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Many of us may not be aware of the fact that the natural pH of our hair is acidic and most of the haircare products used by us are alkaline in nature. In order to maintain pH balance of your hair, it is very important that you acidify your hair. Your hair is at its best in the acidic environment. The thought of applying acid to your hair may be quite horrifying and you may think that your hair might have to go through lot of chemical treatment, but actually, it’s the other way round. It has nothing to do with chemical treatment.
In order to have a healthy , shiny and voluminous hair, you should start working from the base i.e the scalp from where the hair originates. It is a good idea to acidify your hair to maintain the pH balance of your hair. You may be amazed to know that Lactic Acid is known to be quite beneficial in lowering the pH balance of your hair and scalp, thereby making your hair shiny and bouncy. Keep reading to find out more about what acidifying your hair means, why acids are worth using in hair care and the procedure to maintain the natural pH balance of your hair.
Acidify Your Hair
It simply means lowering the pH of your hair and scalp so that it becomes more acidic. The treatment is extremely beneficial for your hair and scalp as it makes your hair more vibrant and helps to tame flyaways and frizzy hair. The benefits of this treatment for your hair can be compared to hair oil treatment. It helps to maintain a healthy scalp and beautiful hair.
Also Read : 15 Tested Home Remedies For Frizzy Hair
Why Should You Acidify Your Hair
The normal pH of your scalp is 5.5 and even slight deviation from this scale can cause hair problems such as dry and frizzy hair. When the pH balance of the scalp is disturbed it ends into the flaky and itchy scalp. It is also worth mentioning that almost all the hair care products available in the market are alkaline in nature and causes disturbance in the pH balance of your hair and scalp. Below mentioned are a few reasons why the pH balance of your hair and scalp gets disturbed.
- Applying home remedies using wrong proportion of ingredients.
- Use deep cleansing shampoos which are known to open up the cuticles of hair.
- Excessive use of hair colours and dyes which are alkaline in nature.
- Frequent application of hair masks and hair conditioners which are known to penetrate the hair.
- Using kids shampoo which is strongly alkaline in nature.
Most of the hair care products which are available in the market are alkaline in nature which tends to disturb the pH balance of your hair and scalp. So the next question that pops up into your mind will be how to deal with the issue? How to acidify your hair? Keep reading to know how to restore the acidity of your hair.
How To Acidify Your Hair?
Acids are not harmful to your hair or scalp if you use them in moderation. But too much of acid and too much of alkaline can deteriorate the condition of your hair making it extremely dry. You should have a fair knowledge of how much acid is required to maintain the pH balance of your body. Acidic hair rinses are considered to be the best to maintain the silky soft and shiny hair. Here is where Lactic Acid comes into the picture.
Lactic Acid is one of the group of organic compounds which is collectively referred to as alpha-hydroxy acids or AHAs. It is widely used in skincare as well as hair care products. Lactic Acid or other acids makes your dry, frizzy hair more manageable. It is also known to increase the tensile strength of your hair. Lactic acid in slightly higher concentration is known to stripe the outer keratin coating of your hair, thus increasing the permeability of your hair. This helps your hair to readily absorb other nutritive topical substances. Lactic acid hair rinses can be used after every hair wash as it helps to seal the cuticle of your hair, thus trapping moisture inside your hair, making your hair look hydrated and nourished.
It is very important that you should always keep a watch on how your hair reacts to such treatment and then you can decide upon the frequency of its use. Introducing this simple acidic hair rinsing treatment to your hair wash routine can have a magical effect on the texture of your hair. Your hair appears to be more bouncy and voluminous that before.
Benefits Of Lactic Acid For Your Hair
In the last few decades, Lactic Acid has gained importance in cosmetic products. Lactic Acid, a prominent AHA which is found in many skin care is known to be quite beneficial for your skin as it improves the texture and appearance of your skin making it flawless, radiant and youthful. Recently Lactic Acid has gained a surge in hair care products as well. It is considered to be equally beneficial for your hair and scalp. Let’s check the benefits of Lactic Acid for your hair and scalp
- One of the first and foremost benefit of Lactic acid is that it helps to maintain the pH balance of your hair and scalp.
- It helps to make your hair more manageable as it has a conditioning and moisturizing effect on your skin.
- It helps to protect your hair by sealing the cuticle of your hair.
- It helps to increase the tensile strength of your hair, thus preventing breakage of hair.
- It increases the elasticity of your hair thereby making it frizz-free.
- It protects your hair from the damage caused by excessive use of styling tools.
- It prevents itchy and flaky scalp responsible for causing dandruff, by maintaining the proper pH balance of your scalp.
- It acts as an exfoliator removing dead skin cells from the scalp and gently removes dirt, dust and grime from the hair without stripping the hair off its natural moisture.
- It also helps to improve blood circulation and deeply cleanse the scalp, thereby promoting hair growth.
Apart from Lactic Acid, other mild acids such as glycolic acid, malic acid and mandelic acid are the ones which help to maintain the low pH level of your hair and scalp.
Lactic Acid in Hair Care Products
In order to harness the benefits of Lactic Acid, it is used in many commercial hair care products such as shampoos and conditioners for cleansing, moisturizing, conditioning your hair. Lactic Acid rich hair care products are excellent for making your hair soft, smooth and frizz-free. Instead of using commercial hair care products which are loaded with harmful chemicals, go for mild shampoos and conditioners which are gentle on your scalp as well as your hair and which do not disturb the pH balance of your hair. Look for names such as lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, malic acid and fruit extracts mentioned on the label before purchasing shampoos and conditioners as these feminine hair washes are gentle on your scalp, hair and won’t stripe the hair of its natural oil. It also provides sun protection and strengthens your strands by improving the texture of your hair.
Also Read : Amazing Benefits of Citric Acid For Your Hair
How Often To Acidify Hair?
Acidic Hair Rinses can be done once a week. Excessive use can result in dry, damaged and frizzy hair. The type of acidic hair care product that you are using also matters a lot as the hair product with a low pH of 4-5 can be used frequently, but anything higher than this needs to be used with caution and be used in moderation.
What does The Treatment Aim At?
The treatment mainly aims at restoring the original pH 5.5 of your scalp which generally gets disturbed due to the excessive use hair care products which are alkaline in nature, thereby resulting in loss of hair, dry, dull hair and itchy and flaky scalp. Treating hair with acids such as lactic acid helps to maintain a problem-free scalp and a well-nourished and hydrated strand.
How Does Lactic Acid Work On Your Scalp And Hair?
Treating your hair with Lactic Acid is quite similar to hair oil treatment. Both have the same effect on your hair and scalp. In fact, Lactic Acid treatment is more beneficial to your hair as compared to hair oiling as applying oil to your hair does not increase the porosity of your strands. Unlike hair oil, Lactic Acid won’t weigh down your hair. It works on your scalp and hair by aiding in the closure of hair cuticles, thus sealing the moisture in your strands and imparting glossy shine to your hair. Lactic Acid has smaller molecules due to which it easily penetrates deep into the layers of your strand, making it soft, smooth and silky which in turn makes your strands more manageable. It forms a protective layer over your hair, preventing the damage caused by the harmful UV rays of the sun.
Other Acidic Hair Rinses
Apart from Lactic Acid hair rinse other acidic hair rinses include vinegar, beer and lemon hair rinses. The best acidic hair rinse for your hair is the one which contains mild acids and has low pH ingredients. While using acidic hair rinses you should be careful about the exact proportions of ingredients to be used otherwise it will cause more damage to your hair rather than a benefit. If you are a beginner and not quite sure about the proportions then it is always better to use the readymade acidic hair rinse.
Potential Side Effects Of Using Lactic Acid On Scalp And Hair
If you are using the acid treatment for the first time, then apply a small amount of it on your scalp and check for any allergic reaction on your scalp. When used in moderation Lactic Acid does no harm to your hair and scalp. But excess of it can cause skin peeling, scalp dryness, itching and flaky scalp. Your hair also tends to become dry, frizzy and dull by the excess use of acids on your hair.
Also Read: Health And Beauty Benefits Of Lactic Acid
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