Guide to pH Balance for Hair
We all know pH is related to water. However, with the awareness spreading to deep levels, now people are talking about pH balance in almost every product. If you see around, you will find that even toilet cleaning products are also marketed as pH balanced. To understand this, we must know about pH first.
What is pH?
The term pH refers to the potency of hydrogen, and it is a scale used to measure whether the solution is acidic or alkaline. The pH scale is from values 0 to 14.
Under this, Acidity is the amount of acid in a substance that is ordinarily liquid-containing hydrogen. It acts with other substances and gives salts. On the pH scale, the acids have values from 0 to 7.
Alkalinity is a measure of alkaline substance in the solution. It is the opposite side of the scale of the pH balance. On the pH scale, the alkalis have values from 7 to 14.
Importance of pH balance for hair –
Since all hair products have a pH, and so does hair, there must be a balance to keep the hair healthy. The natural healthy hair will have a pH around 4.5-5.5, meaning it is slightly acidic. It is pretty clear that to keep hair healthy, and one can’t use products opposite to this pH.
How to maintain pH for healthy hair?
The impact of hair products will be different for products with different pH. One must know what pH of such products is healthy for hair and which products to be avoided. The high pH product pens the hair cuticle, and the low pH product will smooth and close the cuticle.
If one needs to keep hair healthy, it is advisable to use a range of products from only one brand.
- Shampoo must have a pH range between 4 to 8. Usually, the anti-dandruff shampoo will have a pH of over 5.5. To prevent damage, children’s shampoo will have neutral pH of 7.
- While you are using shampoo alone, use the one with lower pH but never use shampoo with pH below 4 and above 9.
- The hair conditioner has a lower pH (approximately 3.5) that helps hair to return to normal position. It seals moisture and closes the cuticles.
- While using shampoo and conditioner, choose the higher pH shampoo and lower pH conditioner to balance hair health.
While you are using some products to keep hair clean and healthy, carry out some study about the effects before using.
