Question

When people get their hair chemically straightened, one chemical is put on the hair to break the disulfide bond that give the hair strands their shape and a second chemical is used to reform the disulfide bonds to hold the hair in a new position. what level of protein is affected by these processes. why doesnt the hair stay straight forever after this treatment?

Answer 1

Chemically straightening hair changes the shape of disulfide bonds, which alpha keratin protein; this is the second protein structure. However, as the hair continues to grow out, this keratin protein grows with it, thus outlasting the effects of the chemicals which change the shape of the protein.