Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1547346
Explore your benefits at ahphair.com 45 meaning they can't say they alter the biology of the scalp or hair. Fiber claims follow the same cosmetics-only standard: conditioning, smoothing, soening, preventing friction damage, but nothing implying the product alters the hair's structure at a biological level. Markos is particularly wary of a newer wave of language creeping into hair longevity marketing claims to: "reverse hair age," "reactivate" follicular stem cells, or "prolong" the anagen phase. "A change in a senescence marker in cultured cells is not proof that someone's follicles became younger," he says. "An antioxidant effect is not proof of longer anagen." When evaluating hair longevity claims, Markos recommends caution, especially because clinical trials follow participants for only a few weeks or months. Small echoes this from the salon side. He tells hair pros to check three things before repeating a claim to a client: What was actually measured? How many people were in the study? And does the language used in the claim describe consumer perception (i.e., self-reported) or a clinical setting? HAIR LONGEVITY INGREDIENTS TO WATCH Peptides are already the most visible ingredient story in hair longevity, mirroring their role in skin care. But experts stress that "peptide" is a category, not a single active, and the usefulness depends on which peptide, at what concentration, and how it's delivered. Yolanda Grunwald, a cosmetic chemist, points to biotinoyl tripeptide-1 and acetyl tetrapeptide-3 as follicle- and growth-focused options already showing up in serums. Exosomes and postbiotics are the ingredients experts expect to hear the most about next. Crenshaw is already seeing them in pre-shampoo and scalp-focused hybrid products where they help support the scalp barrier and carry proteins deeper into the follicle. Grunwald also flagged two newer scalp- focused ingredients worth watching: PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) for post-UV-exposure skin recovery and barrier support, and ectoin, an amino acid derivative with protective properties. Markos noted substantial clinical research behind select polyphenol compounds and hair-density outcomes, though he cautions that polyphenol is a class of ingredients that covers an enormous chemical family and the evidence is uneven across it. 1 According to Sheikh, encapsulation and other delivery technologies are expected to matter as much as any single active when it comes to hair longevity. Ingredients like peptides only work if they reach the follicle, she says, which is pushing formulators toward new ways to get actives into the hair. For hair pros, the overlap between ingredients used for skin and hair longevity creates an easy entry point for conversation. "Most clients already have a skin routine built around acne, the prevention of wrinkles, the need for SPF, and what actives work for specific conditions," Sheikh says. "From there, it's an easy bridge into a Genuine hair longevity isn't about making existing hair look younger. It's about preserving the follicle's ability to keep producing healthy hair through successive cycles.