What Ingredients Cause Hair Loss

What Does The Research Say

The complaints about both sulfates and formaldehyde seem largely anecdotal.

At this time, there is no evidence that sulfates affect hair loss, says Amy Forman Taub, MD, FAAD, a board certified dermatologist in Illinois.

The same is true for formaldehyde.

Its not formaldehyde, but the formaldehyde donor used as a preservative that keeps getting cited as a problem, albeit incorrectly, explains Ranella Hirsch, MD, FAAD, a board certified dermatologist in Massachusetts. This has been used as a preservative for decades If these claims were accurate, we would have seen loads of .

Thats not to say these ingredients dont cause other problems.

What Are Bad Ingredients In Hair Products

Here is a list of some of the common ingredients that are considered to be bad for your hair:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a chemical called a surfactant which is used in shampoos to create a lather when mixed with water. This allows it to bind with dirt and oil and remove them from the hair. This nasty additive can also be found in commercial-grade cleaners and degreasers, including engine cleaners and floor detergents! And while its very effective at cleaning, the reason its a shampoo ingredient to avoid is that they are incredibly drying and damaging to hair, stripping it of the natural oils it needs to keep healthy. In some cases, they can even cause hair loss!

PARABENS

Parabens are cheap preservatives that are commonly used in cosmetics and hair care to prevent them from going bad. They have been found to disrupt the normal hormonal cycle of the body as they can mimic estrogen, the female hormone. This reduces the important production of estrogen in women which has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. They are believed to be the cause of early puberty in girls too. Not only that, but they may also lead to testicular cancer in men. While the effects of parabens havent been proven, its best to mark them among the shampoo ingredients to avoid until more is known.

FORMALDEHYDE

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

SYNTHETIC COLOURS

DIMETHICONE

TRICLOSAN

RETINYL PALMITATE

PETROLEUM

MINERAL OIL

Safety Of Brazilian Keratin Treatment

In 2004, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified formaldehyde from a probable to a known human carcinogen citing results for nasopharyngeal cancer mortality from the follow-up through 1994 of the National Cancer Institute formaldehyde cohort study. To the contrary, in 2012, the Committee for Risk Assessment of the European Chemicals Agency disagreed with the proposal to classify FA as a known human carcinogen carcinogenicity , proposing a lower but still protective category, namely as a substance which is presumed to have carcinogenic potential for humans . However, Marsh and cols disagree with this last decision and suggest that the NCI publications that contain data from the 1994 mortality follow-up should be re-analyzed for they understand that there is incomplete data to correlate formaldehyde exposure and NPC.

Shrestha et al. found that children prenatally exposed to formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, perchloroethylene, or acetaldehyde in the third trimester had an increased odds of Wilms’ tumor per interquartile increase in concentration. Couto found a relationship between pregnancy, maternal exposure to hair dyes and hair straightening cosmetics, with and early age leukemia. Mazzei et al. analysed home made hair straightening products containing formaldehyde and verified that the antibacterial activity was detected in all creams with positive mutagenicity induction. They concluded that the creams showed an intense genotoxic response.

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Does Washing Your Hair Everyday Cause Hair Loss

The skin on your face, your body, and your scalp – differs a lot. Most skin care specialists would agree that it would be a crime not to wash your face every day. But washing your hair every single day? Not so much. The job of a shampoo is to clean your scalp and hair, remove product build-up, dust, and debris but is washing your hair required every day for healthy hair? Typically, no. Unless you work in a very smelly and/or polluted environment, you should not wash your hair more than 2-3 times a week. Also, people who have very thin and extremely oily hair, who work out a lot, sweat, or play sports on a daily basis may benefit from washing their hair daily. Otherwise, shampooing daily will only strip the natural oils, leaving your scalp dry and irritated and your hair straw-like and prone to hair breakage.

What Ingredient In Shampoo Causes Hair Loss Top Full Guide 2022

Many people suffer from hair loss and often do not know the cause. It is essential to be aware of what ingredient in shampoo causes hair loss to avoid it in the future.

Please continue to read more details about the ingredients in shampoos and how they relate to hair loss. Shampoos are designed to cleanse and moisturize the hair. However, they contain ingredients that can damage the hair.

This list has all of the ingredients used in shampoos, so you can determine which products can be harmful to your hair.

Many of the elements cause dandruff, dry or itchy scalps, and scalp infections. Some of the components are also known to thin the hair. Lets explore it now.

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Your Shampoo Probably Isnt Causing Your Hair Loss

Does it seem like youre shedding a little more hair than usual?

Before you start to worry, keep in mind its absolutely normal to shed hair on a daily basis, especially when you shampoo. Still, you might start to feel concerned about hair loss when you notice larger clumps of hair in your shower drain, comb, or brush.

Your search for answers might lead you to your shampoo bottle especially if most of that hair loss seems to happen when you wash your hair. But will scanning the ingredient list really help you nail down the culprit?

Most of the time, probably not. While certain shampoo ingredients may be less than ideal for healthy hair, existing evidence doesnt point to any specific ingredient as a potential cause of hair loss.

How To Find A Chemical

It is easy enough to look for no parabens in shampoo or no chemicals in shampoo, however, never take a product or brand name by face value, or statements such as sodium-free shampoo or shampoo without sulfate. Something that might sound ecological or organic, may in fact not be so. The safest way to ensure that you have found chemical-free shampoo is to go through the shampoo ingredients list on the packaging. Check the ingredients to avoid in shampoo as listed above.

Look for these ingredients:

• Pea sprout extract: Stimulates hair cell production, helping hair to become thicker and more dense.

• Salicylic acid: Exfoliates the scalp to remove dead skin cells and create the perfect environment for hair growth.

• Beta glucan: A natural, plant-derivative that stimulates collagen, improves strength and reduces breakage.

• Aloe vera: Soothes and heals the scalp while preventing free radical damage.

• Chamomile: Gentle and calming antioxidant with anti-bacterial properties to promote a healthy scalp.

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Other Substances: Mineral And Vegetable Oils

There are few articles published about the effect of mineral and vegetable oils on human hair. The main physical property of this class of ingredients is the hydrophobicity of the oil. Saturated and monosaturated oils diffuse into the hair much better than polyunsaturated oils.

Keis et al. in 2005 studied the effect of coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower oil and mineral oil on the hair. Except for mineral oil, heat decreased the capillary adhesion of the other oils, resulting from the penetration into the hair fiber by diffusion, leaving a thin film on the surface. Although thick films of oil can mask the lifted scales of the cuticle, it may leave an oily and heavy look to the hair. It is preferred to reapply oils that leave a thin layer on the surface and are well absorbed by the fiber. In 2009, the Brazilian oils and butters were studied by Fregonesi et al. They analyzed the following substances: Passion fruit seed , Brazilian nut , palm olein , buriti , palm stearin , tucumã , ucuúba , sapucainha . Oil treatment reduced the combing force percentage for wet conditions. However, the hair treated with butters showed poor combing. Treatments using oils reduced the formation of split ends in the hair. Tresses treated with Brazilian nut and mineral oils gave the lowest formation of split ends.

Female Pattern Hair Loss

One of the most common causes of hair loss is female pattern baldness a form of permanent hair loss thats caused by the effects of the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone .

Also referred to as androgenetic alopecia and hereditary hair loss, this type of hair loss occurs when DHT binds to receptors in your scalp and affects their ability to produce new hairs. Over time, this can result in diffuse, slow hair loss around your natural part line.

While chemicals in bleaches and hair styling products can potentially weaken your hair, theyre not involved in this type of hair loss.

Pattern hair loss can be treated with minoxidil, a topical medication thats believed to stimulate hair growth and can also increase blood flow to the scalp.

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Shampoo Ingredients That Cause Hair Loss

Below are 7 harmful chemicals found in shampoo that causes hair loss:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Laureth Sulfate

Sulfates are the most damaging of all chemicals found in hair products. Sulfates are actually found in car wash soap and engine degreasers. There are many kinds of sulfates but two that you must be aware of are sodium lauryl sulfates and sodium laureth sulfates.

Think of any shampoo commercial and you will see the actor working up a good lather of shampoo in the shower. Naturally, you would draw the conclusion that lather and foam would be a good thing but that is not really the case.

They break down the proteins our hair needs to grow and they strip away the protective oils of hair which can cause the hair to dry out and then breakage.

Check out our human hair systems and say goodbye to hair loss!

Chemical Fragrances

A deciding factor for many of us in the purchase of any shampoo is its scent. Isnt your first instinct to pick up a bottle of shampoo and smell it? Shampoo, like other beauty products, contains chemical fragrances. They may smell nice but these fragrances can actually cause a hormonal imbalance. Hair loss has been proven to arise from changes in hormone levels.

So, the next time you decide to buy a shampoo just because it smells nice, think twice! Strong chemical fragrances can lead to a lot of hair damage.

Sodium Chloride

Parabens

Propylene Glycol

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Formaldehyde

Ruling Out Other Causes

External factors, such as the weather , behavioral factors , and dietary factors , can cause damage to existing hair and impair growth.

A person’s age, race, and whether they have inflammatory conditions can also factor into hair loss. Use of high heat , waving or relaxing of the hair, and wet brushing can also damage the hair.

Some people may be genetically predisposed to hair loss. This appears to be more common in people with autoimmune diseases such as:

Alopecia areata, another type of autoimmune disease, occurs when the immune system attacks the hair follicles, leading to patches of hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body.

Medication side effects, menopause, and stress can also cause certain types of hair loss.

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How To Shampoo To Reduce Hair Loss: 11 Tips

The way you wash your hair may have a direct effect on how much hair you are losing.

Whether it is normal shedding or especially if you are dealing with some type of alopecia, the way you shampoo your hair might make a difference in how many hairs end up near the drain.

Follow these tips for a better experience using hair loss shampoos:

BONUS TIP:If you frequently apply hair masks on the scalp or tend to have oily hair, use a dermaroller to remove debris and residues, as well as to revive clogged hair follicles. Use the dermaroller a few hours after washing your hair, once it is dry.

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Rhrli Is Your Hair Loss Specialist

Shampoo is a product thats in almost every persons home and regular use is a good thing. But there can still be problems caused by certain ingredients or using a product incorrectly. If you start to experience thinning hair or other symptoms, you think may be related to shampoo, you should contact a doctor immediately. If you have symptoms that you believe are related to permanent hair loss, then you should contact RHRLI and ask about the ARTAS® system.

Unlike other hair transplant techniques such as strip surgery, which can leave longer recovery times, the ARTAS® system is minimally invasive. To get started, contact us today.

*Please note that the author of this piece is not a doctor and the information in this material is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.

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Ingredients You Should Avoid

Several ingredients in shampoos can contribute to hair loss. Some of them can be irritants and cause scalp inflammation, making your hair thin and brittle. High alcohol percentage in the shampoos can dehydrate your hair. Ingredients, such as mineral oil and petroleum, which are used as lubricants, might weigh the hair down. Hence, look for shampoos that are devoid of such ingredients.

Heres what you need to avoid:

Ammonium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate are the two most common sulfates used in shampoos. They are strong detergents that have good cleansing and foaming properties that create a rich lather. But the downside is that they can make your hair dull, frizzy, rough, and prone to tangling . These sulfates are potential irritants, even at low concentrations, and cause hair damage.

• Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride, also known as table salt, is used as a thickener in shampoos. It might dry out your hair and scalp and cause eye irritation and itchy scalp. High concentrations of sodium chloride can also cause hair loss .

Formaldehyde is an antibiotic that helps keep your shampoo safe and shelf-stable. But high concentrations of formaldehyde can cause contact allergy and rashes . It is also considered a carcinogen . Formaldehyde and other preservatives penetrate the hair and damage it, leading to hair loss.

• Propylene Glycol

The following section has busted some myths related to shampoos and hair. Scroll down to know more.

Diffusion Into Keratin Fibers

There are two main ways for a substance to penetrate the hair fiber: Transcellular and intercellular diffusion, transcellular diffusion envolves epicuticle, A-layer, exocuticle, endocuticle and is much harder path way because of the high cross-linked regions. Intercellular diffusion envolves the intercellular cement, and it is the preferred route for large molecules because the low-sulfur and nonkeratin proteins are more easily swollen. Both routes can occur depending on the size of the molecule, hair damage and cosmetic system of the applied product.

Diffusion rate into keratin fibers depends on the cross-link density of hair. Reactions like bleaching, that decreases the cross-link density increases the rate of transcellular diffusion, meaning that bleached hair is more rapid penetrated by conditioners, dyes, hair straightening substances or any product applied to the hair fiber. However, penetration into the intercellular regions can lead to scale lifting and cause hair damage. Scale lifting is induced by the deposit of insoluble cationic-anionic complex, meaning which can occur because of the interaction and bonding of the anionic surfactants of the shampoo with the cationic conditioning ingredients.

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Strong Hold Hair Styling Products

Although technically not chemicals, some hair styling products may damage your hair follicles and cause a form of hair loss called traction alopecia.

This type of hair loss occurs when your hair follicles are pulled on, such as by dreadlocks, hair extensions or styles that may also rely on strong hold products. Even an overly tight ponytail can cause this form of hair loss, earning it the nickname ponytail hair loss.

If you style your hair using gel, wax or mousse, try replacing strong hold products with products that give your hair a softer texture and put less pressure on your hair shaft.

Alternatively, try going without any styling products and either wearing your hair down or in a loose ponytail every other day.

Nutrition And Hair Loss

Adequate nutrition is important for health and hair regrowth. Certain nutrients are essential, such as iron, zinc, biotin, niacin, fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D, and amino acids. Deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to hair loss.

Most of the time, eating a diet rich in whole foods will satisfy your nutrient needs. The whole foods include:

If you cannot get enough nutrients through diet, you may benefit from testing for nutrient deficiencies and starting a supplementation regimen guided by a registered dietitian.

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African Hair And Curly Hair

Afro-ethnic hair presents variation of diameter at several points along the thread , less water content, and most importantly, an ellipsoid shape. Hair fibers present torsions at many regions along the thread, while Caucasian hair has a cylindrical cross-section.

The small angle of the waves of very curly hair makes it more susceptible to breakage, when mechanically worked making curly hair more difficult to comb without provoking frizz. Although the production of sebum is high on African hair, curly and wavy hair they are more prone to have oily scalp but dryer hair fiber. Sebaceous glands of African descendants are frequently less active, when compared with the Caucasian ones, and they produce low amounts of sebum. This way, both scalp and threads are dry because they do not have good lubrication, even when the cuticle is preserved and the scalp tends to be less hydrated. Usually, the scalp is relatively dry in order to the naturally irregular distribution of sebum. Distribution of sebum along the fibers by combing and brushing is a way of lubricating curly hair because of the natural difficulty of the sebum produced on the scalp to diffuse along the fiber.

To reach variety of styling, very curly hair is frequently straightened by pressing or by chemical relaxing/straightening. But, as the fiber is extremely sensible and prone to breakage it is not unusual that curly and straightened hair do not achieve long length and breaks during the growing process.