# US 5,348,737 A · Composition and process for decreasing hair fiber swelling

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- Number: US 5,348,737 A
- Document ID: US5348737A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/095,614
- Filed: 1993-07-21
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1993-07-21
- Assignees: Avlon Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Ali N. Syed; Kaleem Ahmad
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348737A

## CPC

- A61K 8/24: Phosphorous; Compounds thereof
- A61K 8/36: Carboxylic acids; Salts or anhydrides thereof
- A61K 8/365: Hydroxycarboxylic acids; Ketocarboxylic acids
- A61K 8/60: Sugars; Derivatives thereof
- A61K 8/732: {Starch; Amylose; Amylopectin; Derivatives thereof}
- A61Q 5/04: Preparations for permanent waving or straightening the hair
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS

## Abstract

A process for relaxing hair in which the hair fibers undergo minimal swelling is provided, using a composition that decreases the swelling of hair fibers. Use of the composition or process decreases hair fiber swelling during the relaxing process, thereby decreasing structural damage to the hair while increasing hair fiber strength.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for relaxing hair fibers comprising the steps of:
(a) lanthionizing hair fibers with a non-reducing base; and
(b) applying to the hair fibers a deswelling composition selected from the group consisting of starch, sugar and salt and further comprising a pH- decreasing agent selected from the group consisting of lactic acid and phosphoric acid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the deswelling composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sodium lactate, glycerol sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, fructose, magnesium sulfate, and sodium acetate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the deswelling composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sodium lactate, glycerol, sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, fructose, magnesium sulfate, and sodium acetate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the deswelling composition has a pH between about 0.5 and about 2.5.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
(c) rinsing the deswelling composition from the hair with water.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The process of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:
(d) reapplying the deswelling composition to the hair; and
(e) rinsing the composition from the hair.

### Claim 7

A composition for decreasing the swelling of hair fibers comprising a component selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sodium lactate, glycerol, sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, fructose, magnesium sulfate, and sodium acetate and further comprising a pH- decreasing agent selected from the group consisting of lactic acid and phosphoric acid.

### Claim 8

A composition for decreasing the swelling of hair fibers during the relaxing process comprising
(a) between about 10 and about 95 parts by weight of a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate;
(b) between 0.00 and about 12.00 parts by weight of a noncaustic acid;
(c) between about 0.25 and about 5.0 parts by weight of a cationic polymer; and
(d) between about 0.1 and about 5.0 parts by weight ethoxylated fatty acid.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The composition of claim 8 wherein the non-caustic acid is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and lactic acid.