We truly believe in the supremacy of ingredients. A potent shot of an ingredient onto the skin could be a way to make your skin look healthier and glowing. Lately, chemical exfoliation has been on the list of every beauty fanatic. There have been AHAs that have outdone themselves with fabulous formulations and tremendous results. One such ingredient that has always been in our purview is lactic acid. A gentle exfoliator known for its deep moisturisation to the skin, lactic acid might be our favourite ingredient. It is time to reap the benefits of an exfoliating acid for our hair and scalp too. Just like the skin, our scalp is also congested and has dirt that we need to get rid of for better growth of hair. Lactic acid almost works the same on the scalp as it does on the skin and to get deeper into the topic, we got in touch with dermatologists to back up the facts and give us in-depth insights on the same.
Why Lactic Acid For Hair?
What if we told you that applying spoiled milk to your tresses would eventually get you manageable hair, would you believe it? When it comes to ingredients, it is often tempting to reach out for the highest potency ingredients. One such ingredient that is making rounds in the beauty world is lactic acid for its gentle formulations. This time we are intrigued about using lactic acid for hair as it is believed to slough off dead skin cells from the scalp to lend a healthier scalp and better-looking mane.
"Our scalp requires gentle exfoliation and the best chemical exfoliant is AHA, particularly lactic acid. Chemical exfoliators known as AHAs can help to reduce flakes, greasiness or oil on the scalp, resulting in less greasy and less oily hair," tells us Dr. Noopur Jain, MD Dermatology and Founder, SkinZest.
Seconding the notion, Dr Madhuri Agarwal, Founder & Medical Director, Yavana Aesthetics Clinic elaborates, "Lactic acid cleanses the hair without stripping moisture. It lowers enzyme population and reduces build up due to yeast like malassezia furfur. It helps to draw moisture in hair a.k.a. it works as a humectant."
Scalp Exfoliation And All You Need To Know
Your scalp deserves your attention too. We are quite familiar with the concept that exfoliation is a cornerstone for clear and healthy-looking skin but do you know that exfoliation could also give you strengthened tresses? Maintaining scalp health is a necessity and while we love scalp scrubs, something more scientific like chemical exfoliants could also be a great way to get rid of congested scalp or clogged pores.
"Lactic acid has exfoliating properties, which eventually is extremely useful in removing dirt and pollutants from the hair and scalp. It also makes detangling easier. The antibacterial properties help to prevent infections of the hair follicles, such as folliculitis," explains Dr Noopur Jain. She further adds, "Always check how your tresses or scalp react to such treatments and it is best to do a patch test before completely starting off."
Inculcating lactic acid in your hair care regimen is the best way to start dedicated TLC. Dr. Madhuri adds, "Exfoliation helps to keep the scalp clean and reduces build-up due to the constant environmental and hair treatments. Lactic acid can be used in the form of shampoos, serums or hair sprays as products infused with lactic acid help in degreasing the hair and maintaining the PH balance as well."
Experts also suggest avoiding using extremely high concentrated formulations of lactic acid frequently as it can lead to an increase in dryness and allergic reactions of the scalp.
Benefits Of Lactic Acid
Excess of anything could give you the reversed or unexpected outputs, hence it is important to ensure that you are using the right amount for best results. Lactic acid could be the root of lustrous and healthy hair and these benefits will convince you to try it at least once.
"Lactic acid eliminates dead cells and improves the natural shedding process. It nourishes and moisturizes the scalp as it allows the scalp's natural oils to nurture and maintain its health," states Dr Noopur.
Comments
Dr Madhuri explains that lactic acid is a great way to reduce dandruff and flakiness." Lactic acid increases tensile strength and controls frizz. It also moisturizes and conditions the hair, thus aids in controlling hair breakage," she elaborates.
