The concentration of a solution is 4%

[peterkuk]

Hello
I have an antimicrobial shampoo containing the active ingredient chlorhexidine gluconate at a concentration of 4% (w/v). Just say I wet my hair first then add 2 capfuls of the shampoo to my hair, does this dilute the shampoo to a lower concentration due to the water already on my hair, or will it still stay at 4%??

 

[Bystander]

What do you think?

 

[peterkuk]

well logic would tell me that it would be diluted, but then therefore, i am not applying a 4% product to the hair, right??

 

[symbolipoint]

well logic would tell me that it would be diluted, but then therefore, i am not applying a 4% product to the hair, right??

You are still not thinking completely logically. You know how to work this!

 

[symbolipoint]

You are still not thinking completely logically. You know how to work this!

Let me try to show the "how to work this" part.

Imagine you have wet your hair in prep. to mix in your 4% chlorhexidine gluconate shampoo. Imagine you can squeeze ALL of that water from your hair into a graduated labeled container. Now, measure and add your shampoo to this, and mix to make a homogenous solution. What will be the concentration of the chlorhexidine gluconate in this solution?

The formulation for the 4% was chosen for some efficacious reason. The formula designers expected that the end user will be adding some of the shampoo to wetted hair.

 

[hmmm27]

Isn't that a veterinarian shampoo ?

 

[symbolipoint]

Isn't that a veterinarian shampoo ?

A quick, very quick search in Google shows a listing telling that chorhexidine gluconate is a mouthwash ingredient.