What is the Difference Between Thio and Hydroxide Neutralizers

The key difference between thio and hydroxide neutralizers is that thio neutralizers are moderately basic, whereas hydroxide neutralizers are highly basic.

Thio neutralizer and hydroxide neutralizer are two types of chemicals useful in hair relaxing procedures, especially in relaxing curly or wavy hair. We can distinguish these two neutralizer forms based on their pH and their effect on hair.

Although thio neutralizer and hydroxide neutralizer are the best working chemical neutralizers, apple cider vinegar is one of the best natural neutralizers. After the application of a relaxer, the pH of the hair becomes more basic even after rinsing the hair properly. Therefore, we need to use a proper neutralizer to bring back hair to its acidic state (usually 4 or 5 pH) using an agent with a low pH value (an acidic compound). Apple cider vinegar has a pH of around 2, which is the best option for hair pH balancing. However, if the relaxer we are using is an acidic relaxer agent, then we need to use a basic neutralizer such as thio neutralizer and hydroxide neutralizer.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Hair Relaxing Agents
3. What are Thio Neutralizers
4. What are Hydroxide Neutralizers
5. Similarities – Thio and Hydroxide Neutralizers
6. Thio vs Hydroxide Neutralizers in Tabular Form
7. Summary – Thio vs Hydroxide Neutralizers

What are Hair Relaxing Agents

Hair relaxing agents are chemical compounds that are able to straighten hair. There are some basic products that we need for hair relaxing, including a chemical hair relaxer, a neutralizer, a protein-rich moisturizer, and a petroleum cream. The protein-rich moisturizer is useful in stabilizing hair, and petroleum cream is useful in protecting the scalp.

What are Thio Neutralizers

Thio neutralizers are hair relaxing agents having moderate basicity. The pH of this neutralizer is about 10. This type of neutralizer is important in thio relaxing treatments. The thio neutralizer is very important in stopping the action of any relaxer that remains even after washing hair. Although we rinse hair thoroughly after the application of this hair relaxing agent, some of the relaxing agents may still remain on hair. Thio neutralizer can stop the action of hair relaxing agent by rebuilding the disulfide bonds.

Moreover, thio neutralizers are thick and have a very high viscosity. The active ingredient in thio neutralizer is ammonium thioglycolate.

What are Hydroxide Neutralizers

Hydroxide neutralizers are hair relaxing agents having high basicity. The pH of this neutralizer is about 13. This type of neutralizer is important in hydroxide relaxing treatments. The major active ingredient in this type of neutralizer is sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The hydroxide neutralizer is the most common neutralizer used by professionals and it is very effective in breaking down the bonds in the hair.

Similarities Between Thio and Hydroxide Neutralizers

Thio and hydroxide neutralizers both usually have a pH higher than that of hair. Therefore, they are more alkaline chemical substances. These neutralizers help in providing an oxidation reaction that rebuilds that hair bonds in a straightened form. The neutralizer can break bonds by adding hydrogen atoms to the two sulfur bonds that occur within the disulfide bond.

Difference Between Thio and Hydroxide Neutralizers

Thio neutralizer and hydroxide neutralizer are types of hair relaxers useful in relaxing curly or wavy hair. The key difference between thio and hydroxide neutralizers is that thio neutralizers are comparatively less basic, whereas hydroxide neutralizers are highly basic. We can distinguish these two neutralizer forms based on their pH and their effect on hair.

The following infographic lists the differences between thio and hydroxide neutralizers in tabular form for side by side comparison.