This article was co-authored by Karen Leight and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger, BA. Karen Leight is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Karen Renee Hair, a private salon suite inside the Salon Republic Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Karen is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in hair color, balayage technique, and women’s and men’s precision haircuts.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 519,132 times.
Your hair probably seems pretty neutral, but did you know it's actually slightly acidic? On the pH scale, 7 is neutral—anything above that is alkaline and anything below that is acidic. The pH of your scalp should be about 5.5 and your hair itself should be around 3.6.[1] However, hair products and chemical treatments can affect the pH of your hair—they can raise the alkalinity, making your hair's pH too high. Luckily, there are a few natural methods that may help you balance your hair's pH, restoring its healthy shine.
Steps
Expert Q&A
-
QuestionDoes lemon help pH balance in hair?Mohiba Tareen, MDMohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.
FAAD Board Certified DermatologistSure! As a board certified dermatologist, there are a few natural remedies that can work, such as apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, which can help restore the pH levels of the scalp and hair follicles, just be sure to dilute them. If you’re experiencing seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff, you may be better off with a sulfate free shampoo like head and shoulders to rebalance your pH. -
QuestionWhy then do we rinse hair with just water which has a pH of 7 when hair is closer to 5.5? Would it be good to use a slightly acidic final rinse?wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerwikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerSome people swear by rinsing their hair with a slightly acidic solution like aloe juice or diluted apple cider vinegar! -
QuestionWouldn't using shampoos and conditioners with slightly acidic pH be pointless if you rinse them off with water that is neutral (pH of 7)?wikiHow Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerwikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerSome people recommend using apple cider vinegar instead of water for your final rinse.
Video
Tips
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about taking care of your hair, check out our in-depth interview with Mohiba Tareen, MD.
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158629/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158629/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/
- ↑ https://www.thankyourbody.com/ph-balanced-shampoo-recipe/
- ↑ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/hair/how-to/a36257/rye-flour-shampoo-diy/
- ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/03/10/the-science-or-lack-thereof-behind-the-no-poo-hair-trend/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158629/
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/pH-and-acidity-of-fresh-and-concentrated-aloe-vera-gel-juice_tbl10_272093333
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4458934/
- ↑ https://www.elle.com/beauty/hair/a25860228/aloe-vera-for-hair-benefits/
- ↑ https://www.mydr.com.au/nutrition-weight/apple-cider-vinegar/
- ↑ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a30786071/apple-cider-vinegar-for-hair/
- ↑ https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/why-you-should-rinse-your-hair-with-this-diy-apple-cider-vinegar-recipe
- ↑ https://stylecaster.com/feature/best-diy-hair-mask-1099220/
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
-
"We don't use almond oil, apple cidar vinegar etc. at our home, but we do use lemons that was mentioned in the 'Tips' and it does work! It provides abt 4 days of relief from "flaky scalp" which is much better than before. It'll replace my shampoo."..." more