Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD If you’re looking for an easy way to get smoother, shinier and less tangle-prone hair, you need to take a look at apple cider vinegar rinses! Apple cider vinegar rinses are super cheap and super easy, and apple cider vinegar rinses have amazing benefits for your hair.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made from the juice of crushed apples. Specific bacteria and yeast are added to the juice, and a fermentation process occurs. The result is ACV. Apple cider vinegar is an acidic liquid, and it has a pH that hovers between 2-3.
What the Heck is pH?
The pH is the measure of the hydrogen ions in a solution. The pH number tells us how acidic or alkaline something is. If the pH of something is less than 7 it’s acidic. If the pH is more than 7, a solution is alkaline. Relaxers, for instance, are alkaline. If the pH of something is 7, it’s considered neutral.
Why Acidic pH is Good for Your Hair
Both your scalp and your hair normally have an acidic pH. The scalp pH is around 5.5, and your hair pH is around 3.7. Unfortunately, many hair products, and even hard water and mineral deposits, can raise the pH of your hair. When the pH of your hair is too alkaline (too high), there is more friction between your hair strands and your hair is more likely to be tangled and frizzy. ACV rinses can help your hair get back to its happy spot on the pH scale.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses
The acidic pH of ACV will smooth a rough or open cuticle and make it lay flatter. The flattening of your hair cuticle makes your hair look shinier and smoother. It also makes your hair less likely to tangle and develop those annoying fairy knots.
smooth vs. rough cuticle
Apple cider vinegar also has both antibacterial and antifungal properties. These antimicrobial properties can also be helpful in maintaining a healthy scalp. Many people claim that ACV rinses helps soothe itch and improve dandruff.
AVC rinses won’t change your hair’s natural porosity tendencies, but if you’re have high porosity hair, it will help to flatten your cuticle. By bringing your hair back to a more natural acidic pH, ACV helps your hair stay moisturized longer and makes it less prone to dryness.
Hair Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar:
- Flattens the cuticle of your hair
- Smoothes High Porosity Hair
- Decreases Moisture Loss
- Decreases Frizz and Tangles
- Increases Shine
- Decreases Knots and Breakage
- Greater Length Retention
How to Use
Remember to always dilute your ACV. Some people claim to use it undiluted, but I would not do this. Apple cider vinegar is acidic, and too much acidity can break down your hair.
- Start with 1 teaspoon of ACV in one cup of water. Spritz this onto your hair and scalp and massage in. You can then rinse.
- Do this monthly at first, and if your hair is responding well, you can do it every other week.
Most people seem to like organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar like Braggs (which has a natural sediment called the mother, and probably has more nutrients), but in a pinch, you can also use regular ACV.
Here’s a video from Nik Scott showing how she uses ACV rinses to maintain her lovely natural hair:
Precautions
- Always dilute your ACV
- If your scalp condition or hair problems worsen with ACV, stop it! See a dermatologist.
- Don’t get it in your eyes! Ouch!
- Don’t do them too often. Respect the acidity! Start monthly, and increase cautiously.
