Takara Belmont Corporation (hereinafter Takara Belmont) has developed a new technology for analyzing hair, leading to the discovery of structural changes in the medulla, the central part of hair previously largely not visible to researchers. As a result, it has developed a new hair care system, designated "Hair Medulla Care," which beautifies hair by reconstructing the medulla. Looking ahead, Takara Belmont will build on these findings to deepen scientific knowledge of the medulla, with a view to applying the research in new hair care products. Research outline: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202011116992-O1-B8PfIAWa.pdf The research findings were selected for a prestigious oral presentation at the 31st IFSCC Congress 2020 Yokohama, the academic conference of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists, held online from October 21 to October 30, 2020. About the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202011116992-O2-u3P134eu.pdf Hair structure is generally divided into three regions: the cuticle on the outside, the cortex, and then the medulla core. Hair is a field of cosmetic research in which much remains to be discovered and, in particular, very little is known about the detailed structure and function of the medulla. To unlock its secrets, the Takara Belmont Cosmetics Laboratory has developed a new hair-sectioning technology for directly observing the internal structure in order to analyze the medulla in detail. The key feature of this technology is Takara Belmont's original method of cutting individual hairs lengthwise to observe it, a first for the industry. Using this hair-sectioning technology, it was discovered that two types of medulla exist: the "black medulla" in which light is scattered and the interior appears black and unclear, and the "white medulla" which scatters less light, resulting in a white and clear appearance. In the white medulla, the central fibrous structure is thicker and has fewer than half the pores of the black medulla. Based on this knowledge, Takara Belmont succeeded in developing Hair Medulla Care, a method for filling a porous black medulla, changing it into white medulla-like condition and then maintaining that state. For example, the whitest and most apparent gray hair samples taken from Japanese people were characterized by a large number of black medulla. When the company applied the Hair Medulla Care treatment to these gray hairs, it was able to confirm that their transparency improved, and they took on a more beautiful appearance, a significant finding which it predicts will excite the beauty industry. Hidetaka Yoshikawa, Chairman and CEO of Takara Belmont, states: "I feel extremely pleased that our research institute has been able to report this kind of world-first result. I consider this to be an extremely important discovery for accelerating hair research. Going forward, I aim to contribute to the beauty industry and wider society in the form of cosmetics development, so that many people from all walks of life can enjoy beautiful hair." Takara Belmont will pursue further research into Hair Medulla Care and investigate a variety of hair conditions in addition to graying in order to accelerate medulla research and its application to products. Going forward, Takara Belmont will create new technologies and new value, apply them to merchandise and services, and spread the hope of beauty by responding to the hair-related concerns of people worldwide, aiming for the realization of the ideal hair of each person, and maximizing the potential of this research. About Takara Belmont: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202011116992-O3-9YvJ5Vgx.pdf Corporate Information Company Name: Takara Belmont Corp. Representative: Hidetaka Yoshikawa, Chairman and CEO Locations: Osaka Headquarters: 2-1-1, Higashishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka Tokyo Headquarters: 7-1-19, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Founded: October 5, 1921 Capital: 300 million yen No. of employees: 1,544 (as of March 31, 2020) Line of business: Hairdressing-related appliances and equipment, cosmetics, dentistry- and medical- related apparatus and equipment Official website: https://www.takarabelmont.co.jp/global/ Source: Takara Belmont Corporation