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If we go back in our school days, you may probably be heard about the PH scale in your chemistry class.
Today we know about how the PH scale is important for maintaining the good health of hair.
PH means a power of hydrogen. As it is the a value to measure how acidic or alkaline a substance is.
If you wish to maintain the vibrant color, shine and overall health of your hair it is essential to know how PH levels in shampoo and other hair products affect our hair.
Contents
Overview of the PH Scale
You don’t need any teacher to understand it. As it is very pretty simple to understand the concept behind it.
Today many people are not aware of their shampoo what contains on it.
Here are the basics:
The PH scale ranges from 0 to 14. As you need to know that water has a PH value of 7 which means it is neutral.
So 7 means neutral. And if you find any value from 0-7 it means that it is acidic and if the value is 7-14 it means the higher numbers are alkaline.
The amount of hydrogen in a solution determines whether it is more acidic or alkaline. The best PH level for shampoo is between 5 and 7.
Why should we use PH balanced hair products?
When it comes to skin and hair care products it is better to use a product with a balanced pH level. The outer surface of our hair is made of cuticles which are like overlapping scales.
Alkali-based shampoos make these cuticles open and expose the outer surface of hair which is called cortex. When the cortex is exposed, hair strands are more prone to damage and breakage and become rough, dull, and tangled.
On the other hand, shampoos with slightly acidic components within the balanced PH level keep these cuticle scales closed, which helps in locking the moisture and natural oils of hair.
Alkaline shampoos wash away the natural oil of hair and to maintain the balance, our scalp produces even more oils which can give your hair a greasy look. But a PH adjusted shampoo helps in maintaining the natural level of oil and moisture making your hair soft and shiny.
What is the best PH level for a balanced shampoo?
Choose a mild shampoo with PH close to our skin’s PH (4.5-5.5), which is acidic.
Where a balanced shampoo choice is around 5-6, there are other variables factors that affect your choice.
For example, if you use too many styling hair products then you may need a shampoo with stronger ingredients. But you need to remember in mind, the higher the PH level of shampoo, the more harsher to your scalp and hair.
Types of Shampoo
There are many types of shampoos for every type of hair and scalp condition. Dry, oily, fine, coarse, limp, lightened, color-treated, or chemical treated shampoo are available in the market.
Acid Balanced Shampoo – These types of shampoo are balanced for the PH of the skin and hair. Shampoo can become acid balanced by adding citric, lactic, or phosphoric acid.
An acid PH of 4.5 to 5.5 is essential to prevent excessive dryness and hair damage during the cleansing process. Acid-balanced shampoos help to close the hair cuticle and are recommended for hair that has been color treated or lightened.
Conditioning and Moisturizing Shampoo – These types of shampoos do not remove natural oils and artificial colors from the hair. Their purpose is to make the hair smooth and shiny. These conditioning agents only restore moisture and produce elasticity and strengthen the hair shaft.
Medicated Shampoo – In this types of shampoo, it contains special ingredients, chemicals, or drugs that help to remove the scalp conditions like dandruff, Itchy Scalp, eczema, or many.
There are also some medicated shampoos that fight the more severe scalp conditions and it must be prescribed by a doctor only.
These shampoos are quite strong. In most cases, the shampoo must use on the scalp for a longer period of time than regular shampoo in order for the active ingredients to take effect.
Clarifying Shampoo – These shampoos are acidic on the PH scale. They cut through product buildup that can flatten hair, and allow the hair to shine. This type of shampoo should be used once a week or once every 2 weeks.
Balancing Shampoo – It is the most misused shampoo due to not understanding its use. Balancing shampoos are designed for oily hair and scalp and wash away the excess oil on the hair. This shampoo is not ideal for dry and brittle hair.
Dry or Powder Shampoo – These shampoos that cleanse the hair without the use of water. This is ideal for the elderly and people where there is a challenge to use water on the hair due to some type of incapacity. The powder is applied throughout the hair and then brushed thoroughly, this makes the dirt out.
Color Enhancing Shampoo – They are designed to brighten, add a slight color, and eliminate unwanted color tones to the hair. It is generally similar to temporary color rinses. These light color can be removed with plain shampoo.
Always use the right hair care shampoo according to your need and see the difference in how your hair looks.