Apple cider vinegar is a fermented liquid made from apples. It’s a popular condiment in some types of cooking and has been widely used as a home remedy for everything from arthritis and athlete’s foot to diarrhoea and digestion. It has been praised for it’s holistic healing abilities the world over, but is apple cider vinegar a legit hair loss treatment or just another bogus home remedy?
The benefits of apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is the unfortunate recipient of many a ridiculous health claim, but it actually can improve a great variety of health issues, including aiding digestion and reducing flatulence and even helping diabetics reduce their blood sugar after a meal. But what about hair loss? Does this magical all-curing concoction have any effect on hair loss?
The answer is: kinda. Apple cider vinegar has been praised for its effects on scalp health, hair strength, and sheen, all good qualities to have if you’re worried about losing your hair, but it won’t stop your hair falling out.
How apple cider vinegar improves hair health?
While apple cider vinegar and its relation to hair health specifically is quite understudied, a lot of evidence suggests that it does play a role in gaining and maintaining a healthy mane.
One 2014 study looked at the effects of shampoo pH on hair health and found that high alkalinity shampoos resulted in increased friction, leading to a higher incidence of frizz, roughness, dryness and breakage. In other words, high alkalinity shampoos cause nasty locks. Apple cider vinegar then, being acidic, helps to stabilise the pH of your scalp, leading to healthy hair with the sheen and smoothness of that of a Disney prince.
Apple cider vinegar is also a probiotic superfood, much like kimchi, yoghurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha. It’s packed with good bacteria that help fight unwanted bacteria and fungi. The liquid’s probiotic properties explain why it’s hailed as a gut-balancing anti-bloat wonder, and they support its reputation as a scalp health booster. The live cultures present in apple cider vinegar help to fight fungi and bacteria that might live on the scalp and cause itchiness and other unpleasantries.
So, yes, apple cider vinegar can help you with a healthy head of hair, but it isn’t a cure-all. There is insufficient evidence to support apple cider vinegar as a treatment for dandruff or inflammation, or as a vitamin supplement for hair. It’s also unlikely that apple cider vinegar has any impact on male pattern hair loss. If you want science-backed treatment for that, look here.
Final thoughts
Apple cider vinegar can play a role in creating a healthy scalp, but it can’t stop balding. By balancing scalp pH and treating bacterial and fungal infections, it makes your scalp a conducive environment for healthy hair, which is great. But there is no evidence to suggest that it helps lost hair regrow or that it prevents hair loss to begin with. Only reputable and professional help can do that.
The articles published by &BAM are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. If you have any medical questions or concerns, you should contact your doctor.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158629/
https://www.healthline.com/health/apple-cider-vinegar-hair#research
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/references/acids-bases-the-ph-scale
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4158629/?report=classic