Salicylic Acid For Dandruff: How To Make Your Own

Summary

This video explores the benefits of salicylic acid for scalp conditions like dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. It explains how salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid, can penetrate pores to remove excess skin flakes and unclog hair follicles, potentially aiding hair growth. The video also discusses its indirect role in combating hair loss by reducing DHT buildup and presents scientific research supporting its efficacy. Additionally, it covers side effects, availability, cost, and a DIY recipe for a salicylic acid shampoo.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Salicylic acid is a phenolic acid derived from the bark of the white willow and is also found in foods like blackberries, apricots, walnuts, and peanuts.
• 🧪 It has keratolytic properties, which means it can remove excess skin flakes, making it beneficial for treating dandruff and other flaky scalp conditions.
• 🧬 As a beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid's chemical structure allows it to penetrate the scalp more effectively than alpha hydroxy acids, aiding in the treatment of clogged hair follicles.
• 🚿 When used in shampoos, salicylic acid can gently cleanse the scalp and remove flakes, promoting a healthier environment for hair growth.
• 💇‍♀️ While not a cure for hair loss, salicylic acid can contribute to a healthier scalp, which is beneficial for hair growth and can indirectly combat hair loss by reducing DHT build-up.
• 🔬 Scientific research supports the use of salicylic acid for treating dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis, with effects lasting up to 14 days post-use.
• 📊 Comparative studies have shown salicylic acid to be more effective than other treatments in reducing itching and irritation associated with scalp conditions.
• ⚠️ Potential side effects of salicylic acid include skin irritation and allergic reactions, so it's important to test the product on a small patch of skin before full application.
• 💧 There are various over-the-counter shampoos containing salicylic acid, with brands like Neutrogena and Avalon offering products designed to treat scalp build-up and reduce itching.
• 👩‍🍳 A homemade salicylic acid shampoo recipe is provided, using white willow bark extract as a natural source of salicylic acid, along with other ingredients like liquid castile soap and tea tree oil.

Q & A

What is salicylic acid and where can it be found?

Salicylic acid is a phenolic acid originally sourced from the bark of the white willow, but it's also found naturally in foods like blackberries, apricots, walnuts, and peanuts.

How does salicylic acid help with scalp conditions?

Salicylic acid has keratolytic properties, meaning it removes excess buildup of skin flakes, which is common in individuals with dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, scalp psoriasis, and eczema.

What is the chemical structure of salicylic acid that makes it effective for the scalp?

As a beta hydroxy acid, salicylic acid has a chemical formula that separates the hydroxy group from the acid group with two carbon molecules, making it more oil soluble and allowing it to penetrate the pores more easily.

Can salicylic acid help with hair loss?

Salicylic acid may not combat all types of hair loss, but it can contribute to a healthier scalp, which is beneficial for hair growth. It can also remove DHT, one of the main causes of hair loss, from the scalp.

What scientific research supports the use of salicylic acid for scalp conditions?

A 2002 study showed that a salicylic acid shampoo was as effective as a selenium sulfide shampoo in treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, and it reduced itching and irritation up to 14 days after use.

Are there any side effects associated with using salicylic acid on the scalp?

Yes, it's possible to experience an allergic reaction or skin irritation. It's important to test the product on a small patch of skin before use and follow all dilution and dosage recommendations.

What brands offer salicylic acid shampoos and what is their cost?

Popular brands like Neutrogena and Avalon offer salicylic acid shampoos. Avalon can be found for around $11-$14 for 16 fluid ounces, and Neutrogena is around $7-$14 for 4.5 fluid ounces.

How can one make their own salicylic acid shampoo?

A homemade recipe includes distilled water, liquid castile soap, white willow bark extract, and tea tree oil. Mix the ingredients, apply to wet hair and scalp, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water.

What other factors should be considered when treating hair loss besides using salicylic acid?

A multi-pronged approach is necessary for treating hair loss, including topical solutions, internal supplements, probiotics, micro-needling, and other physical treatments.

What is the role of DHT in hair loss and how does salicylic acid help?

DHT is one of the main causes of hair loss. Salicylic acid can help by removing the sebum that contains DHT from the scalp, reducing the risk of hair follicle miniaturization.

Outlines

00:00

🧪 Understanding Salicylic Acid for Scalp Health

This paragraph introduces salicylic acid as a phenolic acid derived from the white willow tree and found in foods like blackberries and peanuts. It highlights salicylic acid's keratolytic properties, which help remove excess skin flakes common in conditions like dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. The video promises to explore the science behind salicylic acid, its mechanism of action, and its potential role in hair care routines. It also mentions a free hair loss analysis for viewers concerned about hair loss, and sets the stage for discussing whether salicylic acid can combat hair loss, backed by scientific research.

05:03

🔬 Scientific Research on Salicylic Acid

The second paragraph delves into scientific studies on salicylic acid's efficacy in treating scalp conditions. A 2002 study compared salicylic acid shampoo with another and found that salicylic acid reduced itching and irritation even 14 days after use. A 2009 study by French researchers showed salicylic acid's effectiveness in reducing symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis. The paragraph also addresses potential side effects, such as skin irritation and allergic reactions, and advises testing the product on a small patch of skin before full application. It discusses the availability and cost of over-the-counter salicylic acid shampoos and provides a recipe for making a homemade version.

10:04

🌿 Natural Solutions for Hair Loss

The final paragraph emphasizes that there is no single cure for hair loss, which requires a multifaceted approach. It suggests salicylic acid as a natural and scientifically proven treatment for dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, capable of removing excess dead skin cells and DHT, which can contribute to hair loss. The paragraph concludes by reminding viewers to get a free hair analysis and to subscribe for more videos, reinforcing the idea that while salicylic acid is beneficial, a comprehensive strategy is necessary for hair loss treatment.

Keywords

💡Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a phenolic acid derived from the bark of the white willow tree, but also found in various foods. It is known for its keratolytic properties, meaning it helps remove excess skin flakes, which is beneficial for treating conditions like dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. In the video, salicylic acid is discussed as an ingredient in shampoos that can help treat scalp conditions and potentially combat hair loss by creating a healthier scalp environment.

💡Sebum Build-up

Sebum is an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin, including the scalp. Sebum build-up can lead to various scalp conditions such as dandruff. The video mentions that salicylic acid can help treat scalp conditions by addressing sebum build-up, which is a common issue that salicylic acid shampoos aim to resolve.

💡Dandruff

Dandruff is a condition that causes small, white flakes to form on the scalp. It is often a result of an overproduction of skin cells and sebum. The video discusses how salicylic acid can be used to treat dandruff by removing the excess buildup of skin flakes, thus providing relief from itching and flaking.

💡Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition that mainly affects the scalp, causing redness, itching, and flaking. The video highlights that salicylic acid can be effective in treating seborrheic dermatitis due to its ability to penetrate the skin and remove the buildup of flakes, which is a key symptom of the condition.

💡Keratolytic Properties

Keratolytic properties refer to the ability of a substance to break down keratin, a protein found in skin, hair, and nails. Salicylic acid has keratolytic properties, which is why it's effective at treating conditions characterized by an excess buildup of keratinized skin cells, such as dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, as discussed in the video.

💡Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA)

Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) are a type of acid that can penetrate oil and unclog pores, with salicylic acid being a prime example. The video explains that as a BHA, salicylic acid's chemical structure allows it to interact with the skin more effectively, making it oil-soluble and thus capable of penetrating the pores of the scalp to treat conditions like dandruff.

💡Hair Loss

Hair loss is a common concern that can be caused by various factors, including genetics, stress, and illness. The video explores whether salicylic acid can help combat hair loss, suggesting that while it may not address all causes, it can contribute to a healthier scalp, which is beneficial for hair growth.

💡DHT (Dihydrotestosterone)

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a hormone that can contribute to hair loss, particularly in male pattern baldness. The video mentions that salicylic acid can help remove DHT from the scalp, which may reduce the risk of hair miniaturization and, consequently, hair loss.

💡Scientific Research

The video references scientific research to support the use of salicylic acid for treating scalp conditions. It mentions studies that compared the effectiveness of salicylic acid shampoos to other treatments, showing that salicylic acid can reduce symptoms like itching and irritation even after 14 days of use.

💡Shampoo

Shampoo is a hair care product used for cleaning the hair and scalp. The video discusses various shampoo brands that contain salicylic acid as their main ingredient, emphasizing their effectiveness in treating scalp build-up and reducing itching and flakes.

💡Homemade Shampoo Recipe

The video provides a homemade shampoo recipe that includes salicylic acid derived from white willow bark extract, which can be used as a natural alternative to commercial shampoos. This recipe is an example of how viewers can implement salicylic acid into their hair care routine at home.

Highlights

Salicylic acid is effective in treating scalp conditions like sebum build-up and dandruff.

Salicylic acid can be used for up to 14 days to treat scalp conditions.

Salicylic acid is a phenolic acid derived from the bark of the white willow.

It is also found naturally in foods like blackberries, apricots, walnuts, and peanuts.

Salicylic acid has keratolytic properties, helping remove excess skin flakes.

It is beneficial for treating dandruff and other flaky scalp conditions.

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid, making it more oil soluble and effective for scalp treatment.

It can penetrate pores easily and treat clogged hair follicles.

Salicylic acid may contribute to healthier hair growth by treating a healthier scalp.

Salicylic acid can combat hair loss indirectly by removing DHT build-up from the scalp.

A 2002 study showed salicylic acid shampoo was effective in treating dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis.

A 2009 study by French researchers compared different combinations of salicylic acid for treating seborrheic dermatitis.

Salicylic acid can cause skin irritation, and an allergic reaction is possible.

Popular brands of salicylic acid shampoo include Neutrogena and Avalon.

A homemade salicylic acid shampoo recipe is provided for a natural alternative.

Salicylic acid is a cost-effective treatment for hair loss when used as part of a multi-pronged approach.

There is no magic cure for hair loss; it requires a combination of treatments.

Transcripts

did you know that salicylic acid has

been shown to treat scalp conditions

such as sebum build-up and dandruff up

to 14 days after use well in this video

we're gonna be looking at exactly that

we're gonna be looking at the science

behind salicylic acid how it works and

how you can start implementing it as

part of your hair care routine so guys

before we get into the video on

salicylic acid if you are worried about

your own hair loss you can click the

link in the description upload a quick

hair selfie answer a few short questions

and then you will get your free hair

loss analysis so what are you going to

learn about today in this video is we're

gonna first look at what salicylic acid

is we're gonna look how it works we're

going to answer whether or not it can be

used to combat hair loss we're gonna

look at some of the scientific research

we're gonna look at the side effects

then we're gonna look at the brands the

availability and cost then we're gonna

look at how you can make your own mister

silic acid shampoo they're gonna look

about treating the real problem behind

hair loss before a short conclusion so

first you're probably wondering what is

salicylic acid

well salicylic acid is a phenolic acid

originally sourced from the bark of the

white willow but it's also found

naturally in a variety of foods

including blackberries apricots walnuts

and peanuts

this acid contains keratolytic

properties meaning it removes an excess

buildup of skin flakes as they develop

this buildup is common in individuals

with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis

and is also seen in individuals with

scalp psoriasis and eczema as such

salicylic acid is a beneficial compound

in the treatment of dandruff and other

flaky scalp conditions and should be

considered if you're looking for a

natural solution to the itching flaking

and general reputation so how does it

work

salicylic acid as described is a

phenolic acid most specifically though

it's a beta hydroxy acid to understand

how salicylic acid worse you first need

to understand the acid

structure as a beta as a beta hydroxy

acid salicylic acid has a chemical

formula that separates the hydroxy group

from the acid group with two carbon

molecules if you aren't a scientist that

may not mean much however it means a

great deal when it comes to how it

interacts with your skin the two carbon

molecules have a big impact on the

compounds effectiveness the double

separation between the hydroxy group and

the acid group makes the compound more

oil soluble this means that it can more

easily penetrate the pure the pause than

an alpha hydroxy acid with the hydroxy

group and the acid group only separated

by a warm carbon molecule because it can

devolve to a certain extent in oil now

what does this mean for those who suffer

from dandruff and of the scalp

conditions well it means that salicylic

acid the shampoo can effectively remove

scalp flakes while gently cleansing the

scalp and this is because it can enter

the pores with ease in addition the

compound can treat clogged hair

follicles which is essential if you want

a healthy scalp with ample hair growth

so can salicylic acid combat hair loss

hair loss has a number of causes

including genetic predisposition stress

illness and medications while salicylic

acid may not combat all types of hair

loss it can certainly contribute to a

healthier scalp which is a solid star

for anyone looking to grow the hair now

to fully answer the question let's take

a look at how a salicylic acid works

salicylic acid removes the top layer of

skin in addition to the natural buildup

of semen dead skin cells and dead hair

for those who suffer from a scalp

condition such as dandruff scalp

cirrhosis select silica it can gently

remove the build-up of flakes and

provide the hair follicles with a clean

environment even for individuals with

male pattern baldness salicylic acid

offers a promising treatment method and

this is because the sebum that's removed

from the scalp contains DHT which is one

of the main causes of hair loss

now with DHT removed from the scalp

there is less risk of miniaturization

and as a result hair loss so can

salicylic acid combat hello

well in some cases yes salicylic acid is

a great way to directly combat hair loss

and individuals with dandruff

seborrhoeic dermatitis scalp psoriasis

and similar conditions that lead to

excess buildup of skin in individuals

with

androgenetic alopecia it can also be

used indirectly removing DHT build-up

from the scalp and preventing it from

causing further damage to the hair

follicles so now we're gonna have a look

at what the scientific research says

about salicylic acid with salicylic acid

treats treating such a wide array of

skin conditions from acne to dandruff to

ringworm and more it's a wonder that is

the base ingredient for such a large

number of cosmetic products fortunately

this compounds popularity lends itself

to some helpful scientific research so

let's take a look there was one research

that's performed in 2002 and is compared

the use of a salicylic acid shampoo with

nice oval shampoo throughout the study

it was clear that both shampoos

effectively treated both dandruff and

seborrhoeic dermatitis by reducing

flakes build-up however at the end of

the study and even 14 days afterwards

only the salicylic acid combination was

shown to reduce itching and irritation

in patients with several reactor maitus

another study performed by French

researchers in 2009 compared the

efficacy of salicylic acid and in two

different combinations the first

combination was salicylic acid of 1.3

percent and lift hydroxy acid as your

promo person and the second combination

was salicylic acid at 3 percent with

cyclo piyo piyo rocks a lemon at 1.5%

and menthol both combinations decrease

symptoms in individuals with mild to

moderate seborrheic dermatitis including

scales redness itching discomfort and

dryness the combination with the lift

v-world the first group did show some

better results but the differences

weren't significant now as you can see

from the graph on the right well the

dark bars they achieved a higher

percentage of improved patients across

the 5 main criteria for success which

were dryness

Kirt aeneas discomfort itching reddening

of the skin and white build-up so now

we're gonna have a look at some of the

side effects of using salicylic acid as

if any compound natural or not it's

possible to experience an allergic

reaction or adverse reaction

this means it's important to test the

product on a small patch of skin before

use on your scalp in addition you should

follow all dilution and dosage

recommendations if you're pregnant or

nursing consult with your physician

prior to use the most common side effect

is skin irritation and use of salicylic

acid should be stopped immediately if

this is experienced in addition stop use

and seek medical help immediately if you

suffer from signs of anaphylaxis

including hives difficulty of breathing

and low swallowing swelling at the mouth

tongue lips or eyes or nausea and

vomiting and now let's have a quick look

at the brands availability and cost of

salicylic acid there were a variety of

over-the-counter shampoos that contain

salicylic acid most of which are

targeted at controlling dandruff and

other such scalp conditions a few

popular brands include Neutrogena

Xie moisturizer african black soap

deep cleansing shampoo and avalon

organic itch and flake therapy they all

utilize salicylic acid as the main

ingredient and they all claim to treat

scalp build-up and reduce itching and

flakes the cost for shampoos varies an

Avalon brand can be found for example at

$11 20 to 414 fluid outs and Neutrogena

is can be purchased for $7 14 cents at

4.5 fluid ounce now if you're interested

in making your own salicylic shampoo

we've got a quick recipe to share of you

now so what you're gonna need is a cup

of distilled water four tablespoons of

liquid castile soap two teaspoons of

white willow bark extract and ten drops

of tea tree oil what you want to do is

combine the water and the soap stirring

until you get a nice soapy solution next

we're gonna add in the white willow bark

extract and tea tree oil and stir until

combined then before you use it you want

to make sure you mix it well and then to

apply it you're just gonna pour it into

a palm and massage into wet hair and

scalp

work the solution deeply into your scalp

and be sure

pay special attention to the most

troublesome areas of your scalp then

leave it in for two to three minutes and

then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm

water the benefits of such are that the

salicylic acid shampoo is excellent

addition to your hair care routine

treating and preventing the build-up of

dead skin sebum and harmful chemicals

like DHT in this recipe the white willow

bark extract acts as the source of

salicylic acid however feel free to

experiment with other sources like

aspirin or directly use salicylic acid

3% solution is so now if you're looking

for a cheap and effective treatment for

hair loss then look no further than

salicylic acid this naturally occurring

compound has been scientifically proven

to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic

dermatitis while also removing the

excess build-up dead skin cells and DHT

of course while there are salicylic acid

containing products available on the

market we do recommend the use of a

natural alternative just to kind of

finish that off this can be a great

thing to add to your hair care routine

to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic

dermatitis but if you are worried about

your hair loss there is no magic cure it

takes a multi-pronged approach with

various topical solutions internal

supplements probiotics they can be micro

needling and other physical products

involved it takes various things and

there is no magic cure so I just want to

make sure that you are aware of that

after watching the video now if you're

worried about your own hair loss don't

forget to get your free hair analysis by

clicking the link in the description and

make sure to hit subscribe I'll see you

in the next video

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