeable if the straight style has been created at low relative humidity. It is proposed that hot-iron straightening of trehalose-treated switches produces in situ glassy forms of the sugar that act as water sinks at high humidity to provide anti-humidity benefits. Adsorption isotherms and powder x-ray studies of different forms of trehalose and moisture uptake of hair treated with the sugar suggest that the ability of a glassy form of trehalose to regulate moisture in the fiber and consequently affect its viscoelastic properties is a major factor in providing long-lasting straight style in humid conditions.