shampoo Archives -

October’s QOM- Can Apple Cider Vinegar replace shampoo?

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Dear Hair Doctor: What is your medical opinion on replacing traditional shampoo with Apple Cider Vinegar? Can it really help with dandruff and itchy scalp? Are there any benefits for tightly coiled black hair?

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I don’t think Apple Cider Vinegar is that useful as a complete replacement for shampoo as it cannot effectively remove oils etc from your hair that well because of its chemical properties. See this blog post from another scientist :

http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/07/can-you-wash-your-hair-with-baking-soda.html

Apple Cider Vinegar has been used traditionally as a final rinse to close the cuticle, make the hair shiny, and to remove any residual soap deposits from the hair. People used to wash their hair with soap (as well as with other naturally saponin rich plants like soapwort and aloe vera). Because Apple Cider Vinegar is acidic it helps to restore the pH of the scalp and hair, and in the process tackles excess flaking (dandruff). For highly textured hair, in women of African descent, it is quite useful as it helps to restore the pH which would be significantly changed once exposed to high pH shampoos and soaps. This renders this hair type rough and make it extremely unmanageable. Once the pH is restored the hair will be more likely to act better.

About

Dr. Llorenia Muir-Green is a practising dermatologist in Jamaica. She has an avid interest in hair and scalp disorders. She is a member of the Medical Association of Jamaica, Dermatology Association of Jamaica and is an Associate Member of the Caribbean Dermatology Association. She was a recipient of the 2013 Fellowship in Hair and Scalp Disorders at the University of British Columbia.

August’s QOM- What’s the difference between dry scalp and dandruff?

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Hey Doc, need some help. How do u differentiate between dry scalp and dandruff, and what’s the treatment for each? What causes or aggravates them? Pls help.

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A completely dry scalp i.e. where there is no oil and the skin cracked is actually not common. There are persons who have genetic and other unusual skin disorders where all of their skin including their scalp is dry. What people often refer to as “dry scalp” is actually dandruff. A flaky scalp does not necessarily mean it is dry. There are also other conditions that can result in a flaky scalp: psoriasis, discoid lupus and other scarring type hair loss.

For most persons they are experiencing seborrhoeic dermatitis which most often refer to as dandruff. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is caused by inflammation of the scalp caused by a fungus that lives on the scalp that feeds on the sebum that our scalp hairs produce. The scalp produces a lot of sebum even more than the face. Your hair type which is excessively curly does not make you be aware of it. For other races with straighter hair it is quite obvious how oily their hair can get. You actually do not need to oil the scalp ever.

The number one thing to alleviate dandruff is to wash your hair often. Do not go a week without washing your hair. You will see a difference in how your scalp reacts. Antifungal shampoos used directly on the scalp can be helpful. Ketoconazole, Selenium sulfide, Zinc Pyrithione II, and Tea tree oil containing shampoos are helpful. Leave them on for ten minutes. Rinse then wash your hair with the regular shampoo afterwards.

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Have a question you would like to be answered? Send in your question to ask@askthehairdoc.com. Remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google Plus.

ATHD Investigates Conditioner Washing

What is Conditioner Washing?

For the past few years, Conditioner Washing or Co-Washing has been the buzz term on the internet. Its popularity has garnered the development of professional products such as Wen and even more notable brands like Pantene Pro V and L’Oreal following suit.

The concept was popularised by curly expert Lorraine Massey of Devachan fame. She explains the concept quite well in her book “Curly Girl”. Basically, it uses regular rinse out conditioners to use as your cleanser instead of regular shampoo. The result is much more moisturised hair for persons with wavy/curly/coily/kinky hair.

Is there any science to this?

Surprisingly, there is a science to it, though cosmetic scientists may question its merit. Conditioners are filled with positively charged surfactants (compounds which allow oils and water to mix). Surfactants of a different category, namely anionic surfactants, are used in shampoos. Examples of anionic surfactants include Sodium Lauryl sulphate and Ammonium lauryl sulphate. These are very effective in attracting not only the unwanted dirt, grime, and sweat from your hair but necessary sebum as well. So after attaching to the dirt in your hair, they, along with the dirt, are easily rinsed away when you apply water to your hair. They are excellent degreasers but can cause already dry hair types such as wavy/curly/coily/kinky hair to become excessively dry. Sometimes this dryness is not rectified with the most potent of deep conditioning treatments, (as I’ve personally experienced). In fact detergents for wool, silk and other delicate fabrics are formulated with gentler anionic and cationic surfactants. Imagine that? You treat your silk better than your own hair!

So, instead of using these “harsher shampoos” Lorainne Massey suggested using the regular rinse out conditioners. The theory is that these conditioners would have enough surfactants to cleanse the hair but because of their conditioning nature they would not be terribly drying to the hair itself. There are many who have converted to this method of cleansing the hair.

A similar concept is practised in Dermatology with patients with Atopic eczema and other such conditions. Persons with this type of eczema do not have a normal skin barrier and require soap substitutes. The use of regular soaps and Sodium lauryl sulphate cleansers are not recommended because they will excessively dry out the skin worsening the condition significantly. I liken coily/kinky/curly hair to this type of skin. Due to the shape of the hair shaft itself, these hair types are drier by nature. So, using regular shampoos with Sodium Lauryl/Laureth sulphates have been found to give a similar drying effect as experienced on eczematous skin.

So is it worth a try?

It is definitely worth a try. These are the steps to a successful Co-Wash, modified from “Curly Girl”:

1. Choose a suitable rinse out conditioner or thin consistency leave- in conditioner or a commercially available Co-wash. You can do a search online for conditioners people recommend.

2. Just like using a shampoo, rinse your hair first with water, then apply a good amount of conditioner to your scalp. Massage well and rinse.

3. Now you will focus on your hair itself. If necessary, section your hair. Apply a ping pong or golf-sized ball amount of your conditioner to each section of your hair. Yes you will need a lot of conditioner. The tighter your curl pattern, the more you will need. Apply some amount of friction, massaging into the hair itself. If possible, milk the conditioner on the hair shaft in a downward direction. Ensure to use your fingers to help finger comb and take out any tangles whilst doing this.

4. Rinse your hair well again. You can then towel dry your hair and apply a deep conditioner (if necessary) or a leave-in conditioner.

5. Give yourself some time to get used to the concept. You may find over time that your hair will be less dry and much more manageable.

There you have it! You’ve done your first co-wash. Give it a few more tries and come up with a verdict.

Here is another scientist’s experience with co-wash:

http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/02/does-co-washing-really-clean-your-hair.html

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