Washing your hair in a cola-type drink? It sounds a bit original, but on Instagram, various versions of the hashtag with cola and hair have recently become increasingly popular. Supporters of this unusual treatment claim that the sugar contained in this drink… strengthens the hair. Opponents warn against similar practices. What is the truth? We check whether it is worth rinsing your hair with cola.
Cola for hair – an Instagram hit
Hair rinsed with cola as a great summer trick? That's what Instagram stylists say. Apparently Suki Waterhouse, a British model and actress, is a proponent of this treatment.
She mentioned this in an interview with Us Weekly: “I don't like my hair when it's washed – it's thin and flat – but Coke makes it interestingly tousled and lifted,” she assured reporters.
Does sugar strengthen hair, and the original trend gives it a summery, slightly unruly look? Trichologists do not share this enthusiasm.
Trichologists warn against Instagram fashion
Philip Kingsley, a specialist trichologist, was quoted by the British Independent, warning: “Cola does not clean hair, instead it leaves dirt particles in the hair. Long-term use will be unpleasant for the scalp and hair, from a health point of view. A few years ago, beer was used in a similar way. The long-term effects of this were also unpleasant and unfavourable,” the specialist explains.
Another trichologist, asked by the Independent, thinks the same. According to Anabel Kingsley, washing your hair with cola is not washing at all, because it does not cleanse your hair or scalp. In addition, the presence of sweeteners makes your hair sticky and rough. Although it cannot be denied that your hair may appear shiny thanks to the acidity of these drinks.
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Another trichologist, Glenn Lyons, also drew attention to the fact that this method may have an adverse effect on the scalp and the condition of the hair, even if someone feels that their hair is more voluminous immediately after using it.
The secret ingredient that proponents of cola hair therapy refer to is phosphoric acid, which has a very low pH. It can close the hair cuticles, making them smooth. In turn, the sugar that accumulates on the hair can add volume.
What are the dangers of rinsing your hair with cola?
However, all this is nothing compared to the losses that can be incurred by using a cola-type drink on hair. If the voices from the British Isles are not convincing enough, let's look at our home turf, where the trend was examined by Polish trichologist and cosmetologist Olga Poniatowska.
She drew attention to the fact that cola drinks do not contain surfactants, which means that this drink is not suitable for washing hair (or any washing at all).
She also noted that the excessively acidic pH of the liquids in question can lead to brittle and dry hair after a few treatments, although an acidic pH, even lower than in the case of vinegar, which, by the way, is also recommended for rinsing hair, can temporarily increase the shine of hair, but in the long run, using such products can only harm yourself and not improve the condition of your hair.