What Is Potassium thioglycolate?
Potassium thioglycolate is a chemical that can be used in beauty products to do different things. It can help remove hair from your skin, make curly hair straight or straight hair curly.
What is the purpose of Potassium thioglycolate in personal care products?
It is used for its depilatory
and hair-waving and straightening characteristics.
Potassium thioglycolate removes surface hair from your skin and straightens or waves your hair.
What Are Depilatory Ingredients?
Potassium thioglycolate has depilatory characteristics.
Depilatory ingredients break down the keratin proteins that make up the hair shaft, which weakens the hair and makes it easier to remove. They are commonly found in hair removal creams, lotions, and other cosmetic products.
Depilatory ingredients only remove hair from the skin's surface, so they may not be as sufficient as waxing to remove coarse hair or hair with deeper roots.
What Are Hair-Waving and Straightening Ingredients?
Potassium thioglycolate has hair-waving and straightening characteristics.
Hair-waving and straightening ingredients change the texture of your hair and work by modifying the chemical structure of the hair, allowing it to be set in the style required.
Hair-waving products contain a chemical that breaks down the bonds that hold the hair in its current shape. Once these bonds are broken, the hair can be set in a new shape using rollers or other styling tools. Once the hair has been set, a neutralizing agent is applied, which reforms the broken bonds and sets the hair in its new shape.
On the other hand, hair straightening products break down the protein bonds in the hair and then re-form them in a straight pattern. This process usually involves a straightening iron or other heat sources to help set the hair in the desired shape. The results of hair straightening products can last up to several months, depending on how well the hair is cared for after the treatment.
The chemical ingredients in these products can vary, but many contain ammonium thioglycolate, which is used to break down the bonds in the hair for waving. For straightening, sodium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide is often used to break down the protein bonds in the hair.
Safety
Remember, always read and follow the instructions provided on product labels carefully. If you have any questions or concerns about using a product containing various ingredients, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before use.