Hair acidification is a treatment that aims to balance the pH of the hair, restoring shine, softness and health to damaged and lifeless strands.
If you’re up to date with the main hair care trends, you may have already heard about capillary acidification. Despite the slightly different name, hair acidification is a treatment that has been very beneficial for hair, especially dry, porous and lifeless hair.
This is because hair acidification consists of a treatment that aims to balance the pH of the hair. In this way, the treatment manages to restore damaged and damaged hair to its health and beauty. For hair that has undergone chemical procedures, hair acidification is an essential treatment.
In fact, acidification is done using products, such as creams, or by homemade means, using vinegar or lemon. Next, we will better understand what it is, how to do it, and the benefits of the treatment.
What is capillary acidification and what is it for?
It is a treatment/procedure carried out on the hair in order to balance the pH of the hair. As Dr. Joana Darc Diniz explained to the website Tudo pra Cabelo “The pH of hair is naturally acidic, around 5.5. Less than 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral and greater than 7 is alkaline.”so it needs acidity to stay healthy, shiny and silky.
Therefore, with everyday external factors, they end up increasing the pH of the hair, thus making it more alkaline, as explained by specialist Ana Carina Junqueira, on the website Minha vida. “Generally, chemical processes, such as straightening and bleaching, as well as pool and sea water and the excessive use of straighteners and curling irons, leave the hair’s pH more alkaline and the hair becomes more porous, dry and opaque.”.
So, in these cases, hair acidification is very necessary, to restore balance to the hair.
How and when to do it?
As previously mentioned, hair acidification is necessary when the strands appear dry, porous and opaque. This is because these specific characteristics indicate that the pH of the hair is alkaline. Therefore, it is more susceptible to daily aggressions, since with open cuticles it has more difficulty absorbing nutrients.
In fact, hair acidification can be included as a step in your hair schedule. And despite the name that suggests a complex treatment, it is actually quite simple. The treatment can be carried out using industrialized products designed to balance hair pH, as well as homemade recipes. Therefore, hair acidification can be done in salons and also at home.
These products should be used after the shampoo and before the hydrating mask. Therefore, following your normal hair care routine, wash your hair with your usual shampoo, then apply the acidifying product, leave it to act for the indicated time and then rinse. Finally, complete the treatment using the mask to hydrate.
How often to do it?
The ideal is to add hair acidification to your schedule, interspersing hydration, nutrition and reconstruction to completely restore the health of your hair.
As for the frequency of treatment, experts suggest that this should be determined based on the needs of each hair. For example, if your hair is very porous, after undergoing an intense chemical procedure, the ideal is to acidify it once a week and reduce the frequency according to the evolution of the strands.
Now, in the case of less damaged hair, include the treatment every 15 days, and finally, in cases of mild damage, acidification can be done monthly.
Homemade acidification
There are several hair products on the market with acidifying action, however, it is also possible to acidify them with homemade ingredients, such as apple cider vinegar.
So, to do this, you need to mix a spoonful of apple cider vinegar with three spoons of your conditioner. Therefore, apply the mixture to your hair after washing with shampoo, and finish with the mask as usual.
“Apple cider vinegar is a natural ally that helps rebalance the acidic pH of your hair, due to its composition. This closes the fiber scales, protecting it from external damage and giving the hair that extra shine.”says Dr. Joana Darc.
In addition to vinegar, another natural ingredient that can be recommended for homemade acidification is lemon. Here, you will use 30 ml of lemon juice with 150 ml of water. After washing your hair, apply lemon water to your hair for about 5 minutes and then finish with conditioner.
What are the benefits of hair acidification?
Firstly, this treatment is suitable for all hair types, no matter the structure, straight, wavy, curly or frizzy. So, we started by considering it to be a very democratic treatment. However, it is ideal when the hair is damaged.
But the benefits of acidification are due to the function of the treatment, which is to rebalance the pH of the hair.. By doing this, it is possible to protect the hair against aggression, while providing emollience and shine. Furthermore, the less porosity, the easier it is to untangle the hair and prevent breakage.
What’s more, as the treatment helps close the cuticles, it brings even more benefits, such as stronger, healthier and protected hair. This way, it is possible to retain the necessary hydration and nutrients for longer.
READ MORE:
How to have beautiful, healthy hair in 12 steps
Hair appearance – Types, washing technique and tips
Sources: My Life Everything for Hair Tips for Women Caprice
