EP0101355B1 - Hair treatment method, especially for the hair tips - Google Patents

Abstract

A process of and apparatus for conditioning the hair, especially the tips thereof. After the hair has been dampened, for example by shampooing, and optionally dried, either partially or completely, it is subjected to a conditioning step in which it is maintained in an atmosphere having a relative humidity of from about 40 to 80% and at a temperature of from about 35 DEG to 75 DEG C. A special hood may be provided for use in the conditioning operation.

Description

The present invention relates to a new method for carrying out a drying treatment for free hair, making it possible to obtain an improved state of the latter and in particular of their ends.

The process according to the invention finds its application when drying hair which has been subjected to wetting with water or a shampoo. Furthermore, it is intended for hair which, once wet or moistened, is left free for drying, that is to say is not wound on curlers or styling rollers. For convenience of language, we will speak, in the remainder of this description, of "free hairstyles" or "free hair".

The current technique, which is generally used for drying loose hairstyles, consists in exposing the hair to the heat produced by one or more lamps with infrared radiation. This drying takes place without ventilation or with very little ventilation.

This drying method is the cause of drying of the hair and the succession of drying of this type quickly leads to a degradation of the appearance of the hairstyle. This drawback is particularly unpleasant in the case of curly hairstyles which are obtained by a treatment of the permanent type and which, most of the time, are dried using this technique.

This drying out of the hair is explained by the high temperature to which it must be subjected in order to obtain a sufficiently rapid drying, in conditions of poor ventilation which do not displace the hair. This heat is applied in excess to the hair placed on the surface of the hair, which then undergoes excessive drying capable of causing bursts of the keratin fibers in fragile places, in particular at the level of the ends of the hair, the latter becoming split ends. and whitish. It follows that the hair is not silky to the touch, that it is less shiny and that its overall shape is altered because it has less volume.

The present invention overcomes this disadvantage because it relates to a particular drying technique to avoid or compensate for excessive dehydration of free hair as it occurs with the usual drying techniques.

It is known that the wet treatment to which a hair is subjected during wetting with water or a shampoo, causes an increase in the weight of the hair, the relative variation in weight being of the order of 35%. The drying of the hair leads to a loss of water: this weight loss is, in particular, a function of the duration of said drying and of the temperature practiced.

In European patent n ° 41446, we have already studied the phenomena that occur when drying coiled hair on curlers. This study made it possible to highlight that a phenomenon occurs in the hair after the end of the water uptake. As explained in this patent, this phenomenon could consist of a "rearrangement" of the constituent molecules of the hair; it has been hypothesized that the wet treatment of the hair removes the hydrogen bonds for wet hair and that the use, after drying, of a phase of conditioning in hot and humid air makes it possible to rapidly reconstitute the said hydrogen bonds. According to this patent, it has therefore been proposed, in order to improve the holding performance of a styling, in the first place, to dry the hair wound on a curler until they have a loss in weight compared to their initial state before wet treatment and, secondly, subjecting them to a conditioning phase in an atmosphere having a relative humidity of between 35 and 80% approximately, at a temperature of between 35 ° C and 75 ° C.

In the case of drying free hair, it is clear that the difficulties encountered in the state of the art have nothing in common with the good performance of styling since the hair is not wound on curlers for their impart ripples. It is not a question of ensuring the persistence of the geometry imparted to each keratin fiber but of avoiding the deterioration on drying of the keratin fibers and in particular of their tips. Now, according to the invention, it has been found that, if, in a first phase, the free hair is dried in the usual way, partially or completely but without dehydrating it and if, in a second phase, the operation is finished using conditioning in wetter air, as during the conditioning phase described in European Patent No. 41,446, there was surprisingly and unexpectedly an improvement in the condition and appearance of the hair after drying and in particular of their spikes. In other words, the same conditioning phase, implemented under different conditions (loose hair and not coiled, returned after initial drying at a weight greater than or equal to their initial weight before wet treatment and not at a weight lower) leads to completely different results.

It has therefore been imagined, according to the invention, to subject the hair, after an initial drying, to a conditioning phase during which a relatively high relative humidity is maintained: it has been found that it is necessary to place the hair in an atmosphere having a temperature between 35 ° C and approximately 75 ° C and having a relative humidity between 40 and 80% approximately. The conditioning phase begins when the hair is still wet, that is to say when it has not yet lost all the amount of water absorbed during washing. hair.

The present invention therefore relates to a new method for drying the hair after a wet treatment in which, after said wet treatment, the hair is dried at a temperature between about 35 and 75 ° C., the last part of the drying being a conditioning phase using humid blown air having a relative humidity of between 40 and 80% approximately, characterized in that the hair is dried in the free state and that, to improve the condition and the appearance of the hair after drying and, in particular of its ends, it is first subjected to drying until the hair has lost at least 50% of the amount of water absorbed during the wet treatment, the weight hair nevertheless being at the end of drying greater than or equal to their initial weight before wet treatment, and then, in the conditioning phase in humid air until the desired dryness and the desired conditioning effect are obtained.

After the wet treatment, the hair is shaped according to the usual technique for free drying: the hair in the wet state is shaped, for example, with a comb according to the desired hairstyle.

In accordance with the present invention, drying occurs in two phases; the first phase corresponds to an initial drying carried out so as not to displace the hair or to displace it only in an insensitive manner; the second phase corresponds to the sending of a current of hot air (from 35 to 75 ° C), of moderate force and having a relative humidity included in the above-mentioned value range.

The conditioning phase is started at a chosen time in a time interval starting at the time when the hair has lost approximately 50% of the amount of water absorbed during the wet treatment and ending at the time when the hair has a weight equal to their initial weight before the wet treatment.

In a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, the temperature is maintained during the conditioning phase at a value between 35 and 60 ° C and, preferably close to 50 ° C; maintaining the temperature of the atmosphere, where the hair is located during the conditioning phase, at a value close to the temperature practiced during the initial drying of the hair; the conditioning phase is maintained for a time of between 5 and 60 minutes approximately, and preferably between 10 and 20 minutes approximately; the conditioning phase is carried out by injecting water vapor into the atmosphere, where the hair is located.

During the conditioning phase, a treatment product can optionally be injected into the atmosphere where the hair is located. By the term "treatment product" is meant a product ordinarily used in cosmetics, such as anti-seborrheic, anti-dandruff, anti-hair loss agents, film-forming resins, deodorants, disinfectants, perfumes, brilliantine and the like.

Advantageously, the initial drying of the hair is carried out before the conditioning phase, at a temperature between 40 and 75 ° C for a time between 10 and 60 minutes. This initial drying of the hair before the conditioning phase is, in a variant, carried out by ventilation, in an open circuit, of air taken from outside and heated.

Provision may be made for the initial wet treatment of the hair to be a wetting with water and / or a shampoo and / or a cosmetic treatment involving wetting of the hair with an aqueous or hydro-alcoholic solution, for example a solution of reinforcement such as resins; after the conditioning phase, a non-wetting cosmetic treatment can be applied to the hair, such as a spray of lacquer.

The hair treated by the method according to the invention can be natural hair, bleached, colored or permed.

With this process, a rapid "rearrangement" of the keratin fibers on the surface is ensured, which improves the shine and the general appearance of the hairstyle, in particular the appearance of the ends of the hair. In addition, there has been a surprising effect with regard to the movements or undulations which can, if necessary, be given to the hair: under the aforementioned optimal conditions, these movements or undulations appear more aesthetic and have a more natural appearance. , the hair then appearing in better condition.

To implement the method according to the invention, a device is used which includes means for adjusting the relative humidity of the atmosphere where the hair is placed and means for ensuring said drying of the hair.

In a first embodiment, such a device consists of two separate devices, one ensuring partial or total initial drying of the hair in the usual manner and the other ensuring the conditioning phase in a more humid atmosphere; the device ensuring the partial initial drying of the hair can be a conventional type dryer (helmet alone or lamp with infrared radiation); the device ensuring the conditioning phase can be an oven-enclosure with low air circulation.

In a second embodiment, the device according to the invention consists of a single device operating in two successive cycles, one corresponding to the initial drying - - and the other to the conditioning phase. In a first variant, the device consists of a flexible cap placed on the hair to be treated and supplied with hot air by a pipe connected to a heating and / or humidifier. In another variation, the device consists of a conventional type dryer hood equipped with an element allowing, during the conditioning phase, an injection of steam into the blown air; the start of the steam injection can be triggered automatically either after a predetermined drying time or when a predetermined relative humidity is reached in the drying atmosphere; the injection of steam can be controlled by a regulator keeping the value of the relative humidity of this air at a constant value.

To better understand the object of the invention, we will now describe, by way of purely illustrative and nonlimiting examples, several modes of implementation. The appended drawing provides schematic representations relating to the devices intended for implementing the method.

• - la figure 1 représente schématiquement les deux appareils qui constituent le premier mode de réalisation du dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention;
• - la figure 2 représente schématiquement un appareil constituant une première variante d'un deuxième mode de realisation du dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention;
• - la figure 3 représente schématiquement un appareil qui constitue une deuxième variante du deuxième mode de réalisation du dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé selon l'invention. Comme on l'a déjà indiqué au début de la présente description, un cheveu subit au moment de son mouillage une augmentation de poids de 35 % environ puis revient par séchage à un poids inférieur.

On this drawing:

• - Figure 1 shows schematically the two devices which constitute the first embodiment of the device for implementing the method according to the invention;
• - Figure 2 schematically shows an apparatus constituting a first variant of a second embodiment of the device for implementing the method according to the invention;
• - Figure 3 schematically shows an apparatus which constitutes a second variant of the second embodiment of the device for implementing the method according to the invention. As already indicated at the beginning of this description, a hair undergoes at the time of wetting an increase in weight of approximately 35% and then returns by drying to a lower weight.

The conditioning phase according to the present invention begins while the hair is still damp, that is to say when they have not lost all the amount of water absorbed during their washing or are still just dry, i.e. returned to their original weight before wet treatment. For example, packaging is started after 35 minutes of drying with hot air at 10% relative humidity; for this conditioning, the hair is placed in contact for 20 min with an atmosphere at 60 ° C. and 70% relative humidity. The hair thus treated has a great shine, without any bleaching of the ends.

For the implementation of the method according to the invention, it is proposed to use several types of devices.

The first type of device is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. It comprises a conventional type 1 dryer intended to carry out the drying phase of the method according to the invention and an oven enclosure 2, distinct from the dryer 1, said oven enclosure being supplied by line 3 so that a constant relative humidity is maintained there. The temperature inside the oven enclosure 2 is also kept constant. The user, who has undergone wetting of the hair, either with water or with the aid of a shampoo followed by rinsing, optionally with the application of a polymerizable reinforcing agent, puts her hair in shape by example by an appropriate combing and possibly placed under the dryer 1. Then, the user places her hair in the oven-enclosure 2 and maintains it there for the expected conditioning time. Then, the user carries out, if desired, a finishing combing.

The second embodiment of the device for implementing the method according to the invention is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. In this figure, it can be seen that the user, whose hair has been wetted and shaped as indicated above and who wishes to dry his hair beforehand, places it inside a flexible cap 4, made for example of plastic material, said cap being connected by a pipe 5 to a heating and / or humidifier member 6. During the phase of initial drying the member 6 sends hot air into the cap 4 and the air is evacuated through the pipe 5 which is used both for supplying and evacuating said air; the drying air is exhausted to the outside. When the initial drying phase is complete and the conditioning phase begins, the air circulation provided by the member 6 is no longer in an open circuit but in a closed circuit and the member 6 adds to the circulation air a sufficient amount of water to maintain inside the cap 4 a constant relative humidity. Instead of water, one can introduce into the air, during the conditioning phase, an aqueous or hydro-alcoholic liquid for hair or scalp treatment.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the device for implementing the method according to the invention consists of a helmet-dryer 7 of conventional type modified to allow said implementation. The dryer hood 7 is equipped with a fan 8 which sucks in the outside air in the direction of arrow F and pulses it after heating in the direction of the hair, the forced air coming out of the helmet around the wearer's head according to the arrows F1. The helmet 7 is equipped with a device 9 allowing the injection into the pulsed hot air flow of a quantity of steam intended to maintain a constant relative humidity. After the wet hair of the user has been shaped, the hair is put under the helmet 7 and the initial drying phase of the process is started. When the initial drying time has elapsed, water vapor (or a treatment liquid in the vapor state) is introduced through line 9 throughout the duration of the conditioning phase, the quantity of vapor being regulated so as to to maintain a constant relative humidity around the hair.

It is understood that the embodiments and embodiments described above are in no way limiting and may give rise to all desirable modifications, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Process for drying hair after a wet treatment in which, after the said wet treatment, the hair is dried at a temperature of between, approximately, 35 and 75° C, the final part of the drying being a conditioning stage using moist blown air with a relative humidity of between, approximately, 40 and 80%, characterized in that the hair is dried in a free state and that, in order to improve the state and the appearance of hair after drying and, especially of its ends, it is first subjected to drying until the hair has lost at least 50% of the water absorbed during the wet treatment, the weight of the hair at the end of drying being nevertheless greater or equal to its original weight before the wet treatment, and then, to the stage of conditioning in moist air until the required degree of dryness and the required conditioning effect have been achieved.

2. Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that after the wet treatment the hair is set according to the normal method for free drying.

3. Process according to either of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the initial drying of hair before the conditioning stage is performed by means of ventilation with air at a temperature of between 40 and 75° C for a period of between 10 and 60 minutes.

4. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the initial drying of hair before the conditioning stage is performed by ventilation, in an open circuit, with air drawn from outside and heated.

6. Process according to Claim 4, characterized in that a stream of hot air is directed onto hair during the initial drying and during the subsequent conditioning stage, the said stream being such in force that the hair is not displaced or is insignificantly displaced.

6. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the conditioning stage is performed at a temperature of between 35 and 60° C, and preferably, in the region of 50° C.

7. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the conditioning stage is performed at a temperature close to that employed during the initial drying of the hair.

8. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the conditioning stage is performed for a period of between, approximately, 5 and 60 min.

9. Process according to Claim 8, characterized in that the conditioning stage is performed for a period of between, approximately, 10 and 20 min.

10. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the conditioning stage is performed by injecting water vapour into the atmosphere in which the hair is situated.

11. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that during the conditioning stage a treatment product is injected into the atmosphere in which the hair is situated.

12. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the initial wet treatment of the hair is performed by means of wetting with water and/or shampooing and/or a cosmetic treatment involving wetting the hair with an aqueous or aqueous-alcoholic solution.

13. Process according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that natural, bleached, dyed or permanentwaved hair is treated.

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