Is TikTok’s Glycolic Acid hack safe for your scalp, or is there a better alternative to clear dandruff? We investigate!

Dandruff or not, you would have come across TikTok’s famous (or rather infamous) Glycolic Acid hack, especially if you were searching for solutions to get rid of pesky hair flakes once and for all.

TikTok might have consistently served us some of the best beauty tips and hacks, but not all of them work for everyone or are safe.

Perhaps you’re unknowingly aggravating your dandruff issue or other skin concerns, just by following suit.

Read on to find out whether Glycolic Acid is good for your scalp and for an alternative product to use that’ll let your hair be your best accessory!

Is TikTok’s Glycolic Acid hack good for your scalp?

TikTok content creators went from using micellar water on their scalps to applying Glycolic Acid and claiming that it helps to exfoliate the scalp while keeping it dandruff-free.

Netizens might think it works but alas! Turns out, using any skincare acid on your scalp could be very harsh on your scalp and potentially cause chemical burns or worsen your dandruff conditions.

Haircare is just as essential as skincare. However, skincare remains to be for the skin — there’s a reason why some products don’t have hybrid functions or are specialised for specific concerns!

Haircare expert Nicole Petty from Milk + Blush, a highly acclaimed hair extensions brand that’s used by hair professionals all over the world and used on top celebrities like the Kardashian-Jenners and huge magazines, spoke up to warn against the TikTok hack.

It all comes down to the concentration percentage and pH levels.

Most glycolic acids are under 10% but those that go up to 70% can easily cause burns if used by the inexperienced since they ought to only be used by professionals in clinical environments to treat extreme skin issues.

Plus, using such acids on your scalp can make it more sensitive to UV rays.

So if you’re not protecting your hair and scalp properly, scalp burns can cause a multitude of problems like increased dryness and flakiness, and hair loss.

Alternatives to managing dandruff and a flaky scalp

Dandruff’s a very common condition, but it doesn’t have to be a headache as long as you know what to do or what to look out for!

The first step is to refrain from doing any bad habits that could cause an itchy scalp with dandruff, such as not washing your hair daily or sleeping with your hair wet.

Many contributing factors include stress, hormone fluctuations, or lack of sleep. However, one of the most common factors is the high levels of Malassezia fungus which can be derived from having too much sebum on the scalp.

Even after you follow all the right steps, you need to also zone in on the tools — are you using the right haircare products that can actually banish dandruff?

The best way to treat dandruff is to invest in specialised shampoos and products that contain Coal Tar, Ketoconazole, Salicylic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, or Selenium Sulphide.

About Kérastase Symbiose: your solution to dandruff

If you frequent hair salons or are an avid haircare lover, this brand wouldn’t be foreign to you at all.

Used by many, especially by some of the best hairdressers and professionals globally, Kérastase continues to provide ultimate solutions to women’s hair care.

This month, excitingly so, the French luxury brand has proudly unveiled a new cellular anti-dandruff haircare.

Formulated for sensitive scalps prone to dandruff, this lavish range of hair products works to instantly eliminate dandruff by regulating the scalp’s cellular renewal speed and replenishing the hair.

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It’s like changing your bedsheets once or twice a week for a comfortable sleeping environment — you’re making sure that no oils, dirt, or dead skin cells are piling up on your sheets that could cause flares, breakouts, or even more severe skin conditions.

Similarly, the Kérastase Symbiose haircare range helps to clear out all the dead skin cells and unwanted nasties while maintaining a clean and healthy scalp ecosystem for your hair to grow well.

This is done by regulating cellular renewal speed through key ingredients like Salicylic Acid which helps dissolve flakes and acts on the consequences of dandruff; and Piroctone Olamine which is notably used in anti-dandruff shampoos as an agent to efficiently combat dandruff.

At the same time, thanks to the Bifidus ingredient present, your hair will be replenished, stay moisturised, and have long-term protection against dandruff.

Studies and reviews of this highly raved anti-dandruff haircare range have also shown that it takes two to four weeks to see apparent results on your hair and scalp.

And Kérastase Symbiose offers up to seven weeks of anti-dandruff efficacy!

That means so long as you continue taking care of your hair with Kérastase, you may be entirely eradicating all your dandruff woes.

No more of that irritating itch or feeling embarrassed about ‘uncontrollable’ dandruff flakes.

Treating your dandruff with the Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff range

Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff Micro-Peeling Cellulaire

Crowned Cosmopolitan’s 2023 Holy Grail Beauty Award for ‘Best Scalp Scrub’, this exfoliating scalp scrub purifies and soothes sensitive scalp while removing dead skin cells and build-up.

Made with Salicylic Acid and plant-based beads, your troubled scalp will be in great hands and clear of pesky flakes without stripping it of its natural, necessary oils.

To eliminate symptoms of dandruff, revitalise the scalp, and hydrate your hair, use this twice per week.

For those with a more severe dandruff condition, use this scalp scrub up to thrice a week.

Kérastase Symbiose Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Purifying Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

In Kérastase’s powerful anti-dandruff haircare range, you’ll also find two types of gentle, sulfate-free shampoos.

The moisturising shampoo (Bain Crème Anti-Pelliculaire) is suited towards dry, sensitive scalps prone to dandruff while the purifying shampoo (Bain Pureté Anti-Pelliculaire) is for oily, sensitive scalps prone to dandruff.

With Singapore’s weather fluctuating between scorching hot to rainy days and intense humidity, your scalp and hair conditions can be managed well with these shampoos, come what may.

The Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo cleans the scalp and leaves your hair 2x more hydrated with a smooth, high-shine finish.

Its creamy formula includes Piroctone Olamine which is a powerful active ingredient to help eliminate the symptoms of dandruff.

Meanwhile, the Purifying Anti-Dandruff Shampoo has a transparent liquid formula with Salicylic Acid and Piroctone Olamine.

It instantly exfoliates and removes visible dandruff while preventing oil build-up.

Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff Conditioner

A perfect pairing with the Moisturizing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, this daily conditioner soothes the scalp, strengthens the hair, and provides moisture too.

Hydrating and silicone-free, its lightweight formula doesn’t weigh your hair down. Leave on the Anti-Dandruff Conditioner (Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Hydrating Conditioner) for two to three minutes before rinsing and you’ll be flaunting smooth, luscious hair that never gets tangled!

Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff Scalp Serum

And to seal off all your anti-dandruff efforts, this scalp night serum works overnight to provide effective anti-dandruff care.

With the Anti-Dandruff Scalp Serum (Sérum Cellulaire Nuit Anti-Pelliculaire Intensif), three times a week for over a month, you’ll wake up with softer, shinier, and 2x more hydrated hair.

If your dandruff levels are higher, you may use this serum every night before switching to thrice a week for maintenance.

Where to buy the Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff range

Don’t waste any time acquiring the hair of your dreams — soft, strong, and flake-free with a rebalanced scalp.

With countless raving reviews already accumulating on Kérastase’s US website and on TikTok, this anti-dandruff haircare range is described as “a formula that actually works” and gushed about how it changed their hair for the better.

A satisfied customer, Paula, especially loved the anti-dandruff shampoo. “It’s worth the price and it lasts. I immediately saw a difference in my hair, my scalp is no longer flaky. I’ve tried so many other brands and now I don’t have to look any further,” they shared.

Kérastase Symbiose Anti-Dandruff range is available in salons across the island and at Kérastase’s official Lazada page and will be available at Sephora in June.

This article is brought to you by Kérastase.

Feature image credit: @melisekrem/TikTok, @kristinarodulfo/TikTok