Thioglycolic Acid 99% (TGA-99) – High-Purity Hair Perming & Straightening Active

Thioglycolic Acid 99% (TGA-99) is the highest-purity grade of the hair industry’s most essential restructuring active — and that extra purity matters. Where the 80% grade is the workhorse of standard perm and relaxer formulations, the 99% grade is the precision instrument: a near-anhydrous organic acid with a reactive thiol (-SH) group that delivers stronger, more consistent reducing activity per gram, giving formulators tighter control over the chemistry and more predictable results batch to batch.

It works through the same well-established mechanism — selectively breaking the disulfide bonds (S-S) in hair keratin to make the hair pliable and reshapable, followed by neutralization to reform those bonds in the new configuration — but at 99% purity, the active load is maximized and the dilution math is cleaner. This makes it particularly valuable in industrial-scale production, chemical synthesis applications, and precision professional formulations where concentration accuracy is critical. As with all thioglycolic acid grades, it must be properly diluted, pH-adjusted, and formulated before use.

⚠️ Professional Use Only: Highly reactive chemical. Must be properly diluted, neutralized, and formulated before use. Not for direct application. Use appropriate protective handling measures and follow all applicable cosmetic safety and regulatory guidelines.

Key Benefits

• High-Purity Performance (99%) – maximized active concentration for consistent, precise reducing activity and tighter formulation control
• Hair Restructuring Active – breaks disulfide bonds in hair keratin to enable permanent reshaping (curling or straightening)
• Powerful Reducing Agent – reliable, controlled chemical action for professional and industrial hair treatment systems
• Professional & Industrial Grade – suitable for salon-level formulations, large-scale production, and chemical synthesis

Applications

• Hair perming solutions & waving lotions
• Hair straightening & chemical relaxing systems
• Professional salon-grade hair restructuring products
• Industrial chemical synthesis & processing applications

How It Works

Thioglycolic Acid 99% functions as a high-purity reducing agent in the standard two-step hair restructuring process. In Step 1 (reduction), the thiol (-SH) groups break the disulfide bonds (S-S) in hair keratin, making hair pliable and reshapable. In Step 2 (neutralization/oxidation), a neutralizer (hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate) reforms the disulfide bonds in the new configuration, permanently locking the curl or straight shape in place. The 99% purity grade delivers this chemistry with maximum efficiency and minimal dilution variables.

Recommended Usage

Note: Must be correctly diluted, pH-adjusted, and formulated. Follow applicable cosmetic regulations for maximum permitted concentrations in finished products.

Technical Profile

• INCI: Thioglycolic Acid
• Grade: TGA-99 (99% purity)
• Appearance: Clear to slightly yellow liquid
• Type: Organic acid / reducing agent
• Function: Hair restructuring active, disulfide bond reducer
• Origin: China
• Use: Cosmetic & Industrial