Baking soda shampoo has a loyal online following built around claims that it makes hair grow faster and thicker. There’s no evidence baking soda affects hair growth at all — what it actually does is strip oil and buildup from your scalp and hair, which can feel like a fresh start but comes with real downsides if you keep doing it. Here’s what’s actually going on.
What Baking Soda Actually Does to Hair
Baking soda is alkaline, with a pH around 9, while healthy hair and scalp sit closer to a slightly acidic pH of 4.5–5.5. Washing with baking soda strips sebum (your scalp’s natural oil) and product buildup effectively — sometimes too effectively — which can leave hair feeling squeaky-clean at first. But regularly disrupting your hair’s natural pH can raise the hair cuticle, leading to increased frizz, dryness, brittleness, and breakage over time. None of that has anything to do with growth; hair growth is driven by factors at the follicle level — genetics, hormones, nutrition, scalp health, and age — not surface pH.
Why People Think It “Works”
The clean feeling is mistaken for a health improvement
Stripping oil and buildup can make hair feel lighter and look shinier immediately after washing, which people associate with “healthier” hair — but that’s a cosmetic effect, not a growth effect.
Any regrowth was likely happening anyway
Hair grows continuously at roughly half an inch per month for most people. If someone starts a baking soda routine and later notices length, it’s usually just normal growth that was going to happen regardless.
What Actually Supports Hair Growth
If your goal is genuinely healthier, better-growing hair, the better-supported levers are a balanced diet with adequate protein and iron, minimizing heat and chemical damage, using a gentle sulfate-free shampoo suited to your scalp, and addressing any underlying scalp conditions. If you’re experiencing noticeable hair thinning or loss rather than just wanting faster growth, that’s worth discussing with a doctor or dermatologist, since it can have underlying causes like thyroid issues, nutrient deficiencies, or hormonal changes.
If You Still Want to Try It
Occasional use (not more than once every couple of weeks) as a clarifying treatment to remove heavy product buildup is unlikely to cause much harm for most hair types. Follow it with a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse, which is mildly acidic and can help rebalance pH afterward. Avoid it if you have color-treated hair, since the alkalinity can strip dye faster, or if your scalp is already dry, sensitive, or irritated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does baking soda shampoo make hair grow faster?
No. There’s no mechanism by which surface pH changes affect the rate of hair growth at the follicle, and no research supports this claim.
Is baking soda shampoo safe to use regularly?
Not recommended for regular use — its high alkalinity can damage the hair cuticle and irritate the scalp over time. Occasional, infrequent use as a clarifying treatment is a more reasonable approach.
What should I use instead if I want to remove buildup?
A dedicated clarifying shampoo is formulated to remove buildup without the extreme pH disruption of baking soda, and is generally a gentler choice.
When should hair loss be checked by a doctor?
If you notice sudden, patchy, or significant hair thinning rather than normal shedding, it’s worth seeing a doctor or dermatologist to check for underlying causes.
The Bottom Line
Baking soda shampoo doesn’t make hair grow faster — it strips oil and buildup, which can feel clean short-term but may damage hair with regular use. For real hair health, focus on nutrition, gentle care, and a dermatologist’s input if you’re seeing actual hair loss.
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