When you lather up your hair with shampoo, you're adding dozens of chemicals and ingredients to your scalp and hair. Some of these ingredients may pose as a health risk. Review the ingredient label on your shampoo and, if needed, switch to a new shampoo product for maximum hair beauty without potential health problems.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, works as a cleaning detergent in most shampoos and helps to remove dirt and oil from your hair and scalp. It can also irritate your skin and eyes, weaken the strength and health of your hair follicles, and strip your hair of its natural moisture, warns the International Aromatherapy and Herb Association. Conflicting evidence regarding its carcinogenic effects may also cause some trepidation among consumers. The Environmental Work Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database ranks the sulfate's danger as moderate, giving it a 4 out of 10 with a 10 being hazardous and 0 being completely safe.
Fragrances
Some manufacturers add numerous fragrances and artificial scents to their shampoo products. These fragrances may help to mask the chemical smells of the product and may also lend aromatherapy benefits to the shampoo. They can also be dangerous. The Environmental Working Group gives shampoo fragrances an 8 out of 10 on its hazard scale, saying it poses as a "high hazard" because it may cause allergies, harm the immune system and contribute to human neurotoxicity.
Artificial Colors
Your shampoo may have an attention-grabbing color that comes from the use of synthetic colors. The Organic Consumers Association says that you should avoid such colors "at all costs," as many of them may raise your risks of contracting various forms of cancer. Colors are noted on your shampoo's ingredient list as D&C or FD&C, followed by a color and number. For example, it may read: "FD&C Red No. 6."
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Manufacturers add methylchloroisothiazolinone to shampoo to kill fungi and bacteria and extend the shampoo's shelf life. The Environmental Working Group says it may be toxic to your skin and immune system and that it has been linked to organ system toxicity and may be carcinogenic. For this reason, its use is either restricted or prohibited in many countries like Japan and Canada, though it's widely used in the United States.
References
- International Aromatherapy and Herb Association: What Your Shampoo's Label Won't Tell You
- Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database: Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database: Fragrance
- Organic Consumers Association: Ten Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid
- Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database: Methylchloroisothiazolinone
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