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Dermatologists, stylists and hair bloggers recommend apple cider vinegar as a cheap pretreatment to help you reduce irritation, inflammation and an itching scalp in winter.
Winter often signals a hairstyle change for many women as they move to protect their hair with a range of styles. Braids, cornrows, Havana Twists, Bantu knots, crochet braids and faux locs are often favoured by women trying to get through the cold months without damaging their hair and saving their hairlines.
But this comes at a cost – not only monetary – itchy scalps and constant patting of the head.
A recent thread by blogger Takondwa Semphere attracted more than 38 000 reactions after she shared her experience of using synthetic hair and experiencing a reaction which resulted in a long itchy spell. An acidic substance stopped the itching.
Paula Keta, a natural hair blogger, was not surprised by the outrage on social media after users discovered why their scalps itched.
“I know a number of women who have struggled and had no idea why they were experiencing itchiness every time they had braids installed. I too have experienced continuous itching even after I removed the braids I had,” said Keta. She offered a cheap solution to the problem.
“Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a natural and inexpensive way of pretreating hair before braiding. ACV lifts the alkaline base, the chemical used on braiding hair to preserve it and used as a heat resistant. This will reduce the amount of itching or irritation.”
Keta wished hair brands could be more concerned about their customers. “Braiding fibre rubs on the scalp and a healthy scalp is fundamental for the hair to be healthy. It would be great if they gave maintenance instructions, such as pretreating or even advising on regular washing while the braids are installed.
“This would go a long way because as a hair blogger, my reach is limited. But if they were to place these instructions on each packet, then they could save each consumer one scalp at a time.
“My advice is to always pretreat anything foreign that you put on your hair, such as wigs, weaves and braids. Something as simple as soaking your braiding hair in warm water and ACV will even increase the lifespan of your hairstyle and help you avoid the consistent scratching of the scalp which can result in sores and scabs. I’d also advise everyone to shampoo and condition their hair a couple of weeks after installation. Always take care of your hair even under a protective style,” she said.
Sibo Mabuza, owner of Johannesburg-based natural hair salon Urban Zulu, told City Press that synthetic hair is coated with an alkaline solution.
“Whether it’s kanekalon or Marley hair, it has an alkaline-based coating which may cause irritation for some when applied closely to the scalp. Different people react differently to these fibres. Some may have an allergic reaction causing the scalp to become itchy or inflamed. For some, the irritation is minor or passes very quickly,” she said.
Mabuza said: “While we aren’t dermatologists, we believe that the alkaline base in synthetic hair fibre can cause an allergic reaction. But there are different causes to an itchy scalp – ranging from dry scalp to skin irritations to overuse of product. Your scalp really just needs balance and it is important to have a hair care routine that will help you deal with an itchy scalp.
“We pretreat all our synthetic hair fibres to reduce the effects of this on our client’s hair and to improve their overall protective styling experience,” said Mabuza.
To avoid the itchiness, she recommended ACV to pretreat the synthetic hair. “Soak the hair in hot water with about a half a cup of ACV for about 15 to 20 minutes. The ACV acidity removes the alkaline base from the hair. After that, rinse the synthetic hair with cold water and let it air dry.”
Skin Solutions dermatologist Pholile Mpofu said synthetic hair can cause a “contact dermatitis which leads to itchy scalp and sores on the scalp”.
She also recommended ACV.
“It helps to descale the scalp if scaly. It balances the pH if any alkali is present. It also strengthens hair and helps avoid cuticle breaking. ACV’s natural antibiotic and antifungal properties help reduce the cause of dandruff,” Mpofu said.
Anti-inflammatory products such as sulphur and corticosteroids also help but if itching persists, consult a dermatologist. Hair brand companies did not respond to questions on the issue.
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