The haircare products testing is a specialized testing involving the knowledge of both scalp and hair physiology and structure. Like all the studies in the cosmetic field, the hair care studies need experts, know-how and state-of-the-art techniques to be successful. In our laboratories, we have implemented standard and tailor-made ex vivo and clinical study protocols to assess the local tolerance and to give real proof of the product effects.

Safety first! This is true for all the cosmetic products, but this is even more true for hair care products. From simple epicutaneous patch testing to more complicate safety study protocols, our dermatologists are experienced in evaluating the safety of each hair care product taking in mind its peculiarities. Safety at Complife is not only scoring of the local tolerance reactions, but it is also instrumental measurement of the subclinical skin alterations. Among the others, we can also support the “no tears” claim.

When it comes to the efficacy assessment, the ex vivo and the testing on human volunteers’ approach can be used to give proof of the products efficacy. Both of them can be designed to have instrumental or sensory parameters in relation to the purpose of the study, as follows: instrumental parameters are implemented when it is necessary to have a numeric parameter or a percentage variation before and after product use; while the sensory parameters are implemented when it is necessary to test the Consumer perception of the product efficacy or when it is necessary to fine tune the product cosmetic acceptability with the Consumer habits.

The ex vivo testing approach – on human hair locks – is recommended to demonstrate the products effects on the hair shaft for products affecting hair colour, shape, structure, and its physical-mechanical properties. The main advantage of testing on hair locks is related to the wide choice of specific hair characteristics (e.g. colour, texture, etc.) and also to the simulation of different hair stressing or damaging conditions (e.g. bleaching, repetitive washing, straightening). Moving a step forward in the research of new trichological parameters, we have developed – in recent years – innovative biochemical assays to evaluate the hair protein content and amino acids composition, the hair total antioxidant capacity, and the hair oxidative damage (protein carbonylation) due to UV exposure.

The testing on human volunteers’ approach can be divided in two types: the consumer test and the clinical trial. The Consumer testing allows companies to get a feedback on the product quality and acceptability to “real” consumers. This feedback is helpful to the industry to decide whether a product needs further development or it is ready to go to the market. However, this approach sometimes is considered as a weak evidence when it is used to substantiate particular claims (especially claims related to product efficacy). To overcome this limitation, the clinical trial approach plays a key role in demonstrating the efficacy of products in protecting the scalp and/or the efficacy of products improving the hair conditions with a mechanism of action different from the physical action on the hair shaft. Even if, during the development of a product the R&D can rely on the results of surrogated in vitro assays, the clinical trial remains the golden standard for claiming the product efficacy with robust data.

Collaborating with international brands and key players in trichological products (both cosmetics and food supplements) we have developed a huge and comprehensive knowledge in trichological clinical testing. From antidandruff products to products claiming efficacy on telogen effluvium or on androgenetic alopecia (cosmetic grade) we have authored manuscripts in peer-reviewed international journals as well as we have presented data of clinical trials in the congress of dermatology societies.

At COMPLIFE the clinical trial on hair products can rely on: a large panel of volunteers with different scalp and hair conditions (e.g. hair loss, oily scalp/hair, dandruff), a technical equipment pool always calibrated and maintained and different specialists to cover 360 degrees of the Customer requirements. Along with the techniques normally used in the trichology practice, we have extended our portfolio to scalp/hair microbiome testing by means of 16S rRNA analysis. Start to test your hair care product by asking our experts a trichological testing strategy!

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