In chemistry pH stands for potential of hydrogen. This is an extremely essential constituent of healthy hair. The element is responsible for the vibrant colour of your hair and its overall health and shine. You routinely use shampoos during hair wash. But you must also know that the pH levels in your shampoo determine the way the solution can affect your hair. While you do not need a chemistry degree to understand pH, you also must check the shampoo’s pack for the pH ingredient.
What exactly is the pH of the scalp and hair?
Hair products that we use consistently, control the pH of hair. Chemically, a pH of 7 is considered as neutral. Hair care products that contain pH values falling between 3.5 and 5.5 are extremely beneficial. There are also certain variations applied to pH. The cuticle layer tightens and contracts when the value drops down below 6. Which means using a conditioner with a pH lower than 7, which is mildly acidic, can smoothen the surface and add shine to the hair. It reflects light but is still prone to damage due to the strong acid. When you add red and orange tones to your hair, you should avoid using acidic hair conditioners.
Hair health and pH levels
The interior of the hair shafts is made up of cuticles, which open up with the use of alkaline-based products. This leaves these shafts exposed. Your aim is to close the cuticle and protect it from damage due to harmful elements. You should be ideally doing this by using a shampoo that is slightly acidic in nature to help retain the moisture within the hair shaft and to also close the cuticle.
On the other hand, when you colour your hair the cuticle absorbs the colour and deposits it into the cortex. Naturally secreted oils with a slightly acidic pH in the scalp try to keep your hair from drying up due to the colour dyes. Then again, frequent colouring can result in the overproduction of sebum, which is also harmful to the hair.
Therefore, it is important to get a shampoo that balances your hair’s pH levels and keeps the cuticles closed and also prevents the scalp from producing too much oil.
Shampoos to balance hair pH
Generally, pH balancing shampoos are important for everyone and not just for those who colour their hair frequently. You can reverse any damage due to excessive oil secretion, dryness and brittleness of hair by using a balancing pH shampoo.
