Shampoo Kills Your Hair (The Effects of SLS)

Nearly all shampoos cause hair loss — this is the outlandish claim of the “grunge” new wave, and I’m not talking about rock music. This is why the followers of the grunge movement have binned shampoo. They believe the ingredients in shampoo kill hair growth. My initial reaction was disgust — eeeughh, dirty filthy beasts. But, to my surprise, countless people have reported the shedding of hair had reduced after giving shampoo the elbow. Some even sprouted fresh hair. This was enough to entice me off my well shampooed high horse and give grunge a go.

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Is Shampoo Such a Bad Boy?

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is the ingredient in shampoo that has been singled out as the offending culprit. If you use shampoo then you’re drenching your head in SLS – it’s found in over 95 percent of commercial shampoos. SLS is a potent de-greaser, acting as a surfactant, binding to the dirt and gunk on your hair and scalp. After rinsing your hair, the grime is dragged down the plug hole by the SLS. SLS takes no prisoners, dirt is zapped away and your hair is left bright and bouncy. Yet even after rinsing SLS residue may have taken up camp in and on your scalp. Exposure itself may be enough to cause problems.

SLS is also commonly found in detergents used for cleaning garage floors and engines. Some grungers cry foul: “if it is used for industrial cleaning what the **** is it doing to my hair?” But this argument is flawed. Many substances are used both industrially and by humans. Baking soda is used for high strength cleaning, yet we happily munch on cakes baked with it. The only side effect, a satisfied and bigger belly.

One grunge theory warns we are laid bare to the effects of SLS just after a follicle has shed its hair. That those empty and open follicles die when exposed to the acidic nature of SLS for long enough, or in enough quantity. As part of the normal hair cycle the average person sheds over one hundred hairs every day. That’s ample opportunity to expose empty follicles to an SLS attack. When a follicle is dead you can say au revoir to that hair for good. Yet, there is no solid proof. More firm theories imply SLS causes hair damage by acting irritant:

The demonstration that levels of Cu,Zn-SOD within the epidermis are significantly reduced following topical exposure to irritants strongly suggests that oxidative stress is involved in the inflammatory process. Importantly, as regards our understanding of the mechanisms involved in ICD, this change appears not to be restricted to dithranol, which is known to generate ROS during auto-oxidation, but also extends to chemicals such as SLS, which are not normally directly associated with ROS generation.

http://www.john-libbey-eurotext.fr/en/revues/medecine/ejd/e-docs/00/01/88/59/article.md

Autoradiographic studies of rat skin treated with radiolabelled Sodium Lauryl Sulfate found heavy deposition of the detergent on the skin surface and in the hair follicles; damage to the hair follicle could result from such deposition. Further, it has been reported that 1 percent and 5 percent Sodium Lauryl Sulfate produced significant number of comedones when applied to the pinna of albino rabbits. These two problems – possible hair loss and comedone formation – along with proven irritancy, should be considered in the formulation of cosmetic products…[Conclusion] Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate appear to be safe in formulations designed for discontinuous, brief use followed by thorough rinsing from the surface of the skin. In products intended for prolonged contact with skin, concentrations should not exceed 1 percent.

Published in the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, Volume 2, Number 7, pp. 127-181, 1983

It’s claimed irritation causes inflammation. Inflammation is strongly linked as a big player in the hair loss puzzle. One of the studies applied a mere 5 percent solution of SLS — shampoo has whopping 10 to 20 percent solution. However, the study applied the SLS for over 5 hours. Unless you are cuckoo, most people only apply shampoo for a few minutes before washing it out. It’s not clear if average shampoo use over the years could have a snowballing effect similar to results of these studies. Again, frustratingly inconclusive. Equally, these studies did not fill me with confidence that SLS is as innocent as shampoo manufacturers would have us believe. Common sense dictates, at the very least, if you are going to use SLS based shampoo, rinse thoroughly. Use less, rather than more shampoo. And whatever you do, don’t snooze in the bath tub just after you lathered your hair.

On the other hand, SLS has been used in shampoo for over fifty years by millions of people, millions of times, repeatedly. So why isn’t everyone bald? There is a glut of possible reasons. Some people may be more sensitive to SLS than others, perhaps some sort of mild allergic reaction. It’s possible people with male pattern baldness may be more susceptible to the alleged evils of SLS. Some people may use less shampoo and so are less exposed, or maybe they rinse their hair more thoroughly, so there is less residue. Hair length could be a factor. The more hair you have the more dilute the residue will be on your hair and scalp, a possible reason why women don’t bald as much as men. There a hundreds of possibilities, alas nothing concrete. So what did I decide to do?

Going Grunge

I was left with more questions than answers, but there was a pile of information big enough to cast a lingering shadow over SLS. Although not fully convinced by the grunge arguments, the benefits of not using shampoo seemed to outweigh the SLS doubts — better the devil you know… So, I chucked my shampoo and embraced grunge.

Typically I had been washing my hair two or three times a week with an SLS based shampoo. I stuck to this washing schedule. For the first couple of weeks I rinsed with just warm water. My hair looked like someone had emptied a deep fat fryer on my head. As the weeks progressed the greasiness subsided and my hair started to look healthy again. Regular brushing seemed to help a lot. Four months on and my hair is looking almost good as it did pre-shampoo era. It doesn’t feel quite as squeaky clean and fresh as it did when using shampoo, yet my girlfriend can’t tell the difference.

Now for good news, it seems the rate that my hair was shedding has dramatically reduced. I could speculate that SLS weakens follicles even when hair is residing in them. Also, I used to get occasional dandruff — not any more. I suspect the ingredients in shampoo used to dry my scalp out.

I don’t think I’lll ever use SLS based shampoo again. Even if it doesn’t cause hair loss there are no real benefits gained from using it over good old fashioned water, other than that extra layer of gloss. Instead I have found some shampoos made from all natural ingredients, with no SLS, or any other scary sounding substances. I am going take this all natural shampoo for a test drive for a couple of months, it could be the hair cleaning holy grail – pristine hair with none of the potential SLS side effects lurking in the background.

If any of you have gone grunge or swapped to sodium lauryl sulfate free shampoo please leave a comment — has it helped or hindered your hair growth? Or if you like, you can just shout out me for being a greasy grunger. Rock on.

Responses to This Article

• Alex Lewin said on March 18, 2006

  Nice essay.

  Comments:

  1. I’ve also heard that SLS is bad for your eyes.

  2. I’ve found that Dr. Bronner’s soap works well for washing my hair, too.

  3. Fluoride is bad for you too. So is fabric softener. Hydrogenated oils we all know about by now. There’s just all sorts of bad stuff out there.

• Chris said on March 18, 2006

  Thanks Alex.

  I’ve also read about SLS being easily absorbed into eyes (and vital organs!). But there is a lot of conflicting information. I think a lot of it is scaremongering to sell all-natural products, but I’m not sure that they need to. There are enough reasons not to use SLS based shampoo, without adding hype.

  Dr. Bronner’s stuff looks top quality, will have to give that a try. He certainly takes his products very seriously which is refreshing to see:

  http://www.safecosmetics.org/newsroom/nytimes_10_20_05.cfm

  I agree, lots of nasties hidden in every day products. Again, it’s a struggle to seperate the hype from the facts, but when in doubt I stick to natural products.

• Simon Stevenson said on March 18, 2006

  Great post!

• Brian said on March 18, 2006

  Chris,

  Good,well balanced article. I think you are right on about not being able to draw any firm conclusions about just how hazardous SLS is in shampoos, when used as directed.

• Chris said on March 19, 2006

  Brian, that’s half battle in hair loss research — separating the hype from manufacturers pushing products, and the myths unleashed on the internet by misinformed views. There are too many people trying to force conclusions that don’t exist.

• Chris said on March 19, 2006

  I’ve had a few emails asking which shampoo I am going to be using. There’s quite a few out there but I’ve gone with a shampoo from Aubrey. Their shampoos are mostly organic made from natural ingredients, with not a sniff of SLS or any other sulfate. They have an extensive range to suit most hair types.

  I was originally going to use a product by Jason Natural. Surprisingly Jason isn’t so natural after all…their products contain no Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (or Sodium Lauryl Sulfates), but they do contain a different synthetic detergent called Sodium Myreth Sulfate.

  Also, be wary of any products whose ingredients read “derived from coconut oil”. This is usually a fancy description for Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and although it isn’t as harsh as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it has many similar properties.

• Will said on March 24, 2006

  Some Ideas:
  -Anyone ever try Nioxin Shamp & Cond? -If so, what were your results? They also have a leave-on spray, but it smells a bit like female cow urine.
  -A hairdresser lady in Seattle told me to Never use Hot water when washing your hair. Body temp water max.
  -Supposedly mouthwash and vodka are great for getting crap off your scalp.

  Question: Are there cleansers that actually stop the development of new hairs b/c of their composition or strength?

  -W

• Chris said on March 25, 2006

  Hi Will…

  Nioxin — Never used this myself. The nioxin products are nothing more than a pricey regular shampoo — if people are expecting Nioxin to help prevent male pattern baldness they will be let down. Although some of their products do contain ingredients that may prove useful such as Aloe Vera, Nettle and Biotin. The again, you can get shampoos with similar ingredients for half the price. Also some of their products contain sulfates, albiet the less harsh Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

  Body temp water — I’ll agree with that. Some people rinse with warm water followed by a cold rinse, apparently this helps with blood circulation to the scalp.

  Moutwash / Vodka — No doubt, alcohol is an excellent cleaning agent. Never tried it myself, I imagine it may be a little harsh for the scalp, used in high enough concentration it may dry the scalp out.

  Cleansers that stop hair growth — Now that’s a loaded question. There are so many variables and possibilities that it’s hard to say with out solid scientific or anecdotal evidence. Which is why I err on the side of caution with hair products.

• Jennifer said on May 23, 2006

  About 4 weeks ago, I switched from using commercial shampoo & conditioner to SLS-free shampoo & conditioner. I am currently using Jason. I am also using Jason SLS-free body wash and hand soap. I was concerned that the ingredient Sodium Mereth Sulfate was listed, but I decided to try this shampoo out. I have curly dry frizzy hair, but within the first week of using SLS-free shampoo, my hair is softer, shinier, smoother. Also, before my scalp was really dry and itchy, but that is also gone now. My friends use Avalon shampoo, so I am thinking about trying that one out since it does not contain Sodium Mereth Sulfate.

• Chris said on May 23, 2006

  Hi Jennifer, your observation seems to be quite common — people with dry hair / scalps seem to notice immediate benefits of switching to an SLS-free shampoo. Never used Avalon shampoo, please let us know if it’s any good

• CarolAnn said on May 30, 2006

  Hi i have been told the all of the causes SLS does and i am sure you guys have been told too but the thing i havent been told is where you can get another product and also what is the bubbling agent that they use.
  I also suffer from exma and sls is in soaps too and so that is giving me exma on my hands too, it is bad enough getting it on my arms and hands but before i know it i will have exma all over my body. please help and find me a different product…PLEASE?

  Thanks ! : )

• Geoffrey said on August 14, 2006

  I used Pert Plus for oily hair since I was a teenager every day because, by the end of the day, my hair was oily. But, when my hair started thinning, I got worried and started reading up on alternatives and the supposed back effects of SLS.

  I am happy to say that, for the past 5 years, I have been using Aubrey Organics Men Stock shampoo w/o SLS. It doesn’t have the same lather you get with most shampoos, but it gets your hair clean anyway.

  Also, I only shampoo once a week – sometimes even less often – although I do rinse every day. My hair is not oily anymore. When I started weaning off the daily shampooing, it was a little bit oily at first but now I think my oil glands are no longer on overdrive. I say that because when you shampoo, you strip the oil off your hair. So the oil glands seem to compensate by making your hair more oily. When you stop stripping it of the natural oils all the time, it gets better.

  When I do shampoo, I apply coconut oil to my hair (get it from an Indian store) to put the oil back into my hair, and for simple hair styling. The residue from the coconut oil and my own natural hair oils stay in when I rinse on my off days, so I no longer use hairspray or gel, and my hair never feels greasy or stiff.

  Since the time that I have started this regimen, I have noticed that my hair is no longer thinning, and is actually growing back thicker. I totally recommend this method to keep your hair – and save serious $$ on shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products.

• Pam said on August 17, 2006

  Wow! How great to read all the comments. I have stumbled upon laureth sulfate as the culprit to my itchy head totally by accident – and by process of elimination. I have been using a shampoo that Trader Joe’s private labels (also conditioner as I have shoulder length curly hair that needs help to comb through!). Their product is only $2.99 a bottle and certainly eliminated the itch. I’m not very “natural product savy” so maybe it contains other horrible ingredients but I was looking for something that would let me sleep at night!!!

• Geneviève said on August 27, 2006

  I am aware that I have a mild allergy to SLS since 4 years. It could create tiny holes all over the skin on my hands, also dry and very hard patches of skin in my face, eye infections and dandruff. It also did not help the sebhoreic ecxema i suffered from. Since then I switch all of my products and my quality of life has improved a lot.

• Mark said on September 18, 2006

  There is an excellent sulfate-free shampoo from MOP (Modern Organic Products), “C-System Clean Shampoo.” I was given a sample from my fancy London salon, and it works great. It lathers really well, and is very moisturizing. I have fine, curly hair (read: difficult) and this is the best shampoo I’ve tried, sulfate free or not. I’m also thinning at the top, but hopefully that will slow down, stop, or even reverse now… I don’t know yet, because I haven’t been sulfate-free long enough. But for anyone who wants a salon-quality sulfate-free shampoo, try mop c-system.

• susan said on September 24, 2006

  I suffer from acne and SLS aggravates this condition. So, for about a year now I have been washing my hair with bar soap plus conditioner and alternating this with Dr. Woods Castille soap (supposedly SLS free) mixed with a tbsp of jojoba oil. I notice my hair that was somewhat thin around the face is thicker. It’s also not as greasy as it used to be. It is harder to style though and I wish it were shinier too.

  Can anyone tell me if Dr. Castille’s Peppermint or Almond liquid soap is truly SLS free as it claims?

  How about using bar soap?

  Is there any ingredient we should avoid in Conditioner?

  Some folks don’t shampoo for weeks, even months. This boggles my mind. But I have tried to cut down my shampooing to every other day. Maybe too much washing causes acne and hairloss to those folks that are prone. Great Article.

• James in Cala Dor Palma de Mallorca said on September 26, 2006

  Fantastic article. I do think that overwashing can lead to hair loss. My hair started to receede a few years ago although the proccess seems to have slowed down now that I only shampoo my hair about 3 times a week as opposed to every day.

• Jingle said on September 26, 2006

  Let’s not forget boys and girls that not only chemicals from shampoos and conditioners that are harmful for our hair but the water that we use everyday that contains chemicals as well. Chlorine for example. We are now entering into a period of ever-increasing water shortages. As reservoirs lower, water suppliers add more chlorine. This is because the number of micro-organisms in a reservoir do not decrease as water levels drop. They simply become more concentrated. Dosage has to be lifted above recommended maximums due to the necessity of containing disease from micro-organism increases. Chlorine is also linked to body protein damage that causes dry skin and hair.

• question everything said on September 27, 2006

  I have known of problems relating to SLS for many years now. It is certainly a hair growth inhibitor, It’s a protien denaturer (what does hair consist of? protien!) also a known skin and eye irritant. Think back to how many kids had glasses at school 20 yrs ago as compared to now!! It’s also true that it is a commercial grade cleanser, garage floor cleaner and engine degreaser. Great for cleaning but has no business being on your head!! It’s also in pretty much everything else that foams in your personal care products from everything like toothpaste to bubble bath, facial cleanser, make up, bar soaps, shower gels, baby products etc etc.. Just a very cheap filler with no real purpose other than to foam a lot. I buy from a company called Neways (google search will suffice) and have definitely noticed new hair growth, less hair loss, less itch and squeaky clean hair. And so easy. No special routine I need to worry about. It’s just normal shampoo in a bottle with no added fragrances or nasties such as SLS. I also choose not to use anything else with SLS or SLES in it. I think anything that MAY cause irritation is enough reason not to go there.

• janet said on September 28, 2006

  I started using Castile Soap by Elysian Dream recently after my doctors told me I had to find a shampoo without coconut and artificial perfumes due to allergic reactions. I didn’t realize that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate was derived from coconut. Using the new shampoo has thickened my hair and given it more body than it has ever had. I have only used for 4 weeks and what a difference it has made; no more straight, limp hair. Olive oil is used instead of coconut oil.

• JENNIFER said on October 22, 2006

  I am a 27 year old white female.

  I used Matrix Biolage with SLS for 3 weeks. I stopped using it after I began to experience very heavy hair loss. I stopped using it a week ago and as of todays shower, I am still having significant hair loss.

  I never before had this problem.

  I am so beyond pissed.

  Someone should start a class action lawsuit against these manufacturers.

• ashley said on November 21, 2006

  i am a 21 year old hairdresser i have been recomending products that contain sls to my clients everyday. i experianced signifigant hair loss for 6 months and then it lessened but still is going on now it’s been 2 years and i don’t have 1/2 the hair i used to have and this sls theory did cross my mind so i got a computer so i could find information on this subject. thank you so much for putting up this informative site and i am going to try not shampooing and see if my hair thickens up

• john said on November 22, 2006

  I too have been looking for sulfate free shampoos. I tried Sukesha Clear Hair Wash
  and I had a severe reaction to the shampoo. For 24 hours I had headaches and muscles aches in my neck and hands. Do not use this shampoo. It is very
  toxic to any part of the body it comes in contact with. I did like the Mop Shampoo. It made my scalp free and clear of excema. A free drops of Jojoba oil helps also.

• Dee said on November 30, 2006

  I suffered from canker sores for my whole life….i got an SLS-free tooth paste and it has made such a difference! i have only had one or two in the past 4 months as opposed to about 8! I am going to try eliminating it from my hair washing to see if it stops acne.

• Joseph said on November 30, 2006

  I also suffer from eczema and dermatitus on my scalp; i also have a food allergy to coconut. It is hard to say whether or not coconut derived products have an adverse effect when applied topically, but I just want to try a shampoo without cocomide or SLS or coconut oil… Thanks for all the suggestions… I can’t find the ingredients to the MOP C-System shampoo online. Does it have any coconut in it?

• Melissa said on December 4, 2006

  I just got on the no SLS bandwagon here. There is a really good brand of shampoos by a company called SUDZZ FX. all of their shampoos contain no sulfates, not even SMS. You should be able to find it in salons or beauty supply stores. Also, Burt’s Bees has shampoos, body washes and hand soaps all of which are completely sulfate free. You can find it at your local whole foods or purchase directly from their website (which you can google and find). My friend swears by all of their products including their toothpaste and cosmetics. They are reasonably priced as well. I’m hoping to notice a relief in my minor eczma and dry skin!
  I checked out Jason’s natural and it contain sodium myreth sulfate which is almost the same as SLS so don’t bother. be sure to check the labels, many will boast on the front about not containing SLS but instead will have SMS.

• Ravi said on December 4, 2006

  Very interesting thread.
  I had been using *LS (SLS/ALS) shampoos for the last 4 years, and had been constantly noticing hair thinning. I have done lot of research, through trial and error method, and can definitely say that SLS or ALS does harm the follicles.

  I now use herbal hair wash powder (you’ll find in indian stores), and hair loss has reduced significantly (within 2 months). The density has increased.

  The post by Geoffery is interesting. I totally agree with him.
  The harsher the shampoo, the more oily it becomes ultimately. Mild shampoo (herbal ones) works wonders on oily scalp.

  All the best!!

• Jonell Restivo said on December 13, 2006

  I am a hairdresser for 25 years now and I am currently battling a horrific allergic reaction to all household products, hair products and chemicals in my work place. I have been reduced to baking soda for cleaning my bathroom, drinking vodka mixed with water in a spray bottle to clean my counter surfaces. I don’t have a shampoo to use at this moment, laundry detergent and numerous other products that most people take for granted. I seem to get a reaction to everything containing SLS and SLES. And every time I contaminate my system with another product that I think is safe, I become more allergic to another product that I my have been able to use just yesterday. I even had to purchase a portable sauna to sweat out the toxins that have accumulated in my system. Everything that I have purchased on line and in local health stores that say Sodium Laureth and Sodium Lauryl free are NOT. This underlying misrepresentation has caused my immune system to almost shut down. I am in fear for my life at this time. Maybe the FDA needs someone to die before the laws and restrictions on all products regarding chemicals are enforced.

• prabhjot said on December 13, 2006

  hey guys…really good post…enough good stuff to read about hair loss and SLS.

  i am also suffering from sever hair loss prob. i think SLS is main culprit cos..its been 6 year i am using SLS based shampoo…i am from india can any one tel me about the SLS free shamppos available in india.

  thnks…

• Jo said on December 15, 2006

  Some good reads… however… Nizoral is a well known product which works against MPB and hair loss in men, and it contains… Sodium Laureth Sulphate. It is normally used only 2-3 times a week at the most though. Or maybe the active ingredient in the shampoo overrides the effect of SLS and gives a positive result.

• Asha said on January 1, 2007

  Many years ago, I read about the phenomenon of quitting shampoo. It sounded intriguing, but I could not imagine giving up my daily shampoo and blow-dry. My thin wavy hair was always greasy in the morning, and it’s blonde, so any little bit of oiliness was super-obvious. I’m a female whose hair has been thinning slowly for about 10 years. After the birth of my first child, I lost a lot of hair and then got it back during my next pregnancy and lost a little again after my second baby was born.

  Well, staying home with two kids meant I didn’t have time or much of a reason to wash and blow-dry my hair every day. I noticed that the less I washed my hair, the less greasy it got. And the more I let it go, the more it grew back. Even my husband noticed it getting thicker. I have just started a regimen of washing with baking soda and rinsing the ends (but avoiding the scalp) with a weak vinegar solution. It’s fantastic! I wish I had done this sooner.

• Jo said on January 2, 2007

  I can definitely say i’m doing well with Nizoral shampoo added to my usual regimen of Beta-sitosterol and Saw Palmetto (as has been proven in other instances)… i use it 2-3 times a week along with Nioxin products. Nizoral contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate. So we have a product which works in spite of SLS or whose effect overrides the effect of SLS.
  Ps. Prabhjot: The products available in India would include Himalaya products.
  All the best!

• Richard said on January 15, 2007

  I’m a 40 year old male and have had sebhorric dermatitis since I was a teenager – ‘dandruff’ and greasy flaky skin around my nose, eybrows and beard/moustache.

  I tried all sorts of tar and tea-tree oil shampoos and creams but none worked until I tried Head & Shoulders. Dundruff disappeared and so long as I washed my hair AND face with H&S every second day my skin stayed clear and free of flakes. Still slightly greasy and red around the nose, but MUCH better. Apparently the active ingredient Pyrithione Zinc does the good work.

  But H&S contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

  Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed that I’m getting a red face – like I’m constantly blushing – and it feels slightly hot with a burning sensation. SLS has been linked with this kind of effect so I guess I should try to stop using H&S. But if I do, the SD will return and my face will start to fall off again.

  Any suggestions for substitute shampoo that has zinc prthione in it but no SLS?

• Brittney and Nina said on January 18, 2007

  We think this article SUCKED ASS and we think that washing your hair every day is good not bad !!!!!! ^-^ see you people !!!!

• Whitney said on February 16, 2007

  I’m a hairstylist and I just wanted to say that you need to do a little more research before writing something like this. For one your probably using bad shampoos. Everyones hair needs different things and you probably just have it all wrong! Any shampoo you get thats not from a salon is not pH balanced. This can cause hair loss, breakage, dry scalp and split ends. Most of these shampoos such as Pantene also contain a wax that coats your hair and leaves it disgusting, making it break off and become wirey. You know the old saying “you get what you pay for” well its true for shampoo. Next time you buy shampoo don’t go to your local drugstore and get a 99 cent bottle of shampoo, it sucks!! If your so worried about your hair buy a good shampoo such as Redken I’ve never heard anyone complain about a Redken shampoo or conditioner. And yes it is bad to wash your hair everyday. Most people should go atleast every other or every third day. When you shampoo your suppost to only shampoo your scalp not your ends and then only apply conditioner to your ends. And every time you shampoo your cleansing your hair so you should follow it with a conditioner to put everything you took out back in.But shampoo is not the only factor in hair loss. For one it can be hereditary. Or how many of you color your hair? Do you use the cheap box color that is harsh on your hair or do you have it professionaly done and how often? Because yeah if your hair is fried its going to fall out! When was your last hair cut? Your suppost to get a light trim every 6 to 9 weeks. If you don’t your hair is going to be unhealthy.And how many of you use flat irons and curling irons and probably put nothing on it before to keep it from drying out? And for those of you who are going weeks without washing your hair, well that is just disgusting! You have some major hygiene problems!

• Jules said on February 23, 2007

  My kids and I changed to the “no shampoo” method after reading this – we tried a diluted soloution of water and Isochol rubbing alchohol prior to washing/rinsing with body temp water in the shower

  To my absolute shock, the hair is left clean looking and smelling – and after just a couple of weeks we’ve noticed that the disgusting HEAD LICE problem that plagues every school aged child is actually GONE! I dont know if this is because of the “no shampoo” or the rubbing alchohol but Im truly amazed as we were spending near to $50 a month on lice treatments prior to this.

  Has anyone done any studies on the effects of shampoo on headlice?

  Jules

• jay-jay said on March 4, 2007

  What’s the mix of water to rubbing alcohol?????????

• Eric said on April 10, 2007

  Concerned about SLS I went looking for information and came upon this article which has brought us all together to share our experiences. I have used Nioxin specifically Nioxin #6 with positive results. They claim DHT(dihydrotestosterone) is culprit in male baldness and that their products cleanse DHT. I have also used alcohol and I am happy to find others have as well. Fact of the matter is rubbing alcohol when used in moderation will actually moisten and soften the skin.

• Ryback said on April 14, 2007

  Just to give an update on Nizoral. This product is designed as a dandruff shampoo, and the active ingrediant in the shampoo is an anti-fungal medicine. Fungus typically causes most dandruff and some hair loss problems. So if you are seeing an improvement or good results from the Nizoral, it’s probably because you may have a scalp fungal problem. It has nothing to do with the fact it does or doesn’t have SLS.

• Allets said on October 12, 2007

  I’m willing to give “grunge” a try! I’ve been experiencing hair loss/thinning for many years for no apparent reason. I’ve seen a few doctors and they haven’t been able to find the cause either. The shampoos I had been using do contain SLS. I threw them away as soon as I discovered they contain SLS. I’m using Avalon now and not washing as frequently. I’ll post again in a few months to give an update on any success.

• London said on October 15, 2007

  I am really glad that I found this thread. I do alot of reasearch on hair and I learn something new all the time. When I was a child I had extremley thick hair, as I got older, my hair has thinned out considerably. Dont get me wrong, my hair is pretty healthy and in good condition, but..I do feel that I loose too much hair. I always read that most women loose an average of 75-100 hairs a day. Well, Im not gonna count my lost hairs, but on most days it sure looks like it could be more than 100 hairs a day. This has worried me for some time now, because I often wonder how much hair can I possibly loose daily, before I have none left. Thank god the hair that I do loose is all over my head and not in one or two particular spots, but still it has thinned considerably and I am worried.
  I have spent much time trying to find the best shampoos for my hair, I always knew that SLS along with other ingredients was bad for the hair, but like so many others, it is so hard to find one that does not contain this and other harmful ingredients.
  What I did not know was that SLS causes hair loss. I always read that the # 1 cause of hair loss in women was a lack of iron in the body. Now, I do stand by that and know that to be true, but I take a good multi-vitamin daily and eat pretty often and healthy, to try and maintain a good level of iron in my body, but I still have hair loss.
  After reading this thread, today, has given me hope that I may have found the answer to my hair loss problem. Like I said earlier, I have found several shampoo and conditioners that work well on my hair, as far as keeping it soft,shinny and fairly healthy, but what I really needed was to find out why I am losing so much hair.
  I am definitley going to look into some of these shampoos that have been mentioned here, and find one that does not contain SLS or other harsh chemicals.
  Thanks a bunch everyone for your comments here!!

• Angelica said on November 15, 2007

  I am using a product called Healthy Sexy Hair and it has Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate in it. Based off all of the other things that people have said about SLS, I am afraid that this stuff is bad too. I have always had normal hair and a lot of it but now I am noticing that it is falling out and breaking much more than it used to. I have heard that this occurs for a couple of reasons, one being not getting the correct vitamins. I take a multivitamin and have started taking Biotin just in case this is the problem. However, I have heard that shampoos are very bad for you and I have always wanted to try a substitute but I am afraid to try things. I am very vain when it comes to my hair and its bothering me very much that it is falling out. Is Avalon a good product? I have seen a few people mention it. If anyone has any ideas or input, please let me know. I am desperate!!

• Kirin said on December 22, 2007

  This is an old article now, however seeing it, the responses I mean, I am amused. It does not suprise me a hair stylist knocks 99 cent shampoo. Any dermatologist can tell you, chemically they are all the same wether the bottle costs 99 cents or 100 dollars. We’re just not that stupid as consumers anymore. The generics and the big hooch brands buy their shampoo bases from the same place, the expensive ones just throw in “essential oils and goodies”….. which are in such small quantities, it doesnt mean anything….. except dousing your hair in more chemicals with perfumes and pearly sheen to the liquid. 99 cent conditioner is the way to go! Its too cheap for them to put in the harmful silicones and other gunk, so its oil free and usually pretty benign.

  The hair stylist above probably also thinks that Lawsonia Intermeris (pure henna) is bad for your hair. Its not, and never was, yet every hairstylist would rather bathe your head in chemicals than use a natural plant to color your hair! Its “compound” henna, which contains little to no henna at all and tons of mineral salts that destroy your hair. Read a label.

  I suppose we should all go out, open our wallets and slather our heads in the latest thing touted at some salon. Sadly, i wont be doing that.

  Dr. Bronners, Dr. Woods and Dr. Organics are all just pure soap, thats what i use, and my daughter…… who had wicked waxy hair and acne and it cleared up in 24 hours flat, completely, using pure castille soap. The thirty two ounce bottle cost me five dollars.

  Lastly, saponofied coconut oil is not sls made from coconut oil, two totally different things. saponofied coconut oil, olive oil, or any oil, is the oil mixed with lye to make soap. Period. ALL soap, including ones in 100 dollar bottles of shampoo or exotic cakes are all simply that to start with, saponofied fat/oil. The difference is, pure castille doesnt suck the glycerine out and sell that same glycerine to you in conditioners and lotions you need to buy……. because the commercial soap manufacturers took it out of their soap and dried you out.

• Ros said on January 6, 2008

  I have rosacea, scalp problems and hair loss. I have been searching for a reason for both. Will changing my shampoo and conditioner to non sls be enough to get rid of the rosacea or is there a product for cleansing my face? Can someone recomend a product for the rosacea?

• Joy said on January 16, 2008

  I used Pantene for years and would see plugs of hair in the shower. My hair is a lot thinner than it was but it happened gradually and I didn’t realize. I now use Body Shop Ginger shampoo (it is for dandruff but I use it for the ingredient Piroctone Olamine which is supposed to help stop hair-loss) and also Nioxin products. There are now literally NO hair plugs in the shower and I see new growth. I am amazed!

• Shell said on January 25, 2008

  I have been experiencing hair loss for years but it seems I have reached a ‘chemical saturation point.’ My hair is coming out in handfuls! I have been to the Dr. and he has run tests to check my thyroid and a bunch of other tests but every thing checks negative. (Thank the LORD) So by experimentation with MANY shampoos I now believe I am SLS sensitive. This ingredient is about the only thing any of the shampoos I have tried have in common. (even ‘natural’ ones?) I wish I would have found this site sooner…I probably would have more hair on my head and more money in my pocket! Now my sisters and their girls are starting to loose their hair also, at a much younger age than when I started. (makes one wonder if the chemicals are getting more potent/cheap or if we are just so contaminated we have reached ‘saturation’.) Ah this world we live in… So, Now I am going to try this so called “grunge” idea. Just “washed” my hair with warm water only and the oils seem to be evenly distributed through my hair now. It is a bit fly-ie away more than usual but it don’t look half bad. I’ll just pin it up when I have to go out. Not so many hairs as usual in the bathtub either. I will try this for a couple of weeks while I try to find a good SLS-free shampoo. I have been researching Dr. Bronner’s so I’ll try it next. I have tried other “natural shampoos” before but now, as I think of them, they probably contained some form of SLS. I’ll write back next month with an update.

• Tori said on February 28, 2008

  As I was growing up I lived with the idea that I had dry sensitive skin in which I had periodic excema breakouts, horrible nail beds and acne on my back and jaw line. I recall using Biolage in college and my face was so bad I didn’t like to go in public. When I was about 28 and trying to clear my back up for a strapless bridesmaid dress, my facialist told me that I should change my shampoo to this expensive brand that was less irritating to the skin. They didn’t sell the product so I had no reason to believe otherwise. My back and the redness in my face cleared. After I ran out of that I switched to a natural shampoo that I have been using for the last 4 years. Even though my skin has slowing been getting progressively worse it is still better than before I met the facialist. I have been looking for other reasons why my face is kinda red, that I get occational acne next to my ears and on my darn back again. The new symptom is excema in my palms. After reading this it has occurred to me that I was in the right direction but didn’t have all the info I needed. My ‘natural’ shampoo’s second and third ingredients are ALS. If switching to an SLS/ALS free shampoo clears up my palms and makes my cuticles not so brittle I will be ridiculously happy. It is so obvious now looking back on it.

  About 3 years ago I did a 2 month strict organic food diet and I saw no difference with my skin problems. Although I recently cut out wheat for about 5 days and my excema looked a little better. My point, I haven’t come up with another solution.

  By the way, I am a major advocate for ridding your house of cleaning chemicals and bad laundry detergents too. Some years ago, I found out that the Windex product I was using to clean up after my 5lb dog was actually killing her. They diagnosed my dog with a blood disorder that would affect her for life-she brused alot if she didn’t take prednisone (the lesser of the evils I guess). After I got rid of the chemicals my dog has been completely allergy, pill and sympton free. Three different vet hospitals including the university hospital didn’t even suggest cleaning products as a cause.

  I would love to be in on a class action law suit againt manufacturers for using these chemicals in our everyday products. Is there no end to this madness.

• Shell said on March 5, 2008

  Well, I had written a nice description of my progress over the last month but when I tried to submit it something happened and I lost it all. I don’t feel like typing all that again so here is the short version. Was not comfortable doing the grunge thing. Switched to SLS free shampoo, soap, deodorant, laundry and dish soaps. (can not find a SLS free toothpaste) Hair stopped falling out. Using vinegar rinse. Very happy with my progress. Starting a 3 month de-tox. (Dr. Natura) Thank you for this eye opening information on the effects of SLS. Live long and prosper. Until we meet again.

• Lucy said on March 10, 2008

  Shell, a number of Sensodyne toothpastes do not contain SLS. You can order Sensodyne online or if you live in the USA you can find Sensodyne at Walmart or Target.

• Shell said on March 14, 2008

  Lucy, thanks so much for the heads-up. I will look for Sensodyne next time I’m in Walmart.

• maryam said on March 18, 2008

  i am doing a research on shampoo and its affects, i need all the info i can get, i also need some people from utside my country to answer my questionnaires, my id is wajood_gurl@yahoo.com, cud u give me an email back so dat i cud know you guys are helping me?
  secondly i use pantene and keep shifting from dat to loreal elvive nutri gloss, i dont know what to use other then the shampoo because as much as the sebum is good for your hair, it attarcts dirt and pollutants, sebum is the natural oil that yo have on your head, it is when your hair get “oily”.
  pleas help me and response to me as soon as u can, wud be very thankful if you guys can!

• Anshuman manur said on March 18, 2008

  What about soapnut powder! Here in India, my people have been washing their hair with soapnut powder for hundreds of years. It seems to have done real good for them, coz’ I see granpas with pretty good hair ( it’s obviously a little thin, but no pattern balding ).
  After discovering all the bad stuff about SLES, I’m a switching. I always said that the ancients knew best when it came to a lot of things.

• John said on February 14, 2009

  I’m going to give this a try

• Gale said on February 18, 2009

  I came across this old thread and have found it very interesting. I’ve always had very thick hair but a couple of years ago I started losing it a lot faster than is normal. My shower drain had a lot of hair after every shampoo. About 4 months ago I heard about SLS and switched to a SLS free shampoo. I’ve been using JASON but am always looking for SLS free stuff. The difference is amazing. My brush is not full of hair now and I don’t find one tenth the amount of hair in the shower after my shampoo. I can’t say that I see a huge difference in the thickness of my hair but then it’s only been 4 months.

  My daughter has very thin hair which is actually visible and I got her some SLS free shampoo about the same time. You can actually see that her hair is thicker at the hairline (not so much scalp visible).

• Norene said on February 19, 2009

  Interesting topic. I have afro textured hair which is even more susceptible to harsh chemicals. One day just for the heck of it, I tried using my bar of Neutrogena as a shampoo. Not bad, but nothing earthshaking. Later I started to buy bars of handmade glycerin soap cause I liked the smell and decided to use one of them to shampoo with. WOW!! My hair was just as clean as with regular shampoos, but the big bonus was that I didn’t need conditioner as my hair was so soft! Then I tried parting my dried hair just using my finger, which I could never have pulled off without running into snags or breaking hair dried out from the SLS shampoo. I parted a straight line with absolutely no problem. I’ll never go back.

• Greg said on February 20, 2009

  What’s a good product yo use in Canada? I know there are other chemicals which are bad that aren’t sls…. It’s impossible to find a good one.

• Dan said on March 24, 2009

  Interesting thread. I have been using Head and Shoulders for the past 25 years or so (now 38) and over the past 1-2 years, I’ve noticed hair loss/thinning on the top of my head, not the crown so much as the frontal, forehead area. I guess hair loss is common, especially at my age but the H&S may also have bio-accumulated and reached the tipping point, finally causing hair loss, or at least contributing to it.

  Here’s the tough question I have – are we all noticing hair loss and then attributing it to shampoo when it could just be a natural, albeit unfortunate, occurrence or even caused by something else. After doing some online reasearch, I’ve seen opinions on H&S, for example, going both ways.

  This has got me thinking though so I’m going to try my own little experiment and switch to an SLS/ALS free shampoo and castille soap for a while and see what happens. Hope to post in a few months with good results.

• Olive De Sium said on April 5, 2009

  Hi Guys
  Fascinating entries in here. I’m an MD in London and have had awful skin & eczema problems for years – and recently diagnosed with psoriasis. I’ve seen three different dermatologists, a hair-loss clinic etc, and all had only medication to help. I was talking to my dental hygienist about mouth ulcers and she told me about stopping all toothpastes containing SLS’s & Parabens.

  So I did some research and learned more about both the above. I have now switched to a number of different products which are SLS & Paraben free, and a paraben/sls free toothpaste. Skin, mouth ulcers vastly better and mouth ulcers now gone. Hair is AMAZING – starting to grow back thicker now than it ever was in my teens!

  Here are my favourites:
  For toothpaste: try Sarakan: http://www.sarakan.co.uk/
  For skin products: try either: http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/

• Deacon said on April 15, 2009

  I just learned about SLS possibly causing hairloss. I’ve had thinning hair. I thought it was just because I was getting older. But the pattern of the thinning I thought was a bit odd. It wasn’t just the top of my head, but in the back of my head near my neck, and along the hairline on my neck. The pattern matches the areas in which I massage shampoo into my hair.

  So when I heard about SLS and links to hairloss, it got me thinking that may be the culprit. I’ve been using commercial shampoos since I was a teenager. I’m 37 now. I started with Head and Shoulders then switched to Nizorol AD because I tend to have fairly moderate dandruff.

  And even though there’s no concrete conclusion with regards to SLS, it’s enough to make me seek out SLS free products.

• Tuula said on April 16, 2009

  Destiny Boutique from Oceanside, California makes great stuff. Bubbles are not the necessary part of the shampoo, we just want them for fun. We formulated a gentle SLS/SLES free shampoo with mild bubblemakers and surfactants (decyl glucoside (and) sodium lauroyl lactylate) that are derived from coconut and corn. Our shampoo suds nicely and leaves your hair squeaky clean without stripping. Find it here: http://store.destinyboutique.com/4060.html.

  Yes, this is a blatant ad, and I am actually the shampoo maker.

  We also have a natural shampoo which is made from natural liquid soap. The problem with this product is although it is great for others, it will not produce the best of hairdays with some people. Natural shampoo did not work for my own hair type at all. I have learned it works wonders if you have thick, greying hair.

  Oh, my hairdresser is losing a lot of hair right now. She is getting borderline bald. Could it be contributed to SLS shampoo? Also, my own hair started growing a lot once I stopped using SLS shampoos. I would never ever touch anything with SLS in it again. It is amazing how much of that junk is still out there.

• Sue Hoffpauir said on April 21, 2009

  YEP, IT IS WORKING!!! For 2 1/2 months now, myself, my husband, and my two daughters who all have experienced hair loss have switched to Burt’s Bee’s (NO SLS) extra volume pomegranite and soy shampoo and conditioner, – and we are ALL experiencing new baby hairs – scalp feels cleaner, hair seems thicker – even the girl who cuts my hair looked puzzled when she combed my hair prior to my hair cut a week ago- I didn’t tell her I was doing something different but wanted to see if she noticed – I am now going to see what other products we use that have SLS in them – I feel it should be banned from use – what’s the purpose of the FDA again?????

• Nick Dickson said on April 22, 2009

  I have been using Rogaine foam in conjuciton with Loreal Vive Pro for Men for the past two years and havent notice any difference.

  Vive Pro is also loaded with SLS….it’s new home is the trash can.

  I even went down the route of using Procerin tablets for a year and no difference there.

  A friend recommended a Home Made Treatment http://www.qdbd.com/hair_loss_treatment_super_zix_2.htm in conjunction with Nizoral twice a week and an organic shampoo every other day.

  It’s disheartning when i style my hair and notice several hairs in my sink after i am finished so I have nothing to lose but my hair by going another route as the one I was on wasnt producing positive results.

  I’ll do my best to inform you on my results.

  Hair today ….Hair tomorrow?

• Nalini said on April 29, 2009

  Thanks for this aarticle. its very good. and i think is true

  I would just like to know could i get SLS free shampoo from supermarkets????

• Mr Spock said on May 12, 2009

  My personal experience:

  I’m a 25 year old male from the UK – at 24 I noticed my hair was starting to thin a little at the front, and front-sides. I also noticed my hair was not as thick and frizzy as it used to be (I have traditionally had very thick and frizzy hair) – it wasn’t standing up like it used to. I always had to use gel to keep it under control otherwise it would just look like a big furball on my head. But I noticed it was no longer frizzy, it was thinner than it used to be and I didn’t need to use gel to keep it manageable.

  Obviously concerned, I started some research, which brought me to this website. I thought I’d give an SLS-free shampoo a go too, given how many success stories there are on this page. I’ll be honest – I was very scepticle and wasn’t expecting to see any difference. I switched to a shampoo by Tara Smith (http://www.tarasmith.com/). Worth mentioning that I was my hair daily.

  The results: I noticed a difference after just 2 weeks! After 4 weeks my hair was noticeably thicker, it was standing up with ease and I had my beloved frizz back!

  No way am I going to use an SLS shampoo again. Sure this new stuff is more expensive, but I’d be willing to pay twice what it costs if it keeps my hair from falling out.

• Jon said on May 20, 2009

  Hm, I’ve been using an anti dandruff shampoo with something in it called TEA lauryl sulfate. Anybody know if this is just a fancy term for sodium lauryl sulfate ? Or if it is any better/worse than SLS for hair loss ?

• Alisha said on May 23, 2009

  Well I have to say I’m a hairdresser so shampoos a must!! But I’m very oily I’ve switch to SUDDZfx (smells yummy candy like) and its sls free and hidden sulfate free my stylist uses it on me and I noticed I can go longer without washing my hair. I’ve also notice less strand of lost hair. Average hair loss is 40-100 for everyone per day! I’m now around maybe 20. I love SUDDZfx!!! Try it! Its a little pricey but a lil goes a long way!

• Alisha said on May 23, 2009

  Ohh totally forgot to mention it is also formulated to prevent the color loss! So women or men that color your hair SUDDZfx is great at preventing color fading and SLS FREE!

• Matt said on May 24, 2009

  Good article.
  I’ve been going grunge for about a week now, more because I wanted to see if going without shampoo would result in less scalp irritation than because I suspect it caused hair loss (although I’m pretty thin down the middle, right where the shampoo would probably leave the most residue). I used to have dandruff and scalp itchiness issues all the time – now, after a few days, the itchiness has begun to subside.

  I tried anti-dandruff and SLS-free shampoos and nothing had lasting positive effects. Most of the websites I’ve come across dismiss the theory that shampoo can cause hair loss as tripe, but I think it’s quite possible that some segment of the population can’t tolerate one or more of the various chemicals found in most shampoos.

• Evita said on May 30, 2009

  This is fantastic! I have stopped using SLS based shampoos over a year ago and although I do not see much difference on my hair, it feels good just knowing that I am contributing less toxins into my system.

  It is interesting to think about this because no animal with hair ever uses chemicals on them and yet we have come to do so and now have a population high on hair loss and wonder why.

• hannah said on June 9, 2009

  I moved when I was in grade 5
  and started to worry what if the kids didn’t like me because I didn’t take showers everyday! (oh no) so.. I started to take showers everyday and used herbal essences (full of SLS)
  and I continued to use them and in grade 6 I coloured box my hair blonde and it was ridiculous how many times I spent colouring my hair… all throughout middle school and high school
  now I’m twenty, and my hair is shot… so thin, fine, split ends..
  I switched from shampoos with SLS a lot and now go between
  live clean, and JASON.. JASON does have myreth sulfate! (didn’t know it was the same) and live clean has some questionable ingredients as well.
  I also switched with AVALON, but avalon.. left my hair feeling greasy and I still wash my hair everyday. So now I’m going to try and wash it every other day or once every 3 days and use avalon because it seems to be 100% vegan
  kiss my face also has a shampoo that has no SLS or parabens
  i’m wondering.. is ALS the same thing as SLS .. I’m guessing so.
  and also LIVE CLEAN has and live clean also has sodium methyl 2-sulfolourate/disodium 2 sulfolourate/ sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and palm dervied) WHICH MEANS WHAT??? please help.I’m guessing it has SLS in it.. and saying it doesnt,
  thanks! bye

• Kasey said on June 18, 2009

  A few years ago I realized I was allergic to milk and started reading the indgredients labels on everything I got in the grocery store, and one day found myself reading the shampoo bottle and wondering what all the chemicals were… after looking them up I stopped using shampoo all together. However, my dorm at school was much too dry and I started getting dry skin. My mother’s friend makes soap and gave me Pine Tar soap (homemade, with nothing strange added), and if I wash 2 times a week, no dandruff, and to make sure the soap can’t dry out my hair I use almond or olive oil on the ends and the roots.

  my hair has grown out fully since the switch and I have significantly fewer split ends.

• Chris said on June 24, 2009

  I stopped using my SLS dandruff shampoo about one month ago. I started using a sensitive scalp shampoo from Avalon Organics. I have had no incidences of dandruff since. It disappeared almost immediately. In addition, I have noticed the appearance of some new dark hair and startlingly enough I have full coverage of baby hairs in my previously completely bald spots. I’m wondering if those will turn into full grown hairs. If so, then I’ve hit the jackpot. If not, then my hair feels healthier and cleaner than ever, not to mention my scalp. So, win-win.

• Rose said on June 27, 2009

  Is SLS really bad for your scalp? Look at the ingedients on the label of your shampoos. There are many. Is it possible one of those other ingedients is causing your scalp problems? SLS based shampoos are more irritating, BUT, how long do actually expose your scalp to shampoo to irritate it? I use SLS shampoo and SLES. I alternate. SLS removes buildup-oils and hairproducts. SLES for mildness (much less buildup removed) The hairproducts ( gel, mousse, hairspray,etc) may be the problem. There are also “sulfate free” shampoos on market. Quess what, they are free of organic (carbon based) sulfates, but not inorganic sulfates (sodium sulfate). Marketing will make you spend $20 on shampoo when you could have spent $5.

• Megan said on June 29, 2009

  I am a female who has suffered hair loss for a number of years now. (I am 28 and would estimate that it’s been going on for at least 9 or 10 years.) I had VERY thick hair as a child, and by college, I was starting to really see the hairs coming out. We had “tumbleweeds” of hair on our dorm room carpet. Anyway…I started learning about SLS in the last year or so and I read about the effects it can have on your hair. I started using Tigi Bed Head sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner just about a month and a half to two months ago, and already the hairs coming out are almost zero. Before, I would have clumps coming out in the shower and LOTS of hairs coming out when I would brush or comb my hair. And my husband would be driven crazy by the hairs all over the bathroom floor and in our bed. I do not have that problem anymore. As for any new growth….I am still waiting to see. I also happen to use minoxidil for that and am hoping the combination of SLS free shampoo and minoxidil will help a lot. But as far as getting my hair to stop falling out goes….YES, I absolutely believe the SLS was a factor. I have tried so many different products in my quest to stop hair loss / start new growth, and I can tell you I will never buy a product with SLS in it again. I am also getting ready to try Hair One (a cheaper Sally Beauty version of WEN, which is a “conditioning cleanser” with no SLS). I hope it works well. I have heard good reviews.

• Paul said on July 16, 2009

  Try using home made soap made from fat/oil and lye. It works well for cleaning hands and hair. I have noticed that I don’t have dandruff any more since I quit using SLS shampoos.

• Rann said on July 30, 2009

  I’m so glad I read this article. I never really made the obvious connection between using a shampoo (with SLS) & the days I sometime went without it and hair loss.

  Lately, I’ve actually been using plain baking soda to clean my hair to deal with white piedra fungus* (nasty little thing.) I’ve read over the net baking soda is alo a healthy alternative to using shampoo, and so far it has worked. Although, when I don’t rinse well enough, my scalp will itch. Also, my hair has grown lighter – it’s apparently a bit of a bleaching agent. A girl on some forum reported that it makes hair soft (and thusly easy to break), but I personally haven’t noticed my hair weaken.

  (* = I don’t know if baking soda is really a cure, just wanted to try it for a while before seeing a dermatologist that will probably recommend shaving off all my hair or using a possibly harsh medication.)

• help me:( said on August 2, 2009

  I’m a 24 year old male and I have (or used to have) soft, straight, silky hair that I could easily tame. I use ordinary shampoos.
  In december 2008, I put on some spray gel and mousse to style my hair and didn’t wash for 3 days! :/ In mid January 2009, my hair grew sort of frizzy, wavy and started falling out. I switched my shampoo and the falling out stopped. But in July (like last month) something terrible happened…my hair was all sticky, uneven textured, wavy, ‘non-style-able’, frizzy and it even started falling out again. My scalp also hurts sometimes in different patches. It’s like a constant burning sensation in random sections of the scalp. It’s even hurting now . When I scratch me head, there’s some dandruff-like thing that sticks into my nails. I also had some scabs in very limited areas coming off.
  I’m sooo confused! I don’t know what to do. Is it SLS? Well whatever it is, it hurts and it makes me look horrible!:(…..I need help…

• DrJMan said on August 5, 2009

  Don’t be fooled!

  Sodium Laurel Sulfates (SLS)
  SLS is one of the safest and effective and consistent ingredients that is used in hair care products. SLS Free shampoos is simply a marketing gimmick based on taking advantage of myths that scare people. In fact the rumors were so widespread that the Personal care Consumer safety council pasted a response on their website in 2000(See below).

  SLS Free shampoos have been available for over 20 years, however, this marketing story only took hold when a company called Pureology did a great job of marketing this (actually they said it protected hair color) – now there are many, many companies that have jumped on the bandwagon and created SLS Free me-too products and now it’s even available in supermarkets cheaply.

  Your best bet is to research companies that focus on thinning hair and hair loss with a track record. If you look carefully at all the internet blogs and information, you see the same misinformation again and again. See if you can find any information on benefits and effects of the ingredients used instead of SLS. You will not find any, because there are not – they are marketing a negative.

  “Despite the fact that there was and still is no hard evidence to back up the link between SLS and cancer and any negative impact on the hair and scalp, many unscrupulous companies took advantage of the suspicions and allegations raised by such websites to market as many “SLS-free” products as they could, often selling them to major organic/natural stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, thus helping to further legitimize this myth.”

  CTFA Response Statement: Internet-Spread Rumors About Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) Are False and Unsubstantiated
  July 12, 2000

  It has come to our attention that an e-mail is currently circulating on the Internet which falsely states that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), ingredients used primarily in some cosmetic “rinse off” products, are unsafe. The story relayed via e-mail is an unsubstantiated story. It is typical of Internet rumors notorious for inaccurate and false information.

  There is no evidence of harm from the use of either SLS or SLES as used in cosmetic products. Both ingredients were reviewed in 1983 by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel and found to be safe. Complete reports on both ingredients are available from CIR.

  The Canadian Health Protection Branch (part of the Canadian government) has branded SLS e-mail stories as a hoax. On its web site (www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ehp/ehd/psb/cosmetics/sls.htm), Health Canada goes on to say “Health Canada considers SLS safe for use in cosmetics. Therefore, you can continue to use cosmetics containing SLS without worry.”

  (CIR was established in 1976 by CTFA. CIR is a unique endeavor to assess the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics in an unbiased, expert manner. Its findings have established a public recorded of the safety of cosmetic ingredients. The heart of the CIR program is the Independent Expert panel consisting of world-renowned physicians and scientists. Expert Panel members must be free of any conflicts of inters, and must meet the same conflict of interest requirements as outside experts to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

  In addition to the seven Expert Panel voting members, FDA and the Consumer Federation of American, and CTFA provide liaison members to the panel. Although funded by CTFA, CIR and the review process are distinctly separate and independent from CTFA and the cosmetic industry. CIR is located at 1101 17th Street NW, Suite 310, Washington, DC 20036, http://www.cir-safety.org.

  This is what non sls shampoos use:

  Many shampoos that claim to be sulfate free use Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate (AOS) as the main cleanser. AOS has been classified as having traces of Benzene, a carcinogen or reproductive toxin and also is created using petrochemicals. It also is not readily biodegradable. Ordinary products that use Sodium C 14-16 Olefin Sulfonate (Alpha Olefin Sulfonate) over cleanse to dry your hair and scalp and require heavy ingredients in the shampoo or conditioner to normalize or over condition and cover up damage done.

  C12-14 olefin sulfonate (coconut derived) — Also known as alpha olefin sulfonate, this is a synthetic chemical surfactant/detergent and it is often represented as “derived from coconuts,” but in fact, according to the report
  HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Clean
  Products and Clean Technologies, olefin sulfonates may contain contain traces of benzene, which is a carcinogen or reproductive toxin, and may also release it into the environment during the manufacturing process (as it is created using petrochemicals).
  According to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation’s* LIST OF
  SURFACTANTS (June 21, 2001), olefin sulfonate is a category 4 surfactant and is NOT approved for use in eco-labelled products. Olefin sulfonate contains 50% or more petroleum derivatives and is not considered to be a readily biodegradeable or nontoxic to aquatic organisms.
  The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation is an internationally recognized source of the cosmetic chemical industry for environmental standards.
  http://skarv.snf.se/pdf/dok-bmv-tensidlista.pdf
  According to the LABORATORY OF FORMULATION, INTERFACES RHEOLOGY AND PROCESSES (FIRP) at the UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES in Venezuela, the
  alpha-olefin resulting from polymerization is used as an alkylate in a Friedel-Crafts reaction that ends in an alkyl-benzene. By sulfonation and neutralization, an alkyl-benzene sulfonate of the detergent type is produced at a low cost, much lower than a soap from natural oil and fat origin.
  http://www.firp.ula.ve/cuadernos/E300A.pdf

• Sunny said on August 8, 2009

  I use Nizoral 2% once in 7 to 10 days.

• homegirl said on August 10, 2009

  I’m a 20-year-old female and I’ve been struggling with hair loss for over 2 years now. I tried a ton of remedies including massaging essential oils into my scalp, taking multivitamins, using Hairmax’s lasercomb, and taking Chinese herbal medicine without success.
  And then, after discovering discussions on harms of SLS in shampoos, I went organic (stopped using my inorganic durgstore shampoo) 3 weeks ago and am so happy I did!
  I started out with a brand called OrganicSurge. Even though shampoo was really hard to wash out, after a couple of showers I already noticed a decrease in my hair loss.
  Now though, I moved onto another brand called ABBA. The shampoo I’m using is its Pure Gentle specialty shampoo and it’s been working wonders. My dandruff is slowly going away and I’m losing WAY less hair than before.
  I strongly urge you all to throw away your sulfate containing shampoos now if you’ve also been experiencing hair loss! Organic shampoos can be found at most hair salons and are definitely worth the try!

• Mike said on August 18, 2009

  It’s interesting to read articles on the SLS debate. I just bought my girlfriend a shampoo at Walgreens (you can get it at Walmart too) called Straight Arrow Mane n Tail and Body Shampoo & Conditioner. I read testimonials that this shampoo was made for horses but does wonders for human hair. Alot of great reviews (mostly from women) that this shampoo makes their hair thicker and grow faster. I’m going to try this shampoo as well because I’m thinning a little on the top.

  The interesting thing on this Mane & Tail Shampoo is that it does contain Sodium laureth sulfate. So if this shampoo is receiving so many great reviews and it containes SLS then I guess there is no truth to this ingredient as being a culprit to thinning hair or hair loss.

  Well, my girlfriend and I are going to give it a try and will report back to you within a month.

  Let me know if any of you out there have heard great things about Mane & Tail or are using it as well.

  Thanks,

  Mike.

• Barb said on September 2, 2009

  As for the article by DrJMan, dated August of 2009. I only have one question for you.
  Who do you work for??????????????

• lily said on September 5, 2009

  The other week my scalp was itching like CRAZY. Everywhere i LIGHTLY tugged where it itched, a bundle of 4-5 hairs would come right out. I did not pull it out. It just came out. Then it went on like that for a good 15 mins until the itching only mildly subsided and I was scared of going bald right then. I freaked and searched online and found that perhaps its the sulfates in the shampoo Ive been using that has caused my itchiness and thinning hair. SO I switched to this organic shampoo I got for a free but had never used with tree botanicals and cooling peppermint oil and FREE OF SULFATES. The result was amazing cause my hair felt so clean and tingling and none of that itching and flaking and my hair stopped falling it out in hordes. Seriously, i never post comments but whoever is reading: switch to nonsulfate and organic products! its worth it.

• Felicia said on September 6, 2009

  Ditto Barb! I have little trust in doctors dictating to me about my scalp these days. Every individual is different. It will be trial and error for everyone. Get others opinion, but in the end it is about your own biological make-up.

• haircrazy said on September 9, 2009

  Crazy, I was looking over articles trying to find something about this. I had a hunch that all the shampoo manufacturers are only out to make money and will fund studies that denies what you have said above, so I tossed it and started using just water. The difference is freaking wow, although the hair feels not as clean as it once did with shampoo, it has began to thicken up like crazy, I was not bald, just minor recceding anyway, but I think if you are at the stage that I am this is the ultimate first step. Awesome post, someone needs to be making people aware of the free ways to stop hair loss

• Kathy said on September 10, 2009

  My hair (its kind of long) takes periods of “extreme or alarming shedding”. I’m wondering about the pharmaceuticals and other “trace” chemicals in our tap water. Anyway, I found a SLS free shampoo and have been using it but it doesn’t seem to stop the shedding. It has Panthenol in it and I kind of have a theory… the richer, the gooier, the shampoo the more it makes my hair root swell and that stretches out the follicle (?) that it resides in in my scalp – helping it to fall out after it goes back down to normal size. There were people when I was a kid who would use Mane and Tail to condition their hair. Anyway, I’m going to switch over to an el cheapo 99 cent a bottle shampoo that doesn’t have any conditioners or extra conditioners in it and see if I can slow this down. I do notice this about twice a year.

  I’m also going to look for a strictly organic shampoo, not just limit the SLS, but try to get back to “basics”. My cousin, when I was a kid said people in Sweden didn’t use shampoo and their hair looked fine. I work out of my home doing medical transcrition and if anybody could pull off not shampooing for an extended period of time, I guess it would be me.

  Whenever my hair does do this, though, I start to be concerned about the level of chemotherapy drugs in our drinking water, and of course, for most chemo treatments alopecia is a big side effect. Given the extremely slow rate of response by our government to do anything proactive regarding preserving what is left of our ecosystem, I wonder how many decades they will argue the presence or non-presence of the pharmaceuticals in our water systems before they add them to the list of contaminants to test for in water and develop accepted “safe” levels of those chemicals. It’s not something that is recognized or filtered out or neutralized currently.

  But avoiding SLS is a very good first step. Like other hygiene products containing formaldehyde. You have to start somewhere.

• Nadine said on September 11, 2009

  I have long natural light blonde hair and I started using organic Kiss my Face shampoo and Conditioner about a month and a half ago. Well, I stayed the night at a friends house about a week ago and used her products on my hair since I had none with me. They are the cheapest you can find. I know hair falls out from time to time but I kid you not my hair was so healthy for this past month and hardly falling out. Well as SOON as I got out of the shower my hair was just coming out when I put my hand through it. If I put my hand through my dry hair right now at least 5 long hairs come out. and when I am in the shower its like 20. It has been doing this ever since I washed with the cheaply stuff! I just realized I should do an Apple Cider vinegar rinse to get the build up of SLS out, I guess. Or I’m just sensitive to the store bought products. I don’t know.

• Lindsey said on September 26, 2009

  About 6 weeks ago I switched to Pureolgy shampoo and have been alternating with L’oreal Ever Pure (both SLS free). I have noticed a lot less hair loss in the shower since then (I used to use Regis salon formula for colored hair). Around the same time, I started using Bare Minerals makeup. My skin has been significantly clearer since then. I used to have pretty frequent cystic acne outbreaks, since switching to SLS free shampoo and Bare Minerals I haven’t had any. I’m not sure if my skin is clearer because of the Bare Minerals or SLS free shampoo but I’m not willing to stop using either to find out which it is. I just bought my husband some Nioxin system 5 cleanser which is full of SLS. I had wanted to try their line for colored hair but after reading all of these posts I am pretty leary. We’ll see if the Nioxin helps him at all or if he needs to switch over to SLS free products like me.

• Naomi said on September 26, 2009

  So my hair has been falling profusely for as long as I can remember 19 years? I’m 31 now and discovered a website on sls and hairloss by accident. Went to the store the next day and bought the first sls free shampoo I could find Burts bees that was exactly 11 days ago. My hair loss is now 50 or so strands a day so normal my dandruff is gone no itchy scalp and I used to have the worst oily scalp. Gone. I am a believer. I succeeded in solving the mystery of my hairloss problem where countless Drs in 19 odd years were unable to.

• Elizabeth said on September 27, 2009

  I’ve read through all of these comments and, except for one person, no one has mentioned Alopecia. Some of you may have various forms of Alopecia, not just hair loss possibly caused by shampoo ingredients.

  I have been diagnosed with Cicatricial Alopeica (scarring alopecia) by two different dermatologists. To the person named “HELP ME” who wrote a comment on August 2, 2009, I highly recommend you go see a dermatologist to get a blood test and scalp biopsy. Your problem sounds more serious. Here is a website that may help answer some questions http://www.carfintl.org/index.html. No one has mentioned Biotin either. Everyone with hair loss might want to try taking this B vitamin to help. Go to your book store and read about Biotin in this book “The Complete Idiots Guide to Vitamins.”

  Even though I have scarring alopecia, take biotin and use Rogaine, I’ll try anything. So, I’m off to the drug store to try and find some SLS free products. It may not cure my disease, but if it stops some of the hair from falling out, then I’d be happy. Thanks for all the stories.

• Laughing said on September 27, 2009

  You guys all make me laugh. I work in the industry and can tell you that for 20 years Ive been literally up to my armpits in 100% SLS, SLES, whatever else and havent noticed any difference in anything. I think all you people need to wake up and smell the marketing. All shampoos are just soap. All conditioners are just waxes and oils. The simpler the better. Just keep paying for hype and scare tactics, youre keeping us in business. lol

• Naomi said on September 29, 2009

  Tried biotin, womens rogaine. Dandruff shampoos of various kinds, birth control pills which brought the problem to somewhat manageable as in I didn’t. Lose it all but definitely at least 400 a day. I think the vast majority of the population is fine but definitely a few with a sulfate intolerance or sensitivity. I was most assuredly of of them. I just took a shower and my bathroom floor doesn’t lie…

• Laura said on October 6, 2009

  I’m not going to say whether SLS is afe or not, due to contradicting info, but I do want to place a caution out there about all natural products.

  Just bevcause a product is all natural does not mean it is good for you. There are many toxins and poisins found in nature that are deadly (nightshade anyone?) and even things that are good for you can be toxic if used for different purposes or in large amounts. Vitamins are one of these things (vitamin A is a good example).

  Especially if you have sensitive skin, before you put anything “all natural” on your skin, do a patch test. I found out the hard way that I am allergic to tea tree oil, which is not supposed to cause problems. I was surprised as it is “all natural”. It took a skin care line that is not all natural (Mary Kay TimeWise- and NO I don’t sell MK) to solve the rash on my face that plagued me for months and no longer have the pimples that caused me to use tea tree oil to begin with.

  In closing, just because it is man made does not instantly mean it is bad and just because it is all natural does not mean it is automatically good. Use good judgement and caution with anything you use on your skin- it is the largest organ of the body.

• Lou Ann said on October 8, 2009

  Hello-
  I am concerned with all the products we use everyday and what we eat! The amount of preservatives and chemicals that we put in and on our bodies and clean our environment with is amazing. No wonder we have so many problems with health. Trying to live with nature as intended i s tough when we don’t even know what IS natural anymore. OK, after that statement. When I was in a dentl hygiene program at college, they made us wash our hair everyday. By the time I had one year in the clinic, my hair had started to become very thin. We recently moved into a home with well water that turned out to be not so good. Thus, we decreased daily or every other day shampooing. After about a month of only washing my hair 2 times a week, I have found that my hair is not breaking off and is getting thicker at the scalp. I have searched for a good organic, all natural shampoo and had no luck. I even found a person on ebay that made all natural shampoo. It worked well, but the smell! I can’t do it. It smelled like old people’s bed pillows–YUCK. So now I shampoo less and my hair is beautiful. It is very long. When I shampoo, I concentrate on the scalp only and just condition the ends. I still am l ooking for a good all natural herb and berry shampoo and conditioner. If anyone finds something please let me know. I also agree that you get what you pay for. I used to use Redkin long ago in the 70′s. The original pink stuff. Wish they still made it–it was the bomb! Thanks and LOL to all.

• atlant said on October 8, 2009

  Try J.R. Liggett shampoo bar. I have found that very effective – no sls.

• Nancy Wells said on October 20, 2009

  Well, my scalp is broken out in hives and I went to the hair dresser today to get my hair cut and told her. She said her mother had the same problem and she was allergic to SLS and now uses Alterna a Hemp organic shampoo. It is rather pricey, however I was willing to try anything so I bought it and will start using it next time I wash my hair. I also have very fine straight hair that is thinning so the story is the same as all the comments so far. I was glad to read everything and appreciate all the information on what shampoos to use. After I use this shampoo for awhile, I will add my test results. It is important that we share this kind of information as the industry does not care about health. They just want to sell products. Sad but true. The more bubbles the more one thinks the shampoo is good. The only way to combat the so called business world with their profit above all else is to share information so we can stay informed. Thanks to the blogging world!!!

• Alina said on November 7, 2009

  Always go natural!

  Wash your hair with organic eggs. Yes, eggs. They contein proteins and also make bubbles or wash your hair with pure glycerine shampoo – no bubbles, though.

  Rinse with vinegar

  Use a shower filter to rid the water of chlorine and other chemicals.

  Clean yourself from inside out – eat organic and drink distilled water.

• R-J said on November 10, 2009

  Hi guys….So nice to hear other people are having the same issues I am. I have had a shaved head for about 2 years, but as im a dancer decided to grow my hair. its been growing now since June and its now pretty long.Last yr I had a huge amount of stress and my hair started falling out in clumps”not good when your industry is 60% image!!I have researched the entire internet for solutions.

  I have now not washed my hair for a week…I CANNOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE!!My hair looks and is thicker….where it was falling out doesnt look so wooly and looks really shiny(not greasy)haha.

  after reading peoples posts about SLS I am so pleased Ive ditched it all! I am waiting for some organice shampoo to come through the post will let everyone know in a few months how I get on.

  Hope everyone finds their best solution any more tips please share
  R-J x x

• Laura said on November 10, 2009

  Hi
  I would just like to say that I went through the “no poo” thing that was gaining popularity a while back and I have to say after 10 months of baking soda washes, my hair looked and felt like crap. I did it because I was concerned about the effects of all the chemicals in commercial shampoos. I always had a lot of shedding. After 10 months I broke and bought some shampoo because I couldn’t stand it anymore. I currently use village naturals biotin shampoo and conditioner. It does contain sodium myreth sulfate, however, I have to say that my drain does not get clogged with hair like it used to. My hair does not appear as thin as it used to be, nor does my comb get filled with hair after I use it.

  Thank you

• M C said on November 15, 2009

  I gave up shampoo at the end of august so it has been 2.5 months without. I switched to using only conditioner (at the moment Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle since it is filled with ingredients that i actually understand and leaves my scalp feeling clean). I just noticed i have new hair coming in! I haven’t experienced this since after giving birth 10 years ago when i regained my pregnancy loss. The length is about 1 inch which corresponds with about the time i stopped the shampoo!

  I now do exclusively conditioner, ocassionally mixing in some coarse brown sugar (TJ’s brand is great) as a scrub. My hair is soft and way less frizzy. I had shampooed daily all my life ( i have very oily skin and couldn’t stand to skip even 1 day) and for the last few years, my hair has turned to straw, i thought because of my age (45).

• Natalie said on December 1, 2009

  Lately I’ve noticed that large amound of hair have been falling out while brushing/shampooing my hair. After looking on the internet for causes of hair loss I came across the effects of sls. I’ve now switched to a sulfate-free, organic, vegan shampoo called Giovanni. I can already tell a difference and I am never using bad shampoo again. Hopefully my hair will go back to its normal thickness in the next few months

• michelle said on December 2, 2009

  I stopped using commercial shampoo, both SLS shampoos and natural shampoos. I now cleanse my hair with vinegar mixed with all natural conditioner (to mask the smell of the vinegar). That works incredibly well and the hair loss has completely stopped. I have a different head of hair. My hair hasn’t been this healthy since I was in my 20′s. I will never go back to shampoo again!

• Max said on December 4, 2009

  I am a 34 year old male and I have been shedding an amazing quantity of hair for many years. I used to wash my hair every second day with Neutrogena’s T-Gel alternating with other over the counter products containing sulfates (Mark Hill, Lee Stafford, Tony & Guy) and my scalp would become oily within 24 hours at the most.

  I knew nothing about SLS and stumbled upon a sulfate free product when I was given a free sample of Alterna Hemp Organics Shine Shampoo. The difference was amazing from the first wash and my hair was shinier and softer than it had ever been. I have since then read up on sulfates and completely given up on any personal care product that has SLS (body wash, face wash, soap, toothpaste). I never thought shampoo could have anything to do with hair loss but I am happy to say I am no longer losing hair and it actually seems to be thickening.

• Shane said on December 19, 2009

  The Journal of Investigative Dermatology has recognised that Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is not innocuous (i.e. it is an “irritant” to skin). The authors of a study in the aforementioned Journal (http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v128/n5/full/5701170a.html) stated that SLS “is also a common test substance for induction of skin barrier damage”. Therefore, it would make sense that under certain circumstances, anecdotal evidence that shampoos containing SLS can cause scalp irritation could be correct; although, I would personally like more studies done on this matter to confirm it once and for all.

• russianc said on December 27, 2009

  i have not used any type of soap or shampoo on my body or scalp, i mean no where, my only form of cleaning is a long hot shower, i do use tootpaste though, no more bacne, no greasy hair, hair grows faster, and no blemishes,

  have you ever scene a commercial for acne, that said, try not using soap for a week or two, no u haven’t no money in that , seeing as though we have tried everything under the sun, from diet to potions wasting money i might add and though sometimes these potions work, there affects are only temporary and the problem will return, or at least it did for me, the only thing that has worked for me and probably worked for thousands of years is hot water and exercise!!

  genetic hair loss, sure it is, but not in the way they would have you think, yes hair is different in everyone, so what makes u think harsh chemicals wouldn’t act diiferently on us!! were our bodies ready for this infusiuon of man made chemical concoctions, highly unlikely!!

  then u say why do men go bald more than women, is it possible there hair is not as succeptable as men, and also i do believe at least i think women do not wash there hair near as much as men and also usually have longer hair to diifuse the reactions, i believe as we age less nutrients are available for the hair for as we know it gets nutrients last and if the body in is danger it abandones the hair first, !!

  we also as in fish with mercury that chemicals build up over time, that is why hair loss progresses as it does, chemical saturation!! ever notice athletes hair, usually nice, i agree they eat well for nourished hair, but they also sweat alot therefore expellling the chemicals or so that is my theory, and once again they exercise !!

• RaphBro said on December 29, 2009

  hi, im not sure if its the shampoo or my genes (my dad’s side goes bald) that makes me loose hair. but i might try those organic shampoos, maybe there is still hope for my hair.

• shaz said on December 29, 2009

  I have been losing lots of hair past 2 months-i was stunned by the amount of hair i shed each day-but i remember the same type of shedding i’d come across whenever i’d used anti dandruff shampoos(except for nizoral) i had always used pantene for normal hair..this time thought to try pantene antidandruff-big big mistake!lost clumps of hair!!i actually thought it was because of my post pregnancy hormones/something,kept waiting for the shedding to stop!!very eye-openin article..thanks.will try to go sls free !!

• terrell said on January 1, 2010

  I used to shampoo everyday. I shampooed because the next day my hair would be oily, and shampooing would get rid of the oil.
  Over the summer I shaved my hair, and I did not shampoo. I grew my hair back to original length, and I began to shampoo everyday as usual. I would lose lots of hair each shampoo. I head about the bad effects of SLS (not from here, though), and I bought Rudy’s Emu Oil shampoo from Amazon; the shampoo is SLS free. It’s quite expensive, but I thought the amount of hair on my head in more important than money. I began to shampoo everyday. I then reduced the frequency to one week. I would notice that about two-three days after shampooing, my hair would not be very shiny and feel light (not full), but afterwards, it would be full and shiny. It also wasn’t oily.
  It’s been two weeks now since I’ve shampooed. My hair is not oily, and it is full. Also, gunk does not come out if I scrape my scalp. My dandruff has also reduced. Since I don’t shampoo, I lose less hair (although I’m not sure whether the shampooing just got rid of the hair that was supposed to fall out during the day). I’ll see how far I can go without shampooing.
  I highly recommend reducing your shampoo frequency.

• Debbie said on January 1, 2010

  Does anyone know anything about Miracle II shampoo????

• Kieren said on January 7, 2010

  Great article.

  Why do men lose hair on their crown and not the sides of their head?
  Because they shampoo their crown and not the sides of their head.

  Add 2 plus 2 and you get four.

• rambo said on January 9, 2010

  Hi Chris,

  Tell me…ur “expert” opinion is based on which clinical study????

• cece said on January 10, 2010

  love the article… but i have a question i have found this line called bumble and bumble and the gental shampoo contains sls im alittle scared to try it because my hair seems to fall out alot more than it needs to … but i have read nothing but good reviews about bumble and bumble.. my hair is really course and dry… what should i do…???

• Sveta said on January 11, 2010

  I got really inspired by this article and all the comments and in late November 2009 we switched to SLS-free. I have also tried brushing hair, rinsing it with spirits, as advised in some of the comments.

  By now my hair is as oily and greasy as ever, I cannot rinse it through neither with SLS-free, nor with spirits, when I brush it – my brush gets all dirty, and hair gets even oilier, and I still loose the same amount of hair as before.

  Plus it is rather hard to find sls-free shampoos in where I live – most of them will still contain SLS in other modifications, and the ones that are completely free are hard to find and always out of stock.

  Today I felt like giving up and tried to wash off all the sticky oil off my hair with Sunsilk for greasy hair, that some of our other family members use. It didn’t seem to help against all the oil my hair produced.

  The questions are:
  1. How long did it take for your hair to adapt to SLS and to stop developing all that grease?
  2. What would you recommend as an additional washing help, as SLS-shampoos I have available here cannot really wash my hair?

  Please, help…

• tweety said on January 16, 2010

  I always use shampoo with SLS until few months ago when I found out some SLS free shampoo articles. I’m still deciding which one is better. My problem with SLS free shampoo is that it doesn’t give a nice clean feeling since there’s almost no foam in it. So I shampoo my hair twice each time and I notice more hair loss! And I also can’t handle to not washing my hair everyday. My hair will be oily and my scalp is itchy if I skip shampooing for 1 day (even with organic shampoo). I’m not sure which one to pick now. I feel that my hair has more volume with SLS shampoo. My hair is flatter since I’m using organic shampoo.

• Katerina said on January 19, 2010

  I have lazy, wavy hair that’s also oily. I additionally have dandruff at the scalp. My hair has been thinning for at least 6 months now, maybe a year, but I’m also in my mid-40s and this has just recently begun.

  I used to wash my hair daily with an SLS shampoo and silicone-based conditioner. My hair would be oily by the end of the day. Some days I could go maybe 1/2 a day but I’d still be needing a shower by the end of the day.

  My hairstylist recommended I used the “Curly Girl” shampoo-free methodology to deal with my strands. It is shampoo-free and advocates using only conditioners without silicones in them. I’m not saying this is what all should do; this is merely my experience.

  It took my hair between 2-3 weeks to adjust to the routine. My hair was on grease overload for the first 7-10 days.

  I still use shampoo. I use considerably less of it. The amount I use in a week would probably equal the amount I used to use in a single wash, it’s that dramatically reduced now. I try to keep up with the labels and only buy SLS-free shampoos. I find it hard sometimes to know if the newer chemical terms are sulfates or if they have the same properties. Usually, I just avoid something if I don’t know what the ingredient is.

  Someone asked what kind of conditioner to use. Do not use conditioners with non-water soluble silicones. Look for conditioners that do not have words ending in -cone. I wish I could remember what silicones are water-soluble. I rarely use a conditioner with a word ending in -cone. Cyclopentasiloxane is another word for a non-water soluble silicone. In other words, you will likely need a sulfated product to remove it from your hair.

  The silicone needs the sulfate detergent to remove it from the hair; that’s why you do not want to use silicone products if you are using SLS-free shampoos.

  I presently use the Burt’s Bees products and the Giovanni products. Both leave my ends feeling rather dry at times.

  Right now I’m struggling, once again, with dandruff. I think in the end this has more to do with the fact that it’s winter time and the very warm water I (shouldn’t) use on my hair is drying my scalp and causing flaking. That’s my theory, anyway. I suspect that if I were to go back to a cool-water rinse and possibly add a bit of tea tree oil, the flaking might dissipate some or even be eliminated.

  Hope this helps some.

• Louise said on January 19, 2010

  After reading MOST of the above (took me ages) as well as a couple of other sites I decided to dig out my Herbal Remedies book…

  Shampoo base
  cover roots and stems of soapwort with bottled spring water, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Strain and use this as a shampoo base.

  Herb infusion
  25g (1oz/ 1 heaped tbsp) dried or 75g (3oz/ 3 heaped tbsp) fresh herbs to 600ml (1pt/ 2.5 cups) of boiling spring water

  Use 3 parts shampoo to 1 part herbal infusion

  Herbs to suit hair colour or type
  Fair hair – chamomile, elder flower, yarrow flower
  Dark hair – rosemary, sage, thyme
  Dry hair – comfrey, marshmallow
  Greasy hair – lavender, peppermint
  Dull, lifeless hair – lime flower, southernwood, stinging nettle, yarrow
  Encourage growth – catnip, nettle, southernwood

  Don’t ask me where you get the ingredients from, you cold possibly use essential oils in the shampoo base too.

  not a chemical (other than naturally in the plants themselves) in site!

• administrator said on January 20, 2010

  any type of hair product is bad for your hair, in other words, hair loss.
  using organic hair products is the best choice for perfect hair.

• John Larson said on January 20, 2010

  I have stopped using shampoo. I wash with sodium bicarbonate and rinse with apple cider vinegar. cheap easy and works better than shampoo.

• Dazai said on January 21, 2010

  Hi!!
  Id just like to ask to clear up is Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate really bad such as in products to eliminate Dandruff: (Natural Alternative -Natural Anti-Dandruff Shampoo With Australian Cehami) or is it better to Apply Apple Cider Vinegar twice a day before shower for an hour, than use your regular shampoo. Im currently using Spring fields simply healthy shamp and condi for normal hair it contains Organic Plant Oils. It’s hard to understand without testing these methods so maybe help from people who a familiar and expierenced would clear up some info for me. I will report back with expierence later and I might be able to help others with dandruff if all goes well for me 1 yr dandruff tackler. Take Care People

• Nicole said on January 24, 2010

  I used to use shampoo that had sodium lauryl sulfate. One in particular was Pantene PRO-v Shampoo and conditioner in 1. My thinking was it has both so I don’t need extra conditioner, might be a dumb mistake I made, but I was a teenager. Anyway needless to say after using it repeatedly my hair was dry and started breaking off horribly to where it was short and I ended up having to get a jerri curl. Either any ingredient in any product that is more harmful than beneficial will not be used by me. I read and research every product I think about buying. I want to make sure my money is going to the right place. Also some of those shampoos in the stores can be outdated, or with expired ingredients. SLS is not good for anyone’s hair. I only use conditioner from Aveda (they have maybe 1 shampoo that doesn’t have any SLS in it), but there conditioners are great too!

• John said on January 26, 2010

  I have been washingmy hair daily, and sometimes twice a day, for over 40 (forty) years. Never seen any hair loss, never seen any alergies …

  For me all these SLS bs is fueled by “organic” product manufacturers or some other conspiracy theorists.

• Mike said on January 26, 2010

  I heard that Mustard Oil is good for healthy hair growth. Does anybody know about this?

• Dazai said on January 29, 2010

  Hello!! Im reporting back to say i am dandruff free and I feel soo much better thanks to Apple Cider Vinegar used once then the next day followed using natural anti-dandruff shamp with australian Cehami in the week soon in two weeks time I became free from a ichy scalp and of course saved my hair from falling out due to scratching and weakening my scalp. Another big step I tried was instead of scratching I got my hair brush -one that was finely toothed (plastic conair brush) and carefully brushed along my entire scalp were the dandruff was which removed dandruff then I had a shower to make sure there werent any dandruff flakes in my hair and in due time of showers they came out of my hair. So im positive that brushing the dandruff from your scalp is very important to remove and start treating your scalp. I gotta say the Apple Cider Vinegar helped me relax and the shamp cehami releaved me of itching again because I knew it helps (excellent results with dandruff) which was like a light clear liquid that you could massage quite easily.
  Hope this might help dandruff tacklers. Make sure you also eat the right foods, get some sunlight, exercise and most importantly RELAX! ^w^ cheers

• Dazai said on January 29, 2010

  Im sure Mustard oil is a good natural source for speeding up growth of healthy hair that you would massage through hair and scalp. I havent used this natural ingredient before but it is used for fast growth of hair as well as other oils: jojoba oil, Almond oil, Coconut oil, Sesame oil, grape seed oil and castor oil although castor oil should be used with white iodine available at the chemist shop excellent for hair regrowth. I have been using Certified Organic Jojoba Oil for my skin which i could have used for my hair as well but my shamp already contains this. For my skin its doing wonders even my acne is going to clear up because the Jojoba oil is working.( Ive never had really bad acne before this is basically clearing out my skin free from acne) Love the stuff. I also think Apple Cider Vinegar would help with growth of hair and cleaning a scalp. Im 18 and basically still learning these wonderful ingredients.

• Jan said on January 29, 2010

  Hi, a good thing that I stumbled on one day is blackstrap mollases. I had a little bit left in the fridge and I mixed it with shampoo. It makes my hair flow together and stops my scalp from itching and feeling soar. Here is one recipe that I use with it.
  recipe:
  1 spray bottle- fill with water and add
  2 tablespoons blackstrap mollases
  (it will dissolve quickly)
  Directions:
  Spray on wet hair after shower or add black strap mollases to shampoo.

• wai said on January 30, 2010

  95% of hair loss is genetic…I mean you use sls shampoos all the time like from 3 to how ever long u live but hair loss most seems to start at earliest late teens. So from the years 3-18 how comes most people using sls shampoos show no sign of hair loss until late teens?
  U say sls especially affects the hairs that have just shedded. But at 3-18 we still she 100 hairs a day but still have a healthy head of hair?

• Vivian P. said on February 2, 2010

  I just sent a scathing e-mail comment to Jason Company about their ploy with sodium myreth sulfate and claiming to be natural! Today’s consumer is very educated to continue to be fooled by large cosmetic companies! Thanks for you contribution to that education.

• Mike said on February 2, 2010

  Dazai,

  Thanks for the reponse on mustard oil and the other natural oils and ingredients. Also, don’t forget to change your shower head for a filter – one that filters out chlorine, aluminum, and other chemicals our cities put in our waters. I just installed one which was very easy and have noticed that my hair is not as brittle and my skin is smoother. The water does not have that chlorine smell to it anymore.

  If you combine a good water filter with these natural shampoos and ingredients, it should make a difference.

• Bob said on February 2, 2010

  This SLS shampoo is really the worst most damaging shampoo you can find. I am
  amazed it hasn’t been banned by the gov’t as unsafe. It dries out your skin, kills it,
  then strips it away next time you use it. Result, you must use more of it to get
  rid of the flakes it causes! Plus hair thins out, what a nightmare. Dumb me, it took
  me 40 years to figure this out! Now that I have stopped using it, skin is better, dandruff is lessened, hair grew back.
  P.S. you gave me a good idea, I’m going to try it to clean my car’s engine!

• Dazai said on February 3, 2010

  Mike,
  Thats ok I love helping -If I learn more along the way I’ll be sure to wright more -it’s good to know people will always give a helping hand. Thank you for sharing – I do remember reading little bout the water and how it can affect your skin , natural oils on scalp and such guess we all have to learn and share sometimes to have a worthwhile healthy lifestyle.
  Stay Fresh ^o^

• Ginny said on February 4, 2010

  Anybody have a recipe for homemade shampoo that does not contain castile? I have tried it every which way possible and with every sort of rinse possible and it just doesn’t work for me. We have seriously hard water and while the vinegar/lemon rinses help slightly, the buildup or whatever it is, is so bad that I can’t even comb my hair after using it. I have long curly fine hair and can’t afford to break it trying to get the comb through it. Aubrey’s works well but I’d still like to make my own.

  I’ve experimented with Aloe vera gel and it sort of works as a shampoo. Any ideas? I’m highly allergic to any kind of sulfate, parabens, and other chemicals. I might even have a gluten allergy. I’ve eliminated most of these things from my diet and my beauty regimen.

• Celesul said on February 5, 2010

  I have very sensitive skin, and SLS makes it dry and super itchy. So, I stopped using traditional shampoo and bodywash. Now, I simply use bar soaps (NOT beauty bars, those are just solid SLS). Ivory soap is a good, although drying, soap, and I love the lavender Kiss My Face olive oil soap. I’m just going the no fuss route and washing my hair with soap! It’s been better for lessening my dandruff than any dandruff shampoo, and decreases skin issues. I can put lotion on my hands, but not my scalp. Oh, and by the way, I do NOT have short hair: it’s hip length, and normal bar soap is the best thing I’ve found yet. (it uses soponified oils, which is a result of oil and lye).

  When washing hair with bar soap, vinegar (apple cider or white) needs to be used to get rid of soap scum and restore the skin’s pH.

  On a related note, I have never found anything other than water and vinegar (okay, lemon juice) that doesn’t cause me to break out. I have almost no acne, but if I wash my face, I get a bad breakout.

• Catherine said on February 9, 2010

  Hey. Great essay!

  About 3 months ago I switched to all-natural, organic, sulfate free shampoo. I have not really noticed a difference in my hair, except it is maybe slightly less frizzy.

  Beware, also, that SLS is in ALL soaps, and ALL body washes. However, there are organic brands that are safe and SLS-free. I currently use no SLS-containing products to wash myself.

  They even sell them in Wal-Mart.

• Dre said on February 9, 2010

  I have used 2 kinds of SlS free shampoos. WEN, and Thermafuse. I have never in my life had oily hair. Because my hair is dry I dont wash my hair everyday. My hairdresser had me use Thermafuse sls free shampoo and I hated it! It didnt wash my hair. My scalp actually became oily yuck! Because I paid so much for the shampoo I would alternate between that and regular shampoo. After the bottle was done I retured to regular shampoo for months. My mother gave me a bottle of WEN which is also sls free and the same thing happened but this time my hair would smell bad so I stopped using it right away! Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a better sls brand that will actually clean my hair?

• mia said on February 13, 2010

  hello

  I have experienced hair loss on and off from stress and homonal factors.
  My hair is thick curly and coarse, very dry

  My doctor recommended swimming to relieve my stress..shockingly enough it had a side effect. I started growing back the hair on my crown, which was completely patchy and getting smooth as a bald man. My theory is that the cholrine and the chlorine removal shampoo removed the chemical build up on my scalp that was causing the hair loss

  After my hair grew for a while, I found it extremely dry. I did alot of research on natural ingredients that helped hair growth, I found all these ingredients in Avalon orgnanics …I use the rosemary babussa oil shampoo and conditioner. Its got not SLS. its invigorating…the pepermint tingles your scalp and stimulates blood flow.

  All in all what I learn is that I need a strong shampoo to cleans the biological build up on my scalp. Then GENTLE treatment for my hair…my hair loves conditioners but still I am hesitant about shampoo with ot without SLS.

  See using the gentle shampoo will not cleanse the damaging biological build up on the scalp, so I had to find a balance. My hair is usually braided, I swim with the braids and use the chlorine removal shampoo on the braids. When I take the braids out I treat the hair very gently…all in all my hair is at shoulder length, all natural black hair..to think I was crying my eyes out a few years back…my self esteem was so low..which 29 yr old female wants to be BALD..it was a horrific experience!

  Good Luck.

• mia said on February 13, 2010

  oh..to follow-up ..my skin has similar issue..I use high moisture and lactic acid lotions recommended by the dermatologist. its seems I seriously lack moisture and the SLS do not help! I love bubble bath and all kinds of perfumed soap..I am allergic to the smells as well… but I figure I can take care of the hair issue, but cant let go off the bathing soaps..I sneeze a lot afterwards but love the scents.

  Right now I have a major headache and my throat is sore..I can’;t remember what I used but I remember I was at a parade and it seemed like the people around me where living in my nose..I could smell everyone and everything! Thats when I know the consequences are going to be horrific..on well..the curse of sensitivity to chemicals !!

• gretchan the hairdresser said on February 19, 2010

  as a hairdresser, i see lots of heads and use a ton of products, many of them containing sls. not only am i concerned about sls, but also be very wary of products containing parabens. there are many-methylparaben, polyparaben, etc. these actually can affect your estrogen levels by mimicking estrogen in the body. they are in a huge number of hair products, skin products and toothpaste. i suffer from female hair loss and it sucks. i also recently had hormonal testing done and my estrogen levels were off the charts! interesting, isn’t it? i’ve decided to leave the business and start my own company making safe shampoo and other hair products. until then, i stumbled across a company called CTONICS. they seem to have the right idea. i ordered mine this morning. you can either get it right from them or look on beautyhabit.com where they also have the ingredient list. i’m also taking the herb saw palmetto which helps hair loss in women and protects the prostate in men. maybe i can stop taking this if the sls project works.

• Naomi said on February 23, 2010

  This bit of advice on a non SLS product comes all the way from India. Our mothers and theirs had the benefit of never having to come in contact with any SLS based shampoo. Needless to say… They all had magnificent hair. Thick, strong and jet black. What most in my generation lust after. That’s when I discovered shikakai and amla. Two herbal ingredients that can be procured locally for 1/4 the price of most OTC shampoos. Apart from the faint aroma of herbal weed it leaves your hair feeling really clean and healthy. I don’t know if Indian stores in the West house these products. I could send you snap shots if you like of what I use, if that could in any way help you.

• Beryl said on February 24, 2010

  Wash hair with a baking soda paste and rinse with apple cider vinegar (1:1 ratio vinegar to water) and cool water.

  Dry hair? Coat hair in olive oil, shea butter or coconut oil, leave on for an hour wash and rinse.

  Use apple cider vinegar and distilled water as a facial toner and moisturize with plain old olive oil or shea butter.

• Annu said on March 5, 2010

  hie there,
  i am using SLS contained shampoos and conditioners for years, right now i am 25, my hairs look nice after a wash, but they are thin, weak, & unhealthy….more to it they are loosing their natural color…turning white from dark brown…i just loved the natural color and texture of my hairs which is turning white from ends to the tips…and i at times felt like as if they are made of plastic…i dont like it at all…the more i care the worst they become….i would like you to help me out Naomi or who so ever is interested in providing a timely and effective advice…ciao

• Patrice said on March 5, 2010

  Hi Brian,
  I really liked your article and I commend you for going grunge. I,myself, have left using sls shampoos and moved on to natural shampoos and my hair has never looked better. It has body it never really had and it is also much thicker than it has ever been. My hair used to be thin, fall out and shed like there was no tomorrow. It would only grow to a point then kind of gave up. But know I have beautiful, thick, longer hair.
  To Annu if you read this give up the sls shampoo and go organic. You could try using the one I use Naked Naturals (you get at cvs for 6.99 worth the price) or Burts Bees. And try using a deep oil conditioning to rid your hair of that plastic feel.

• Alan said on March 6, 2010

  Stay away from SLS shampoos. I am using a very high end shampoo called Regenepure.
  The DR version has Ketoconazole for hair growth and dandruff. They have a nourishing treatment that is really good also. Check out their site at http://www.regenepure.com
  They list all of their ingredients and the benefits of each. NO SULFATES OR PARABENS ANNU!!!

• Kristin said on March 15, 2010

  I bleached and dyed my hair at the hair salon in late August. My hair was fine for about a month until I noticed that my hair was beginning to fall out. It’s now Mid-March and my hair is still on that same path of destruction. I have no idea how to stop this maddness. I blamed the lady that did my hair until I heard Patene was the culprit from a co-worker. Then I learned about SLS. Now I’m using Lo’real’s sulfate-free shampoo’s and conditioners. I hope this will help. I haven’t seen any progress so far. :[

• Julie said on March 20, 2010

  I’ve been using SLS (+ lots of other toxins) free products for four years now. The make of products I use are from a company called Neways. They’ve been around for about 20 years so really know what they’re talking about. I personally wouldn’t use anything else & feel safer for using them. If you want to learn more, go to http://www.juliegrech.ineways.eu

• heather said on March 23, 2010

  sls is not a “scare tactic” as the Dr. and others have written. It is a scientific fact that it strips the hair of too much oil. Everyone has to appy commom sense and find what works for them. Some may not be willing to go”grunge.” Most probably are not. All I know is that for myself, sls was stripping my hair and drying it out. Also, I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin and I found that it was irritating my skin.

  I have tried several natural brands, all sls free. my hair is no longer dry or brittle, and my skin is not irritated. The proof is in the proverbial pudding.

• Craig Sams said on March 25, 2010

  In 1963 my hair was coming out in handfuls. I was 19 and worried I’d be bald by my early twenties. I stopped using shampoo completely. I am now 66 years old with a full head of hair, no scalp problems, hairs fall out but new hairs grow back in their place. Water and olive oil and occasional rinsing with salty water is my total cleaning regime and my hair always looks and feels clean and fresh. I have saved thousands of hours of pointless ‘washing’ as well as money that just goes down the drain. The skin of the scalp is teeming with living microbial flora that live in a healthy balance. Shampoo kills them off and they have to rebuild their population and some flora outcompete others giving a vague feeling of itchiness as they repopulate the scalp. This feels like ‘dirtiness’ and encourages more shampooing. This addiction cycle can be broken in a few weeks and then you’re free and in control of your body, instead of letting your behaviour be regulated by a chemist’s formula.

• stacey said on April 27, 2010

  I just called Jason’s customer relations line (1-877-527-6601) and this is what the conversation went like.

  Me: “Hi, um I’ve been using your products for sometime and I know Jason claims to be a Pure, Natural & Organic company like it says on the bottle and yet I was looking through the ingredients list and noticed that it contains sulfates and I was just wondering what you had to say about that.

  Jason Co. Customer Relations: “Well, “Pure, Natural & Organic” is our logo; that doesn’t mean every product is going to be organic, natural or pure. (wtf?)

  Me: “Well by claiming that you are Pure, Natural & Organic is untrue then and it seems a lot like you’re trying to trick your customers, which I don’t appreciate at all. If you’re going to appear as if you’re an organic company, then all of your products should be organic.

  They didn’t really have s*it to say to that except that she will “pass it along to her leaders.” Ugh. Never using their products again.

• Dazai said on April 30, 2010

  I remember seeing on the news about how people are concerned about sls in toothpaste and they said that the fluoride was essential to clean our teeth properly, but as I used shampoo and toothpaste containig sls I had somehow had problems like how I reported I had dandruff it wasnt dandruff but dermatitis thats what my Dermatologist said.
  This I believe reading is due to our bodies getting a reaction to the everyday common household product chemicals because everybodies different some have sensitive skin which is common to develope dermatitis and others are less sensitive to it. Its strange in a way we can consider our hormone levels and stress for example for certain things like acne and scalp conditions or our genes that keeps us concerned. But whats true ? If we are eating exercising trying 2 b healthy.

  I mean Im the only one in my family who even brushes thier teeth and flosses on a regular bases – I used colgate the advanced fresh because I love having a minty frsh breath and at one stage I used whitening – this even was more harsh on your teeth and gums stronger not good 4 u mor chemicals and I even do this propery brushing gently but Im the one who has gums that hurt. Dentists say not 2 brsh teeth right after you eat something I cant exactly remember why but I think it was cause your gums become softer or something so instead brush at somepoint later few mins after know i cant remember sorry- they should have pointed things like this out before.

  Anyway its not easy to determine whats right I know my gums hurt slightly more with this Miessence lemon toothpaste free from certain chemicals I think its the lemon from what ive learned from another user. My teeth are all good except for the teeth next to yor 2 front teeth on each side they are crooked facing sideways towards my front teeth they are in a tight spot, I really need braces anyway Im sure thats not the reason why other areas hurt.
  On 2 dermatitis Im better than before from a medication the doctor prescribed Doxycycline tablets and few other shamps Nizoral 1% with deep conditioning being my fav. Aparently this is good 2 grow back hair (once again everyones differnt so talk 2 a doctor before u consider taking a type of tablet) but I do recommend Nizoral, dont know how they make it foam up well thoough what ingredient could make it foam up really well like that?

  I only use small amounts of toothpaste when brushing my teeth- ive tried silicea toothpaste for healthy teeth and gums claims 2 be 100% natural but it bcomes like water in your mouth a liquid very hard 2 brush properly doesnt taste good either.

  (has anyone here heard of toothsoap wonder if it really does wonders). Its not available were I live but they say you can call them or order online.
  Body Soaps I am still trying are dead sea black mud soap and thier products would have been nice if they had a shamp available but when I asked the brand Jericho had none its made in Israel. At my only health food store I know my mum said she saw a doctor who orderd dead sea products seen with a a basket full of them. My mum kinda believed that they are good 4 u but hey who knows theres lodes of brands out there.
  One day the truth might be discovered ex: why do the government alow people 2 smoke and drink smokes contain over 4000 chemicals some that are very hard 2 believe I could go on and on about many things like too much radiation but Im gonna stop. Make the world a better place. C=

• Jenna said on May 3, 2010

  HI EVERYONE!
  I’M NOT YELLING (WORDS IN CAPS), JUST WANT TO GET EVERYONE’S ATTENTION. I’VE LEARNED THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN SHOPPING FOR HAIRCARE PRODUCTS IS TO FIRST READ THE INGREDIENTS! A SHAMPOO THAT HAS ANY KIND OF “SULFATE” LISTED IN THE INGREDIENTS GOES BACK ON THE SHELF. I JUST REFUSE TO PUT THOSE HARSH DETERGENTS IN MY HAIR. THERE’S SO MANY COMPANIES OUT HERE USING GIMMICKS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS, THAT IT SOMETIMES CAN BE OVERWHELMING WHEN LOOKING FOR QUALITY. THE “BEST” PRODUCTS TO USE ARE THOSE THAT ARE “NATURAL” — OR AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BE MOSTLY FREE FROM CHEMICALS THAT CAN HARM THE HEALTH OF YOUR HAIR/BODY. ALSO, MAKE SURE YOUR HAIR IS BALANCED BETWEEN PROTEIN AND MOISTURE. TOO MUCH PROTEIN CAUSES DRY, BRITTLE HAIR WITH BREAKAGE. TOO MUCH MOISTURE CAUSES GUMMY, MUSHY HAIR THAT ALSO BREAKS. IF YOU USE A PROTEIN SHAMPOO, MAKE SURE YOU DEEP CONDITION WITH A MOISTURIZING CONDITIONER –VICE VERSA. JUST EVALUATE YOUR OWN HAIR AND IT’S NEEDS.

  I’VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING SHAMPOOS TO BE GREAT FOR ME:
  Aubrey Organics Island Natural Shampoo (VITAMIN SHOPPE)
  Ginesis Natural Shampoo – Unique Organic Chemical-Free Therapeutic Formula

  **I AM NOT AFFILIATED W/VITAMIN SHOPPE IN ANY WAY, JUST AN AVID CUSTOMER
  **ALWAYS CHECK EXPIRATION DATE ON YOUR HAIR PRODUCTS, IF ANY
  **GOOGLE PRODUCTS AND DO YOUR RESEARCH
  **HTH EVERYONE, PEACE AND BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!

• celesul said on May 3, 2010

  Annu, another factor in the plasticy feel could be what is in your conditioner: most conditioners have silicone based stuff. Some hair loves it, some hate it (mine hates it. But my hair and skin hate almost everything…). That can contribute to a plasticy feel and easily builds up. Try getting one where none of the ingredients end with ‘cone’ and you may see some improvement. Another option is to condition more rarely and just do the ‘deep conditioning’ treatments, which pretty much means leaving some sort of oil (olive is fine) in your hair for an hour, then washing.

  As I said earlier, I want SLS free a while ago. I think I have a mild allergy to it. My shedding has decreased (my hair used to get everywhere) and I have much milder flakiness. I’m trying an SLS free liquid now (whole foods 365 brand, which went sls free a while ago. I find it a bit harsh, but I can probably make it work. And I adore the conditioner they have). So I’d recommend trying a nice soap bar (check that it says something about soponified oil or lye, and also test it on your hand first. It should be a bit on the drying side for daily hand use. I recommend Ivory to start with), and follow that with a vinegar rinse. With a soap bar, you really need to scrub. Look up shampoo bars for more info (one caveat: they may be less convenient if you have hard water).

  The other option is liquid sls free shampoo, which is recommended in the article.

  Keep in mind that all of this babying will be useless if you heat treat it or bleach it or anything. Blow drying and straightening kill it, as do color treatments. Also check any other products for nastiness.

• Justaguy said on May 3, 2010

  PLEASE READ THIS. I think it may be useful.

  I am a 42 year old man living in the US. I have been struggling with hair loss since my late 20, when I noticed it thinning around the temples and forehead.

  I panicked at first, I have always been a bit vane. I tried Minoxidil but it gave me heart palpitations, and didn’t seem to help much. So I surrender and quit trying… until in my late 30s the hair loss started to accelerate. I new panick bout had me trying a regime of pills (provillus), minoxidil and nizoral… and for a while it seem to help until I realized it was just wishful thinking.

  To continue the story… I am a college professor, and I have traveled quite a bit for work. As anybody who starts going bald, I started paying close attention to people’s hair. People here in the U.S. and Europe do seem to suffer most from hairloss.

  On an Assignment to China in 2004, I had a chance to travel around the country into rural areas. In the chinese cities I saw that chinese men were the masters of the comb-over… but in the rural areas…. much less baldness!! even among 50, 60 year olds. Of course there is always the odd male pattern baldness sufferer, but definitely not as prevalent as here in the West.

  I started thinking it might be an ethnic trait, until I realized that asian men in the West suffer from baldness as much as whites/blacks. In addition, there seem to be more bald guys in the Chinese mega cities!

  A year later I travelled to Morocco. I stayed in a mountain town in the Atlas cordillera, and I noticed, once again, that men there didn’t seem to go bald as often… so, baldness or lack thereoff was not an ethnic thing!! I have seen the same among men in rural/backward regions of Mexico: they just don’t seem to bald as much as in the big cities, or as hispanics living in the US.

  What I realized then was that it seems to be the more affluent, rich classes going bald, whereas people living in rural/poor settings did not seem to suffer from it (as much).

  I think that the link is…. get a hold of this… .HYGIENE!! People in rural China, in the Atlas mountains of Morocco, in the lost towns of Mexico, don’t have the opportunity/means to bathe as much as we do here in the US. Specially in cold climates, a hot shower/bath is really a luxury!! I can’t tell you how many towns I have been in which water (much less cold water) was not available. And on the occasions on which these people bathe, they definitely do not use the plethora of shampoos, conditioners and creams that we use in the West.

  Of course, hygiene is a must in our culture… but the products are not. So in March of 2008 I quit shampoo cold turkey. I started to shower only with water, but I would only get my hair wet once a week (as I expected that people in those primitive settings would. You see, I don’t think that the human hair/skin is designed for getting wet every day. Think about our ancestors. Think about native americans specially in the winter. Think about the wild life, horses, deer, lions, rabbits, who are clean yet dont bathe everyday.

  So since two years ago, I shower daily but I dont use any products. I rub my skin with hot water and a natural sponge. Hot water is a powerful cleanser, it disolves grease, like it happens when you was a skillet just using hot water from the faucet. I dont use deodorant except on hot days in which I know I am going to be very busy.

  I only wash my hair once every 4 or 5 days. Sometimes I try to go a whole week without water touching it. I brush my hair with a boar bristle brush, which loosens any dead skin cells, and gives it shine. Once a week I use a solution of 1/2 apple cider vinegar and 1/2 water, let it sit on my hair at the beginning of my shower (i take long ones) then rinse it. The apple cider vinegar will totally get rid of your dandruff.

  The change played havoc on my hair for the first 2 or 3 months. My hair was greasy and it smell rank. After that… my hair has almost become self cleaning!!! it is no longer greasy, it doesn’t smell. Although I don’t use soap on my body, my body does not smell either. I used to have much stronger b.o. when I used shampoo and soap and deodorant before.

  And finally…. my hair NO LONGER FALLS. I shed hair in spring, so at that time I use some minoxidil to minimize it, but I have a bit more hair now at 42 than when I was 39. I must add that throughout these years I have also taken a saw palmetto supplement…. it seems to be good for the prostate (so they say) and for male pattern baldness, which is caused by the same DHT molecule.

  so there you have my story, some of you may think it is disgusting and will laugh, but if you met me…. you would never be able to tell that I am free of cosmetic products.

  I have a very successfull professional life as a college prof in which my appearance is important, and yet nobody would ever now that soap or shampoo have not touched my body for 2 years.

  Mother Nature has always known best. Regards

• Katie said on May 5, 2010

  This is all very interesting, I’ve noticed that my scalp is far itchier than my friends, and that I have a lot of hair loss. I shed, A LOT! Is there any SLS-free shampoos sold in Canada? More specifically, what stores in Southern Ontario can you suggest that carry these products?

• Robert said on May 8, 2010

  I have been SLS shampoo free for 2 weeks now.
  I usually have my head shaved to hide the receding hairline I have had for the last 20 years.
  I quit using shampoo and have just been rinsing with water.
  My hair at this point was roughly a quarter inch long.
  Within days of quitting,I noticed new hairs growing very quickly in the areas my hair had receded.
  I made a Doctor appointment and discussed this with a Doctor who actually asked if I started Rogaine as the amount of hair coming in looked to him like more than 2 weeks of growth.
  I shaved my head down to the skin so I can view this better.
  I quite frankly am amazed this is going on.
  Will update asap with pics.

• hir said on May 11, 2010

  Hey hi everyone

  I am hir from india.Thanks for this SLS advice.Can anyone tell me any herbal product for shampoo and conditioning that is SLS free and dont damage my hairs………

  Hey i am waiting for your response..
  bye cia take care….
  HIR

• Swsien said on May 14, 2010

  Hi. Just recently realized that my itchy scalp and diffuse hairloss may be caused by sls in the shampoo I’ve been using. It may also be genetic, but I’m willing to try out the no sls shampoo diet. The only problem I’ve faced so far is trying to find a good shampoo. There are ingredients in almost all shampoos out there that not only contain sls but derivatives of. In fact, coconut derived surfactants are essentially sls. And there are many (e.g. coco-betaine, lauryl glucoside, sodium c14-16 olefin sulfonade, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate). The only organic shampoo line that I could find that did not contain coconut oil derivatives is morrocco method. Their 5 essences line are all natural, gluten free., and color safe. I think I’ll try out their trial sizes first just to test it out. If those don’t work, I might just as well go grunge. I once went backpacking for 10 days and my hair and scalp didn’t give me problems for a few weeks after.

• acid said on May 15, 2010

  I`ve heard from many of my friends that they use shampoos and never oiled their hairs… I was using a lot of oil until last month and cut it off a few weeks ago. I started shampooing too much as my friends suggested and only found that the condition got worse than i can imagine. More hair loss was seen and every time i wet my hair, strands come off sticking to my palm and fingers. I have thought about completely stopping shampooing and use natural coconut oil and then use shampoo the next day. This could supply enough oil to the scalp while the shampoo dries it out completely. Doing this once a week or so, might be good. I`ll try it out and see the result and update here…

• ACV said on May 16, 2010

  What a great Article….All these years i shoulda known it is prolly the shamposs that was causing my thinning hair….

  Justaguy’s response from above is a great one!!

  I have been using a 50/50 mixture of ACV(apple cider vinegar) & water for the past 2 wks. for my sebroic dermatitis on my face. As of right now, my facial skin and hair are like when i was a kid–FLAKE FREE….

  Today was the first day i used something other than shampoo on my scalp and body. The acv/water mixture.

  One question though. Has anyone tried pure olive oil soap for their hair. Any success??

• Swsien said on May 17, 2010

  Castile soaps (vegetable based soaps, usually made with olive oil) are actually great to use as shampoos. The only problem is that you need to address the build up it leaves behind. Apple cider vinegar rinse works. I looked up some recipes for shampoos made with castile soap and some look simple and inexpensive to make. I’m going to try one from ecobites.com/eco-news-articles/holistic-beauty/359-diy-shampoo-recipes

• Anon said on May 20, 2010

  Youve got to be kidding me right? hahahaha the Grunge movement have binned shampoo?
  What a scam site this is.

• Jiffydude said on May 25, 2010

  Ever wonder why some men go bald and some don’t……it’s probably in their genes. Check to see if your grandfather on your mothers side had thinning hair/bald, chance are you have the gene and could suffer the same fate. Don’t get me wrong, people with itchy scalp etc could benifit from the info you have provided…..I know I will try some of the suggestion because I’ve always seem to have an itchy scalp.

  Another thing ever wonder why men suffer from hair loss more than men??? Look up DHT, it’s a by product of testosterone(only found in men) and is believed to affect hair loss in men. Believed to a point that the FDA approved a drug(Propecia) that targets DHT and has shown significant result in clinical studies.Women can take it.

• Swsien said on May 26, 2010

  Not all hairloss is caused by DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). If you look up an article on WebMD, there’s one that explains other forms of hairloss, such as infectious agents. If you have for example seborrheic dermatitis, isn’t it reasonable to assume that anything irritating it further could be a cause of your hairloss?

  Update: I’ve tried some different samples of shampoos by Morrocan Method and I am pleasantly surprised. It takes a couple of washes to get used to, but after the third, my hair and scalp feel awesome. I’ve also been using an acv rinse. One drawback, though. It STINKS! Some more than others. Stay away from Pine Shale because it smells like old diapers.

• Lindsey said on May 29, 2010

  Environmental Working Group has a data base that rates different products like shampoos and toothpastes. I noticed that Burt’s Bees doesn’t score very well. Lots of the organic shampoos and other products aren’t necessarily better. If you click on the product, there is a breakdown of the toxins and how they affect you.
  This is a great resource!

  http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=shampoo

• kdasb said on June 2, 2010

  I am OBSESSED with my hair right now. About 2 months ago I cut off like all of my dead hair (5 inches- wow!). And I’ve been alternating between two shampoos that don’t have sulfate and I love them both. I use “Mineral Fusion Volumizing Shampoo” (with its conditioner) and “L’Oreal EverStrong Hydrating Shampoo.” My hair has been growing mega fast and it looks really shiny and healthy. I’ve colored my hair thousands of times and it seems like the damage is being undone. It also seems like my hair loss has been reduced. I only wash my hair twice a week, and the days that I don’t wash my hair it still looks good! I recommend to anyone that wants healthier hair to switch to either of these. They are amazing and I’m very pleased.

• Langston said on June 13, 2010

  If people look at when this post / thread began – and the fact that it is now summer 2010 – you might find some answers. I frustrated by people who say SLS dies not harm hair. It kills the cuticle. Like electolysis for your scalp since so
  many use daily. There is a link from the FDA posted half way through all the comments. It was from 10 years ago!

  Right now it looks like there is only one (named one) certified organic line with no fillers and a promise that every ingredient actually helps you – not just “neutral” ingedients.

  Dr. Bonners actually tried to sue Jason and some others, since they are certified trade and organic, but still not perfect. About as close as we come. Aveda drives me insane with their 97% organic dye and their shampoo with SLS – and the warning that my dye was not their problem if it did not last because I would not buy their shampoo.

  Every shampoo with “frangrance” listed is not 100% organic. Aubrey and Jason and CO have *some* indredients marked with * and that designates THOSE ingredients are organic, not all. I have a month-long trip coming and will cave in to one of the lines. I do have a bamboo soap pouch to put my Dr. Bonners bar soap in – like a natural washcloth on one side and loofa-like on the other the allows the soap out. Natual soap.

  I am not on a position to spend 400 to test Australian’s One line. When my trip is over I am making my own shampoo. In the mean time I am trying to go with 67% organic or the save your hair – save 1000 acres of rainforest. Big shopping trip tomorrow.

  Good news – sort of – depends on if the pay a fair wage for the area the line is manufactured (remember not all in the US get paid the same – Nike & Gap might be the low wage payors – but people in Sri Lanka need jobs – and someone has to be paying 4X what Nike does – which could be a living wage there). Anyway DNKY just came out with Pure – 100% organic cotton. Soft. We will see how organic and if it is fair trade …

  Rejected Giovanni today because of fragrance. The book I read in 2007 said “if you wouldn’t eat it, why would you put it on your body to absorb through skin”. True. That is why there are medicine patches. Leave the non organic bloodstream suckers off my body. Hopefully the FDA will regulate soon. No – it doesn’t now – why do you think we can still by coal tar shampoo.

  There has to be a solution between half organic and no product – the world is getting too conscious to allow products to say organic if not all ingredients are organic AND beneficial. -L

• LC said on June 16, 2010

  I just got back results from a blood test for 120 foods and 30 other chemicals, additives, colorings, OTC meds, sweeteners, etc. (MRT – Mediator Release Test – from Signet Diagnostics: http://www.nowleap.com/.) It’s not an IgG/IgE/IgA test, which is how food allergies have been measured previously. Mediator release is a type 4 immune reaction.

  The results show I’ve developed sensitivities (again, different from allergies, but still an immune reaction/over-reaction) to a number of things that I’ve been using on a daily or frequent basis because I thought they were healthy – and because I like them – including coconut, olive, banana, almonds, rice, potato and avocado. And cocoa/chocolate — ultimate bummer!

  I have an autoimmune thyroid condition that’s related to gluten sensitivity. I knew I got brain fog from wheat and excessive phlegm from cow milk. I also knew that I was still reacting to something(s), even when I’d eliminated known problem foods.

  My hair is very dry on top. The hair along my neck is much healthier. I notice it gets less shampoo.

  I will be curious to see if switching to coconut/lauryl/laureth free shampoo helps.
  I may also need to avoid olive oil based products if my theory holds that some of us are dealing with specific immune reactivities, while other people are not. Perhaps this is one of the reasons there are studies that show the products don’t “cause problems”.

  I hope this info helps some of you who may be dealing with multiple challenging substances.

• Jennifer Ott said on June 23, 2010

  I am soooooo happy to read all these posts and this article! I am a hairstylist and have been on my soapbox in regards to not using sulfates anymore for about 4 years now. It is so much better for curly hair, scalp conditions, dandruff, dry scalp, etc.etc. I do not shampoo hardly at all anymore and I have very curly hair. I do rinse every day and use conditioner to ‘scrub’. I don’t even need to use much product anymore because my hair is so healthy and happy. It only takes a short period of time for the oil glands and scalp to recover from all those suds…

• Jason M. said on June 25, 2010

  I highly recommend the website cosmeticsdatabase.com for all you who wonder about various ingredients in shampoos and other products. You can look up each ingredient and find out the threats and concerns. You can also look up name brands and search for safer products. I’ve studied this intensely and have concluded the following: Do not use shampoo. If you must, at least use an organic one like Aubrey or Giovanni. Instead, use conditioner to cleanse your hair. Use two or three conditioners if you want, but most shampoos are useless and very toxic to your hair and scalp. And yes, if you see “fragrance” on an ingredient list, it is highly toxic! For those of you with dandruff problems, add tea tree oil to your hair products (eight drops per ounce). Dandruff is caused by a fungus, and tea tree oil kills not only fungi but bacteria and viruses as well. Try it for acne too. As for thinning hair, try adding lavender oil to your hair products (again, eight drops per ounce). Lavender stimulates the follicle and often does regrow hair. If you have hair problems it’s probably because you’ve been slowly killing it and torturing it with harsh chemicals for years. Always check with cosmeticsdatabase.com to check the toxicity level. Your hair and skin need OILS for protection and nutrition. You can always wipe off the excess if you think it’s too greasy, but odd are your hair and skin will drink it right up. Also, try using shea butter as a moisturizer, acne preventer, toner, age spot reducer, eczema healer, scar treatment, callous softener and many other things. Look into it. Also works well as a hair conditioner but I prefer coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, and essential oils of lavender, rosemary, thyme and tea tree. Hope this helps, and check out that website!

• Rach said on July 2, 2010

  Ok so I have an extreme sulfate allergy. I go into anaphylactic shock. I’ve been using a mango shampoo by Alba and it’s fantastic. Dr Bronners soap is great. Beware of sodium coco sulfate. It’s like a milder form of SLS, basically it just takes a few days longer to itch. I had a ring of acne on my face from my hair, a line of a rash down my back from where the shampoo would run down it and my hands and legs were covered in eczema due to sulfates.

  Best place to get good organic skin care cheap is VITACOST.com.

  I’ve tried over 20 and so far Alba is my fav.

• Mar said on July 5, 2010

  Thanks for writing this article…I have been having the same problem and mostly with the Herbal Essence Brands of shampoo. I have very thick curly hair and of course have had shedding problems since I was very young…it is inevitable! However, I noticed a DRASTIC change once switching to the Herbal Essence brand. I thought it was stress, but I changed shampoos and noticed a diffrence immediately!! I will now switch to some sort of SLS free shampoo as soon as possible! I know there are some skeptics, but how can all of these readers be wrong if the same thing is happening? Genetics of course plays a part, but come on….

• swsien said on July 10, 2010

  I’ve looked at the cosmetics database, and per it’s recommendation, I got the baby shampoo from Poofy’s. It’ll be perfect for those who have mild sensitivities, but considering I have extreme eczema, it wasn’t for me. It only has a handful of natural ingredients and is definitely sulfate free. Another website, Beautypedia.com, has a list of ingredients used in the beauty industry along with their definitions (what it is, how it’s used, beneficial, irritating). It says that castile soap, although sulfate free, is too drying and irritating to use. And I definitely concur. My solution now is to make my own shampoo with natural saponins. I got a pound of soapwort from mountainroseherbs.com and have been using it without any irritations at all. There are recipes on line if interested.

• Abbie said on July 12, 2010

  Hey guys. I found out that I have a sulfite/sulfate intolerance and believe that may be why I was having problems with my shampoos and conditioners… Definitely giving SLS the boot.
  I just wanted to say that if you suspect you have a problem with sulfites (as several folks did) DO NOT TAKE BIOTIN. The full name is biotin sulfonide and the stuff almost killed me (although it is what lead to me finally being diagnosed and finally becoming almost hive free after 2 frustrating years so maybe I shouldn’t complain).

• Dave said on July 18, 2010

  Hi everyone. I too suffered from hair-loss and itchy scalp. So I switched to shampoo’s with no SLS and it helped. However they all had other chemicals in them. Then finally I found Essante Worldwide. Started using there shampoo and found the best results. They are a little pricey but they are going all natural, 100% organic. These chemicals were hurting me and wife who suffers from eczema. Check out EssanteWorldwide.com/djwolter. I think you will like. It’s nice to have one place to get everything and not have to worry about any chemicals.

• MASHY said on July 24, 2010

  This is by far one of the greatest sites I have come across regarding hair loss and shampoos, so much valuable information! I am going to stop using SLS and SLES shampoo’s and also any other hair gels or wax that contain these chemicals.

  There certainly are other factors to consider as well as some mentioned, good nutrition (not too much salt or fatty junk food), consistent exercise, enough sleep, and very important: don’t stress! I’ve heard that if you eat at least a handful of almonds every few days and apples that it helps promote hair growth. Also make sure you have a balanced diet containing protein. Tuna does a very good job along with almonds to provide the body with enough protein. Well, Good luck and God Bless all who contributed positively to this article. Will post results in a few weeks time.

• MASHY said on July 24, 2010

  Oh and make sure to definitely try Saw Palmetto also with Grape Seed extract and or Procyanidin B-2 (extract from apples)

• Cathy said on July 25, 2010

  I’m astonished that so many younger folks have noticeably thinning hair these days. I know that we have helpful mites that live in our hair follicles that clean up dead skin cells. Maybe we are killing off these little friendly mites with whom we have a mutually beneficial relationship by using the harsh chemicals and over-cleaning our hair? Has any research been done on this? I can see how very hot water might be damaging, too, as someone said above.

• Preeti said on July 30, 2010

  I agree that SLS shampoos cause heavy hair fall. I switched to an ayurvedic shampoo which had aloe vera and its been good for me. I also tried the hair serum from holistic serums which really works. Its amazing and uses 100% natural ingredients. Check out their website for actual customer reviews.

• Aubreys said on August 1, 2010

  Aubreys shampoos are really good. Clean the scalp well and 100% organic. I expereienced a really bad shed last month. I was using H&S then read about AUbreys and strated using their shampoos along with Hot Oil Treatment. My hairloss has significantly reduced. Recommend it to everybody.
  Ciao,

• Crystal said on August 6, 2010

  I have now gone SLS free for little over a week now. I havent gone all out and gone “grunge” tho, I went to a store called Earth Fare that sells nothing but all natural chemical free groceries and products. Great store depending on what you’re buying there cause some stuff can be expensive. I use an organic shampoo called Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat that you can find sometimes at some Walmarts in the cosmetic section, but it is $2 cheaper at Earth Fare. Its a great cleansing shampoo for people with thin, oily hair but can be used by all hair types. They also make a “Smooth as Silk” containing silk protein to deeply mosturise even the dryest hair. I have noticed a significant decrease of the hair found on my hands when i scrub my hair and in the drain. I was using Herbal Essences, and my hair would fall out in chunks in my hands in the shower…but i havent been having that problem anymore. im guessing that because my baldness pattern was a male pattern with most of the thinning at the top center of my scalp that its possible that myself and others are simply allergic or more sensitve to SLS than others.

  Another product SLS is commonly found in is many over the counter hair dyes and most bodywashes also contain SLS. I have also found brands of hair dye and bodywash at Earth Fare that are chemical free and organic and I also use them. Aspartame and high fructose corn syrup is also thought to play a role as well.

• LB said on August 16, 2010

  My scalp used to itch terribly; I used to scratch and scratch. But, ever since I gave up shampoo with SLS (and, actually, shampoo in general), my scalp has never felt better. I’ve pretty much gathered that I’m allergic to SLS, and deemed that shampoo is pretty much a waste of money.

  I started out using Alba Botanicals, but the cosmetics database stated that, while SLS -free, it still is semi-toxic. So, now I use a product called HAIR ONE, a supposed knock off a known product called WEN. You can find it at Sally’s Beauty Supply. HAIR ONE is not a shampoo, is SLS and sulfate free, and is pretty great. You rub the product into your scalp and hair, comb through, and leave it in. It leaves your hair remarkably soft, but since I have fine hair, it would leave my hair a little flat.

  So, I pretty much wash my hair with beer now, and sometimes the Hair One. The beer is amazing, though! It cleans my hair, doesn’t leave my scalp screaming like shampoo, brightens my blond highlights, and leaves volume! I actually like the smell, which fades anyway after dried. The ancient Egyptians supposedly rinsed their hair with beer. As someone else said above, the ancients really did know best.

  I’d also like to try to make my own “shampoo” using soapwort, a type of plant you can buy at a nursery. You boil the roots, strain, add rosemary oil and voila – a natural shampoo! You can find the receipe online by typing in “soapwort” and “homemade shampoo.”

  I think what others have said it true… people these days are over-ceaning themselves with products containing harsh chemicals.

• Sadan Yagci said on August 27, 2010

  I stopped using shampoo about a month ago. There have been ups and downs. But my acne has cleared up, as well as my dandruff. I’m also losing less hair. Those benefits only took a few days.

  During this adjustment stage, when the scalp is lowering its oil production, I’ve found I can use a lemon on my hair in the shower when my hair doesn’t feel great (which doesn’t need to be done often at all… maybe once a week). My hair is different than it used to be. It still looks good, but no longer gets in my face. Seems the natural oils give it a certain kind of body that keeps it out of the way. It still looks a bit oily, but it’s getting better and better every day.

• Jennifer said on September 3, 2010

  I have been very interesed in products that do not have sulfates. Not only because they are chemicals that can cause cancer but also because I am very interested in the possibility that sulfates and other harsh chemicals can be the underlying cause of hairloss. My grandfather only used soap to wash his hair and died in his 80s with a whole head of healthy hair. One great product I have been using that does not have sulphates silicones parabens, etc, is Kronos. They actually offer a free 30 day trial on glow.com so you can actually try 4 of their products for 30 days before you pay for them. I have been using these products for about 4 months and love them. My hair has never been this healthy and strong and I am 40 so hair doesnt look as good as we age. I do not lose my hair as much any more and am not getting split ends. I also love that they do not test on animals. I have found that these postings have been very helpful in my research for possible reasons fro hair loss. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this article

• Rash said on September 5, 2010

  Hello Everyone! Wow this discussion has been going on for years now, I can’t believe the last post was just 2 days ago!LOL Anyway guys I’ve been having a long hair (down until my shoulders) for two years now and I recently relocated here in Dubai. For those of you who don’t know it, Dubai or any other Mid-east country provides hot tap water. Showers don’t really have anything to cool the water down or so. So for my one month stay here I noticed rapid hair loss as I’m not sure if the warm water causes it or the shampoo. I normally only use shampoo every other day but since I’ve read this article I maybe planning to use it lesser now and see if there’s a difference. Any suggestions on this?Does hair loss make a difference with a long or short hair? Hoping to hear from anyone!Thanks.

• pero_detlic said on September 13, 2010

  Hay everyone… I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with you, any suggestion is welcome and I will try to be cooperative as well

  My scalp was itchy as hell, driving me insane. I also have hair loss on top of my head. I have long hair for years now and it’s really bothering me. But my main issue here was that unbearable itch.

  After trying a lots of different shampoos and oils and other crap, I decided not to use any products at all. I haven’t washed my hair with shampoo for 36 days now, the oilness reduced pretty well, but i don’t see much improvement with hair loss and itchiness yet. I just hope it’s too early as I know these things take time…

• PJ said on September 15, 2010

  I have been sensitive for years to various perfumes, lotions, shampoos, etc, but have never been able to pinpoint the ingredient (s) causing the problem. Whenever I try something new I have to be ready for hives, itchinness, etc. In the last couple years or so I have been loosing hair all over, mainly eyebrows and legs. Now I have no eyebrows at all! I have been to all kinds of Dr’s and all kinds of tests, so far nothing is showing up as the problem. Still have plenty of hair on my head which has always been fine. I just had a haircut yesterday and was first informed of this SLS/Paraben problem for people. Anyone have any clue what could cause eyebrow hair loss?

• jagwood28 said on September 19, 2010

  I find it extremely interesting, after reading this lengthy list of responese, that NOT ONE person has mentioned plathates or BPA in their grooming or personal care products. It’s not just the toxicity of SLS or its evil cousins that are harming you! Read “Slow Death By Rubber Duck” to learn more. Anyone who uses personal care products that don’t specifically say “pthalate free” or have any ingredient that says “fragrance” are basically bathing in poison. Stop using them. Use something else that has oils, not ‘natural scent’ or the like. Glad to hear of the soapwort idea, off to do that in the morning!

• Amanda said on October 3, 2010

  The thing is there are MANY reasons as to why hair loss occurs. The number one reason is something that everyone experiences throughout their life, stress. If you notice your hair falling out more at some points then others then it is most likely because of stress. Healthy diet has a lot to do with hair loss as well. If you eat well, your skin and hair will be very happy. Certain ailments can also be the corporate. Especially for women, anemia has been known as a cause for hair loss for a long time. Thyroid problems, another dominantly female health problem, can also lead to significant hair loss. It’s also just a fact that as we age our hair is going to get a little thinner. Our cells as we get over just don’t turn over as quickly and this leads to wrinkles, hair loss, sagging skin, etc.

  SLS is drying. It is most definitely drying. So if you do suffer from eczema or psoriasis it could make a world of difference on your skin and your hair. And remember, SLS is the lathering agent in almost ALL lathering products. Not only haircare, it comes in hand and body soaps, detergents, dishwashing soap, etc. There are many other ingredients found in these products that could be the culprits, like others have said. You see SLS and freak because it is a hyped word, but do you truly know what the other ingredients are in the products? How do you know if those aren’t harmful? Do you take the time and look up the knowledge of each and every ingredient found in something like Suave shampoo? If you do, good for you.

  I have worked for various companies that make very fresh, natural, handmade cosmetics and I have had fabulous results with haircare that is made with SLS but not all of the other scary words they put in it. I have especially noticed a difference since I stopped using silicone based conditioners. My hair is shiny, full, and soft! And I still color it, I blow dry it- which I have also noticed as not helping hair loss- but I have not had any problems with itching scalp or hair loss or any of it. I also have eczema which I am not taking steroids for, and I am a daily swimmer in chlorine pools. I am also anemic. But I take care of myself, I exercise and eat extremely well. I notice when I haven’t been taking as good of care of myself because my skin will look duller or break-out. My hair will also lie a little flatter and look a little less shiny.

  To conclude, I have researched all of the hype words and you would be amazed at how little scientific research there is. Before changing your entire life for one silly word, be sure to do your scientific research BACKED by legitimate scientific studies before making any accusations.

• Jessica said on October 7, 2010

  I’m all for no chemicals in just about everything so I decided to make a switch. For years I had been using Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. It’s a pretty common shampoo and I had never had any complaints about it. My hair loss was minimal, mostly from showering or brushing, I never had dandruff and everything was simply normal. I figured I would give the chemical free stuff a try so off to Whole Foods I went (living in Florida there aren’t alot of choices for natural stores or products). After talking with one of the employees and looking at the list of ingredients on almost every bottle there I ended up purcashing Whole Foods’ own 365 brand of Citrus Scented for normal to oily hair. After a few weeks of using it I’m noticing some distressing side effects. The first and most disconcerting is an almost definate increase in hair loss. It’s hard to judge but I would say mostly it happens in the shower and I’ll end up losing a lot more hair than I did with Herbal Essences. My boyfriend has a theory that maybe it could be that the 365 doesn’t lather as well as the Herbal did and so I end up pulling more which is a definate possibility. I have to use almost four times as much of the 365 because of the lack of lather. Also I feel like there’s inflamation of the scalp that I never got with Herbal. This could be partly psycological because I just can’t stop thinking about it now that I noticed a problem but psycological or not there is definatly irritation. Lastly there hasn’t been any dandruff but there is a lack of volume that is noticable to me. This I can chock up to the lack of alcohol which is what makes volumizing shampoos work but it still annoys me. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I didn’t really think this switch would improve my hair but I definatly didn’t think it would damage it.

• Ashley said on October 14, 2010

  Jessica-I havent tried the 365 shampoo but I have tried there body wash..I experienced the same thing..having to use 4 times as much as regular body wash to get it to lather at all! I just think Whole Foods empIoyees are gonna recommend there own brand but thats its actually no that good..they have a bunch of other brands there that are organic etc so maybe try those…I think this article is great and find it amazing that it has been going strong for so long..I actually switched recently to L’oreals everstrong/everpure sls free shampoos but then read an article that said that they just use similar ingredients that are just as bad and carcinogenic…who knows!?..After reading several of these above comments (it took forever!:)), I think Im going to try Avalon or Burts Bees..like some others have said , even if it doesnt make a huge difference (I generally dont have many hair problems anyway) I will still sleep easier knowing I wasnt putting that crap into my system. My sister suffers from Psoriosis so I will defintely be telling her to stop using products with SLS! My dad also suffers from hair loss (although could just be his age!) But hey why not try it! Yeah you spend a few more dollars or pounds but you’ll be giving your body a break from harsh chemicals!Thanks for all the info!

• Ashley said on October 14, 2010

  Just found avalon products on luckyvitamin.com (US based website) from $5.95!

• Dorothea said on October 17, 2010

  To PJ. If you are losing hair from your eyebrows and legs, low thyroid (hypothyroid) is likely the cause. This is a difficult problem to treat because most doctors, including endocrinologists, assume that 95% of the people who take thyroid tests are normal. Your values have to be in the top or bottom 2 1/2% before most doctors will prescribe thyroid hormone. Free T3 is the form of thyroid that is bioavailable. Your free T3 value should be in the upper half of the normal range. If it is not, you have low thyroid.

  The best course of action is to read articles or books on low thyroid and make a list of your symptoms. If your symptoms convince you that you have low thyroid, try to convince your doctor to help you do something about it. Armour thyroid (dessicated pig’s thyroid gland) is preferable to synthetic thyroid medication.

• baby said on October 19, 2010

  *After using hair plus shampoo for har growth my hair start to loss, even i’ve stopped to use it, i can still see how much hair i loss after every shower, sad but true, wanted to have longer hair and end up that i paid for a expensive toxic hype shampoo.

• james said on October 26, 2010

  I find that my shedding is a lot worse when I’m using shampoo, i’ve been switching from shampoo to a baking soda wash for about a year now on a 3monthly basis.

  I find that when using shampoo I lose about 70+ hairs a day (that I notice falling)
  but while using baking soda it was rare to ever see hair fall, maybe 2-10 hairs a day (that I notice falling).

  Still it might be a seasonal coincidence or something like that, but to be honest I prefer washing with baking soda anyway, leaves hair feeling cleaner and can be used as little as once a week without hair feeling dirty at all. Also eliminates dandruff for me, which is a great plus.

• Debbie said on November 7, 2010

  I am a 50 year old recently retired hairdresser and 10 days ago I noticed a huge amount of hair coming out in my brush. It didnt bother me too much because I have such thick curly hair you wouldnt even notice. Unfortunately it got worse and worse. Ive collected what comes out in polthene bags to show to the doc and anyone else that treats me. I thought it could be my body not making Vit b12 cause of some other symptoms I have i.e. numb fingers, breathlessness, tired…. any way blood tests were normal so my doctor has referred me to a dermatologist.
  The thing is though that my head is burning and ithing (although the scalp looks healthy its a bit dry but always has been) and along with the breathlessness it makes me wonder if it could be an allergy. I was shocked to read that some of the people on this sight have been using Matrix Biolage which is what I was using . The other thing is that I have allergic rhinitus, cant wear perfume on my skin cause I get ithchy blisters and I did develop an allergy to Matrix hair dies (again ithy red blisters on head, ears and neck) This really upset me because of the thought of having to walk around with huge grey roots! Anyway I found another hair colour with no problems I dont know if I can go grunge although I do believe in it, I now need to learn all about these ingredients and buy or make a suitable alternative. It does make me angry though how companys are allowed to lable foods/products as organic or all natural when they quite simply arent. I do buy a lot of organic foods (it has become a bit of an obsession) and my roast chicken now tastes like it used to when Iwas little! One of the things that made me want to be organic is the stories Ive heard about people who live near farms where they spray the crops with chemicals and how ill the people become. Ive now got to find a good Natureopath in my area(midlands, uk) to see if they can help me…….Ill let you know!

• NickiTay said on November 13, 2010

  I have color treated hair, so I need a sulfate shampoo to protect the color, and make it look glossy and shiney

  People complain that sulfate free shampoos the lack of sudsy action, which sometimes happens with sulfate-free shampoo, but you can try the Shielo Color Protect Shampoo, which is sulfate free and it lathers up and is better than any sulfate free shampoo I have tried. Definitely best to make your hair look great while being sulfate and chemical free…

• Bnatural said on November 24, 2010

  Hello all. I am a 25 year old female that has struggled on and off with acne her whole life. (with the exception of during breastfeeding) I have always had ‘fine’ hair, but have recently noticed it thinning on the sides and can’t just pull my hair back in a ponytail without paying attention to my styling. I highlight my long hair every three months and got a shampoo containing Sodium Laureth Sulfate as the SECOND ingredient (after water). (It is the SALON brand of shampoo where I get my hair cut) I just started noticing the more major thinning recently..as it has been about a year since I first started using this shampoo.

  Also, my acne is near my mouth and jawline. I have read about hormonal acne and have noticed that it seems to get worse when I eat dairy, but I also just noticed that my toothpaste’s main ingredient is SLS. Would this contribute to my acne?

  Also, where the hair is thinning the most is where I massage my shampoo in….that is why I am thinking this might be a problem.

  I suppose there are other factors involved….like having 2 kids and having less acne both before I started using this shampoo 1 year ago (with SLS as main ingredient) and before I stopped breastfeeding (stopping the high oxytocin in my body) 6 months ago…

  I will let you all know if this helps me as well.

  I plan on trying either Aubrey or Giovanni, but will update.

• JoAnn said on December 8, 2010

  For several years, my scalp was dry, flaky, and itchy all the time, and was also very oily. My hair was also thinning in a major way. I tried washing more frequently, then washing less frequently, and using various shampoos, none of which helped at all, including four non-SLS ones which were expensive and made the conditions even worse. Then about six months ago I found a shampoo I had used years ago. It is NOT a non-SLS shampoo, but with only three shampooings, my hair and scalp were absolutely great. I don’t even use the conditioner. The hair loss seems to have stopped, and I don’t know if the lost hair will ever grow back, but my hair looks fuller and feels great, so I am very happy with it. It is the calming shampoo made by Nature’s Gate.

• Jessica said on December 9, 2010

  I usually buy my shampoo at Ulta or a salon but I decided I wanted to save some money. Soooo, I bought Aussie Moist Shampoo and Condition at Walmart. Bad, bad, bad idea!!! I only used it two days. The first day I used it my hair felt AMAZING! It was very soft and fun to run my fingers through. However, the second day I experienced itching and burning on my scalp. NO BUENO!!! It is still burning today…day 3. Anyways, I researched some of the ingredients and realized they are bad news. I returned the products ASAP. Instead I got Organics Italian Red Grape Shampoo and Conditioner. I am hoping it works better and does not burn my scalp off. I don’t know if anyone has ever got jalapeno juice or serrano juice on your fingers or hands after cutting them up but that is what it feels like on my scalp . I wish I could dunk my head in milk like I do my finges if I get jalapeno juice or serrano juice on them but I don’t really feel like putting milk on my head lol. I just hope the burn goes away very soon!

• CG said on December 13, 2010

  Another trick to is co-wash. This mean “washing” your hair with conditioner. The trick is that it cannot have any silicone (in any shape of form, except if it is preceded by the term PEG-). You can co-wash as often as you want, and you never get greasy hair. I’ve just started and it’s great, my son has been for a while now as he swims a lot and his hair is no longer all dried up and fuzzy… all smooth and silky, and no funky smell. You don’t have to pay high prices either for some fancy product. Try Tresemmé Naturals silicone-free conditioner… it’s great and is easily found on sale at around $5 for a 700ml bottle. Good luck! Oh my folicly-challenged husband has started using Snobgirls sulfate-free shampoo, and I swear he’s got a little grow-op going on on his head… it’s coming back! So you can give that a try, if you can find it (can be ordered online).

• Ally said on December 29, 2010

  I’ve been sulfate-free for about 1 1/2 years now, and won’t go back. I will only use sulfate-free products on my kids as well, and will educate them when they’re a little older.

  Having read most of the posts (there were some I scanned quickly), I will say that I just finished a big bottle of Whole Foods’ 365 shampoo, and while it didn’t seem to have any SLS (hopefully I didn’t miss any in the ingredient list), I was not thrilled at all with how it worked. Don’t waste your money on their shampoo. I will either try Burts Bees or Alba next. I also have plenty of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap because that’s all we use to wash our hands (no antibacterial junk… but that’s another topic).

  Thanks to all that posted, and spread the word! (Even my hairstylist at an Aveda salon had no idea)

• meesh said on January 19, 2011

  I had bad headaches, rashes, hair loss, blisters and itching. So i went to the Doctor who decided to send me to the hospital for tests. The skin test they did said I was allergic to Sulphates, Nickle and Colbalt. So I have had to look for products that are sulphate free not just SLS free, I found a toothpaste, a shampoo and conditioner from a big health food shop. It costs more and isn’t brilliant but I have had a lot less hair loss and itching since i switched.
  The only problem left is that nearly every food has sulphates in to some degree so i have had to seriously look at the foods i eat, anything that says natural preservative is likely to be a sulphate as it is a natural substance. I always got bad headaches while drinking wine esp I used to joke I always got a hangover while drinking, even Cider, Alcopops and some Beers have them in. I am always looking at labels but even then the makers don’t always include them in the ingredients list, they are also known as E220 to E228.

• syd said on January 20, 2011

  So what is the alternative of SLS?????

• Jason said on January 30, 2011

  Very interesting information here. I just came across this today for the first time and have been curious for awhile now why I have had thinning hair. There is absolutely zero history of hair loss/ baldness in my family. Also, for those of you who believe that it’s your Mother’s father being bald as the indicator, that’s an old wives tale that has scientifically been debunked. If your fathers uncle was bald, you too are at risk.

  The main reason I decided to type a response is because I am curious if going grunge means no styling products as well. If it doesn’t will these natural shampoos be enough to fully clean the scalp & hair of these products?

• Nidhi said on January 31, 2011

  This article and discussion about it is really interesting. I started using Giovanni 50 50 balance from today. I saw much less hair loss in the bath tub. My hair feels great. Will update after a week on the volume and less hair loss.

  Any one has used Giovanni 50 50 balance before?

• Katey said on February 2, 2011

  I’m glad someone has done some actual and truthful research on this; I have a friend who has beautiful hair, but it’s thinning more and more everyday at the age of 25. She has no related health problems, of course. I mentioned a guy friend who changed shampoos; his doctor informed him of a chemcial in it that might be causing the hair loss. After reading all of these comments and reviews after several years; I’m glad this seems to confirm everyone’s theory of this chemcial. It seems to be the only answer. At least this information really helps my friend:) THanks

• kristin said on February 3, 2011

  I too have suffered from sudden and extremely noticeable hair loss. I suffered terribly from eczema related dermatitis on the scalp for months before I noticed any hair loss, but think it was linked to the prescription steroids and the harsh shampoos I was using to treat it. After losing about a third of my hair I stopped all steroid treatments and harsh shampoos and started massaging a combination of essential oils into my scalp and shampooing my hair with a mild organic shampoo. After doing this routine for a few weeks I then switched to spraying my scalp with a 50/50 mixture of bragg’s apple cider vinegar and water. I’d let this sit in my hair for about a half hour before rinsing. As of last Tuesday I decided to take the plunge and stopped using shampoo completely although I still use an organic conditioner (my hair is naturally dry and curly.) What a difference this has made! Although my hair is slightly greasy, it feels and looks much thicker. And the hair that was lost in the previous months is growing in nicely. I’d say try either switching to SLS free shampoo or going completely without shampoo. You might be surprised at how good your hair looks in the coming weeks.

• Dean said on February 14, 2011

  I’m a 24 year old male and have stopped washing my hair for about 4 months now. I was suffering the early stages of hair loss (thinning on top, not really receding) but due to my lack of cleansing my scalp now has this layer of residue on top that comes up whenever i scratch my head. I want to keep my hair shampoo free because it is clearly thicker and healthier but my scalp also needs to be cleaned. Does anyone have any solutions? I have also ordered Avalon Organics, Biotin B-complex thickening shampoo, has anyone had any experience this product as it sounds really good?? Cheers

• Jack said on February 17, 2011

  Bodyshop has a new line of shampoos out called rainforrest haircare. These shampoos and conditioners contain no silicones, sulphates, parabens or colourants. I don’t work for Bodyshop but I’m very happy with the results. My hair looks thicker and it’s much softer and shinier. I have gotten a couple of bad outbreaks of sebbhoreic dermatitis though that I never got on normal shampoo. This I easily avoid by shampooing everyday, but if I don’t, my scalp starts to itch like crazy and if I continue to not shampoo for several more days my whole scalp is covered in a red rash. Still think it’s worth it though.

  @Dean. To get rid of the residue use white vinegar. Wet your hair, apply vinegar and massage it gently into the scalp, then shampoo as normal. Once or twice a week should do it. Don’t do it when going out as you will smell like vinegar if your hair gets wet e.g sweating in a club.

  To avoid dandruff I simply put 2-4 drops of pure teatree oil on the shampoo in my hand before I put it in my hair.

• Mike said on February 17, 2011

  Hi all! As a chemical engineer I must say I find a lot of this SLS talk rather interesting. Everyone keeps asking what alternatives there are to the stuff, and a simple bar of soap will most likely be SLS free and work the same hair cleaning magic (I can’t promise all the commercial soaps are SLS free (all the ones I’ve looked up are) but if you want to be completely sure find someone who makes their own soap and buy from them; Carley’s clear and smooth, makes an awesome/very mild vegetable soap bar; basically your small scale soap maker isn’t going to have any reason to go out and score some SLS to put in their product). Usually, SLS is added to liquid soap products because on an industrial production scale it’s far cheaper/easier to make than to properly saponify various vegetable/animal fats.

  SLS is just a detergent derived from petroleum that is put in the shampoo/hand soap/toothpaste/nearly everything to act as a surfactant (a molecule that allows oil and water to mix in order to remove oil from your hair/hands/teeth). Natural alternatives like Dr. Bronner’s (I’m a huge fan of the peppermint liquid) and other castile soaps (‘castile’ simply means olive oil is used) contain surfactant molecules that are simply fat molecules that have been broken apart and there’s zero reason any SLS or similar paraffin based detergents should be showing up in there. I’ve made my own soap many a time and all that goes in there is a bunch of different cooking oils, water, and sodium hydroxide (lye). However, to make any soap highly caustic chemicals (sodium or potassium hydroxide) are needed, and if improperly made or not allowed to cure residual hydroxide will be just as, if not far more irritating to your skin than SLS will ever be (think Fight Club). As for shedding hair, I’ve found taking a biotin supplement works wonders.

  Ultimately, unless your skin shows noticeable irritation to SLS I wouldn’t be too worried about it. A lot of this is marketing. There are countless reasons why you could be having hair/skin problems. But if you really do think you’re having a problem with SLS you don’t need to spend tons of money on shampoos marketed as SLS free, just pick up a bar of soap.

• Carol said on March 3, 2011

  Hi, I was losing a lot of hair and had developed patches with dry, scaly flakes around my face, above the ears. These would itch and the more I rubbed them, the more flakes would drift onto my clothes. My doctor told me I had “dry scalp” and to try olive oil as a natural moisturizer. I did for awhile, but the greasy effect on my hair was not to my liking. One day I was at Sally’s Beauty Supply and asked the salesgirl if they had the product I had seen on TV. WU, I think. All natural. I had seen it on a late night infomercial. She said no, but she had something like it… Hair One.. two versions, and one was for dry scalp. It had Tea Tree Oil…. I bought it. Used it. Like it. Does not leave your hair smelling like the oil, either. The scaly patches are going away, and get this added bonus. No hair is clogging the drain when I use it. I used to have to clear the drain 2 or 3 times during my bath due to hair loss. Not any more! AND, only a few are coming out when I brush. I have more hair growing in and staying. Then, I checked the label…. right there in big letters, SULFATE FREE. I didn’t know. After reading the websites on sulfates and hair loss, I wonder why docs aren’t telling their patients to switch shampoos?

• char said on March 6, 2011

  How nice to see a chemical engineer post in this thread recently. Some science would do some of you a world of good. Here’s a place to start, if you really wanna do it up right: http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v128/n5/full/5701170a.html It’s a study about the effects of SLS on mRNA. I’ll quote the part I think is probably of interest:

  It has previously been suggested that with repeated exposure to an irritant or a combination of varying irritants, the degree of impairment surpasses a critical level, and as a consequence, a clinical disease (irritant contact dermatitis) ensues (Malten, 1981). This phenomenon could resemble the effects of a single dose of SLS using high concentrations; however, a lack of agreement has been reported between the acute effect and the repeated tests for SLS, probably due to thickening of epidermis during long-term exposure to this irritant (Koopman et al., 2004).

  So, once again, a study was attempted, some facts were revealed..and yet no one can say with any certainty that SLS is responsible for anything. BUT no one can prove it ISN’T responsible for anything either–the study I just quoted did indeed see some damage that did not “normalize” even after 8 days. (And you’ll have to go read the study to see that.)

  And at the end of the day, all I really know is: sulfates irritate the hell out of my skin (and I have psoriasis, so I pay attention whether I want to or not because when it hurts I am made of aware), my hair is like straw after I shampoo with sulfates–some shampoos are worse than others; shampoo is a relatively modern invention; male pattern baldness has been around (and observed and documented) for thousands of years–talk to your DNA donors, write a letter of complaint to them and get over it.

  The rest of you? If you find something that works, then great! If you don’t and it matters to you, then don’t give up! There are some great suggestions in this thread (castille soap, for one) and some good info…but please don’t take anecdotal “evidence” as scientific fact. That’s just stupid.

• WORRIED said on March 6, 2011

  Even though this is a old article I have the need to leave a comment about sls .I just recently like yesterday discovered that sls and sles is bad for your hair and skin over all and not limited to household cleaners .when I was a little girl I had long thick healthy hair with little shedding and breakage .my hair was very strong and everyone liked it, well one thing I remember is that I barely washed my hair as a child niether did I use other hair products in it. My family always did my hair naturally by using mostly water. Unfortunately when I became a teen I started wanting to experiment in my hair and I let my sister give me a relaxer and my father was not happy about it at all.when I was younger my family used straightening combs and curling irons in my hair and it did not affect my hair much .my first relaxer did not damage my hair because my hair was still healthy. Then after awhile I also started to dye my hair different colors and I liked the way it looked so I tried it about 3 times and then stopped but I also started to put other products in my hair .I also use to wet my hair alot and put gel in it and thats when I begin to see my hair falling.when I was almost bald I stopped messing with my hair and my hair grew back healthy like before but unfortunately I put more products in my hair again and it damaged my hair so much I was balding.I was forced to wear wigs for about 7 years now and I stopped putting stuff in my hair,I didnt even use shampoo.I wasnt seeing any improvements like before , my hair was not healthy and it was not growing a year after I stopped using hair products,I started to think maybe I needed to by products that make your hair grow or start washing my hair since I came to the conclusion that I damaged my hair follicles and lost all the good proteins after a bad relaxer.I was desperate to try anything especially since I heard wearing wigs all the time is not good either. I really wanted my hair to grow back fast like before because I had lost a whole year with out any good results and yet here I am 6 years later still with no good results. I bought a couple of leave in products that said that they would help your hair grow or keep it moisturized and I also decided to try dove and pantene grow long shampoo and conditoner which were my first shampoos.while staying at a family’s house also ended up using loreal vive and something called sammy ? Well I never suspected the ingrediants to be harmful or cause hair loss so I continued using pantene and noticed that my hair felt rough even though I have african textured hair that is curly,kinky and mostly coarse it just felt alot harder drier everytime I used shampoo and also alot of my hair came out in the shower but I ignored it and that was a big mistake .when I finished the pantene bottle and I didnt see any improvements I began to think what I was doing wrong and I was in distress and gave up on my hair for awhile my hair was still the same as it was when it fell out .one day I a paid programming commercial came on and it was about a hairstylist who was introducing a product called wen and he was discussing that regular shampoo’s strip your hair and make it dry and he was saying the postives and the difference between that product and other hair shampoo’s when I saw how beautiful and shiny thw womens hair looked after using it I was amazed even women with my texture hair benefited and it made me think but I do not buy most of what they advertise on tv so I just ignored it and forgot about it.another bad mistake !if only I would of though to look up why shampoo’s are not safe sooner maybe my hair wouldnt be so damaged until now.I usually keep my hair braided now since I wear wigs and when I was younger my hair was mostly kept braided and it was healthier since it was left untouched and free of chemicals .I reduced washing my hair or using shampoo from once a week to 1 every 2 weeks unfortunately I still have shampoos that are harmful like victoria’s secret which smells really good but has als almost same as sls and other things in it, one day while watching a loreal commercial I discovered the sls free shampoo and I wondered what sls meant and I guessed that it was harmful if it was taken out. So since I didnt get any good results by using pantene I decided maybe I should try it.my guess is that pantene had sls in it or something else. I reached almost half the bottle and my hair still feels dry and comes out more than normal when I touch it or comb it .I was getting depressed and I wanted to sknow what sls was so that is what lead me to do some research and I’m glad I did,sls is a irritant and engine degreaser also used in household cleaners,I read on one of the websites that this a very bad chemical harmful to humans since it pentrates the skin , eye’s, brain everything this article say’s it does to your body.but the worse ones for me are that they can be used pesticide but its not allowed because of the harsh toxins it will release into with the environment which is bad for the ecostyem but also can react with other chemicals and form cancer causing carcinogens and @ wai I do not agree with you because not everyone grew up using sls shampoo like me who grew up not using shampoo and how do explain the amount of hair loss after using these products and why other people experiance the same thing ?I strongly suggest you do more research or quit lying for the companies and manufacturers that are hurting people and their kids.its not just a coincedence.maybe some people are more senstive to sls than others but regardless it is not good for your skin, hair ,body,eye’s or ecosystem .on the other hand people like vivian p., mike ,bob , nicole and shaz I can relate and I strongly agree.after doing research I also came up with other chemicals in shampoo’s that are bad.like parabens which act like estrogen in the body and can accumulate in breast cancer and im not 100%positive if it could cause breast cancer yet but there is alot of info out here and I even wrote some of it down for notes, took me a while but well worth it.I think we all need to go grudge and tell the manufacturers what we think of them by allowing this poison and other chemicals to be used on people and children.we also need to bring law suits against the fda or companies or whoever for allowing the use of the these toxic chemicals. I know they will deny it , I’m not sure all companies know all the bad things this chemical can do other than it being a skin irritant because how could you be so hearltess as to use something that can cause developmental delays in children and other health problems?we need to all boycott these nasty companies and their toxins and try to save ourselves and planet. Do our best to go green because its healthier now you will begin to see alot more green stuff, hmmm I wonder why ? I threw away the shampoo and other things that had these chemicals and I feel much better now I just need to see how and if my hair will ever be healthy again.its said that sls takes long to leave your body and kills your follicles. Im glad people are posting blogs like this please continue to pass the word. Everything you thought was good for you more than likely is not in this day and age. To many toxic chemicals being added to everthing even medicine . So beware!!

• WORRIED said on March 6, 2011

  I apologize for the errors I made before , and I also want to state that my hair felt like straw also after I washed it and even when I dont wash it, and even when I was using loreal sulfate free shampoo. I did research on some of the ingredients in it and found other potentially harmful chemicals like paraben ? So I will just throw it alway and start over again . I dont understand why would they make sulfate free shampoo with other risky chemicals in it ?? At this point I am exhausted and upset because my hair has been damaged for so long and I will not be able to stop wearing wigs . I literally want to cry but I have been dealing with the hair loss for a while now and life must go on.my hair feels dead and looks stressed and it is very short and dry ,I feel like I bathed my hair with ammonia or some other kind of strong chemical that would definitely damage it .I am aware that there could be other things causing hair loss also .men are not the only ones that get bald some women do too .also my hair seems to be getting eaten way and most of the women in my father’s side of the family have good hair no balding or damaged hair and my mothers side has short mostly but maybe they were not taking good care of their hair .what determines if you will be bald, or have short hair? If you have two parents with two possibilites ? Im sure there are men that will be their fathers age and probably have good hair even if their parents didnt. So dont blame it on the family history.just because baldness is in your family doesnt mean you are meant to be bald too. Good thing I was blessed with parents with healthy hair that grows fast and strong anyway, so why so much hair loss and no hair growth now ?? I read that sls inhibits hair growth and its also very corrosive and corrodes fats and other things needed for your body , which is not a good thing and why would you want it in your hair ?I think the fact that its corrosive could be a reason why my hair feels like its being eaten and looks like its been eaten.( disgusting right?) people need to think about that and also inform I really wish I could of documented my hair loss and more damage after using shampoo and other products because there should be a lawsuit out against the extra damage on top of damage and the suffering. Something called pariffinum showed one result of a tumor in a rat during lab testing and another cocamide did also if im not mistaken. I took note of some of these findings and have them written down but there are so many toxic chemical’s and so much more research I might have to do and be able to organize to know which does what . And other things to look out for . I also found that sls caused canker sores to happen more frequent when used in oral care.I am so glad to have found these things out, if you ask me anything that has chemicals in it are toxic to humans and the environment.these things could also lurk in the water we use like mentioned by some.if we want cleaner safer air we need to use good organic stuff.we have destroyed the earth enough but thats another story.I am going to educate myself more of harmful things and toxins because I believe it can be the key to living long and healthy.another bad thing to use is fragrances , ammonia,and chloride .the fda said sls can be used in low concentrations not to exceed 2 % if I remember but alot of companies use 20% or more which is not safe and hazardous for your health. Thanks for sharing your experiances with using sls I think I found my problem even though its a bit late . I will look for something 100 %natural hopefully with a reasonable price if theres any out there. I am really scared to try anything else though so right now I dont know .

• Hoopla said on March 7, 2011

  OK, this is mostly for “WORRIED”: First off, it sounds like you may have an auto-immune disease that’s causing your hair loss. Shampoo alone would not cause your hair to be as dehydrated and brittle and “eaten” looking as you’ve described. I agree that sulfates and parabens are probably not the BEST things to be putting on our hair, and that they may encourage a few more hairs to be shed, but if they were as bad as some people have them out to be wouldn’t there be a ton of severely balding people out there? And if the people who are bald, owe their baldness to sulfates/parabens, don’t you think big medical research groups would have figured it out sooner? Balding can happen for many reasons. I mentioned an auto-immune disease, but for males, it’s mostly due to genetics and it typically skips a generation. I would venture to say that you have an auto-immune disease or perhaps you’re not eating a healthy diet and getting the proper vitamins and minerals that are pertinent to healthy hair, skin and nails. If you don’t already, take a multi-vitamin and an extra vit. E capsule. You cannot overdose on vit. E like once thought, so don’t worry. I would definitely get yourself to a dermatologist and see what he/she has to say about your hair condition.

  Also, ask your parents what they used to wash your body/hair with as a baby (most baby products are 2 in 1). Chances are, they used something with sulfates and parabens in them. And if that’s the case, then they’re obviously not the culprit-since you said you had thick, luscious hair as a child-and there’s a bigger problem with your hair.

• Hoopla said on March 7, 2011

  I forgot to mention a few things. Don’t go spending a ton of money on organic stuff because they’ve done a ton of research on it (one research study took place over 10 or 20 years and they found that the people who ate purely organic foods were no more healthy than the people who ate non-organics.) It’s a huge money-making scheme and it’s nonsense. Also, just because a product advertises that it’s “natural” does NOT mean it’s safe or healthy. There are plenty of naturally occurring things that are not safe or healthy what-so-ever. Arsenic for example, cocaine, poisonous snakes…these are all naturally occurring things in our world, yet they are not healthy. In fact, Burt’s Bees is probably one of the worst cosmetic/beauty lines out there and the company brags and advertises that their products are “almost all natural!” The organics world is ridiculous and is making a ton of money with this whole “go green” thing our country has got obsessed with. Granted, I’m all for not wasting plastic bags and using the re-usable ones and yadda yadda yadda, but the “organic lipstick” and “organic carrots” is nonsense and it’s a way for companies to suck more money out of the consumer. DON’T GET BAMBOOZLED!!!

• WORRIED said on March 11, 2011

  THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVICE HOOPLA , I WILL LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE I DO SUSPECT IT COULD BE MY DIET AND NOT TAKING ANY VITAMINS OR ANY OTHER FACTOR, BUT I ALSO THINK THE SHAMPOOS AND ALL THE YEARS OF PUTTING CHEMICALS ADDED TO MY HAIR LOSS. I AM LOOKING TO START TAKING VITAMINS TO SEE IF THAT HELPS ANY . MY HAIR HAS SLOWING STOPPED FALLING LIKE BEFORE BUT IT STILL ISNT BACK TO ITS NORMAL HEALTHY CONDITION. I HAVE STOPPED WASHING MY HAIR AND YOU ARE RIGHT NOT ALL ORGANICS STUFF ARE GOOD. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYTHING THAT DOESNT HAVE CHEMICALS AND CAN REGROW HAIR AND HAS A REASONABLE PRICE PLS SHARE.

• Mike said on March 12, 2011

  Great post! Reading all these comments made me think. When I was in college, there was this guy in my dormitory who said that he hasn’t washed his hair for almost a year. The interesting thing is that he had a full head of hair with no signs of mpb. He later told me he only washed it once a week with water. I thought he was crazy back then but now looking back, it all makes sense. SLS and all those chemicals in shampoos!

  Also have you ever wonder why men in third world countries seem to have more hair compared to here in the states? I believed because they don’t wash their hair as often and only with water.

• concerned said on March 13, 2011

  @worried other factors for hair loss could include prescription medications and birth control pills. When I was much younger a pharmacist who filled my birth control prescription pulled me to the side and urged me to begin taking a multi-vitamin or to find another contraceptive method. He said the pills would gradually cause my body to loose nutrients and to weaken my bones. Also I have friends (about 3) who were taking DepoProvera shots and they have experienced long lasting hair loss problems- now 10-15 years after discontinuing their use. To regrow your hair you probably need to look at your diet, water intake, and lifestyle. I don’t think you can just focus on your hair and not the whole package. Be sure to excercise; not be around smokers; drink water; eat plenty of fruits and veggies; watch your protein intake; someone earlier in the post mentioned saw palmetto tea for men, women can drink red raspberry leaf tea; do a scalp massage 15 minutes 3x a week- put your head between your knees and rub your entire scalp; use protective styling methods- check out curly nikki; and stop worrying! Beauty is from the heart and its the inside that makes you eternally beautiful.

  I have been an on and off user of SLS products. I stopped using them for years and then ran into financial difficulties and couldn’t afford to buy the natural products I had been using. My hair and skin did suffer from the switch back. So doing my research I started using Castille soaps which were actually cheaper than regular soap, for body and shampoo. I do occassionally splurge on a “organic” SLS free shampoo but I don’t use them that often. I wash my hair about 2-3 times per month. I use coconut oil as a daily moisturizer or shea butter- this is for hair and skin. When my hair is braided I will sometimes use cantu shea butter leave-in conditioner, although if you use a lot the product does build up. My daughter uses henna and it has helped to thicken and condition her hair.

• Stew said on March 16, 2011

  Go look at homeless people. They hardly wash their hair, probably why you barely see any bald homeless.

• asian hair said on March 16, 2011

  i have fine asian hair and ever since i joined the marching band in high school, i started washing my hair more often, and eventually daily. i used to only wash it every two days. i noticed my hair getting dryer and more volumized right after i washed it and i liked the look since it kept my bangs positioned properly and nongreasy. i ended up washing my hair daily to keep my bangs looking good.
  the past year, though, my hair started getting very fine and straight, and it would get greasy by the middle of the next day (i washed my hair at night). i switched to washing it in the morning, but it would still look gross by the end of the night – especially my bangs. I knew it was partly due to the oils from my face since my bangs were plopped on my forehead all day long, and the oils from my fingers from readjusting them. i realized that it was probably the intense washing that was making my head overproduce oils, so i tried switching to every other day hair washing. it was a greasy mess the day i didn’t wash it, but it eventually got better… i ended up reverting back to the daily wash for a week after several days of restaurant smells in my hair, and it was very awful having to suffer through the super greasy mess again.
  even after i settled into the routine for a few weeks, i noticed my head would be extremely flaky and itchy the night i didn’t wash it. after reading all this about SLS, i realized it might have been the excess Herbal Essences shampoo i dumped in my hair to rid of the two day accumulation of grease that made my efforts less successful. i recently decided to rinse my hair with lukewarm water the days i don’t wash it and massage my scalp to avoid itchy flakes later that night and im happy to say that it does help make my bangs looking refreshed and much less greasy.
  i probably won’t spend money and effort in trying non-sls shampoos since this works for me, but i will definitely be diluting my SLS heavy volumizing shampoo from now on. hopefully i will eventually be able to limit my washing to two to three times a week.

• rissa said on March 17, 2011

  Oh wow. Many replies spanding many years.

  I neither disagree nor agree with the fact that sls (or any other chemical) causes hair loss. Take for example…. Sodium and Chlorine. Chlorine is a toxin added to our pools to kill any harmful microorganisms and the like. It’s also added to the drinking water supplies to stop us from getting cholera or another water-bourne disease (nasty). Sodium Chloride, though, we eat EVERYDAY! (NaCl – salt). It is also toxic to a degree.

  There is a limit to how we can argue sls is bad for us because we are surrounded by millions of chemicals that do both good and bad. The least one can do to maintain a good state of health is just to ensure they eat and sleep well.

  If you want to make sure your shampoo is harmful chemicals free Icd also suggest watching the chemicals in everything you buy. But… by then youcd have chemical fatigue.

  Another way is just to forsake the modernised/contemporary society we live in and find an undeveloped island to live off. Icd still keep a wary eye out for polluted waters and high mercury levels in fish.

• Charlie said on March 18, 2011

  Well I think I’ve found the CAUSE of my constant scalp and skin irritation (all the SLS in my shampoos!). I’m gonna try the Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar program and see if the problem stops.

• Mona Michaels said on March 27, 2011

  I use baking soda to wash my hair and I put vinegar in a spray bottle to use as a hair rinse. I no longer have itchy scalp and hair loss as I did before. I also brush my teeth with soda and use vinegar as deodorant. Natural is better and cheaper.

• Lily said on April 1, 2011

  I’ve completely gone off the commercial shampoo banwagon, and stick to either no shampoo or SLS free shampoo once a week. I started to have thinning hair (at only 22!), but then started to use a shampoo maded by Deva Concepts, and I’ve never looked back once in those two years. If ever my hair needs care, I use conditioner as a cleanser.

  SLS free forever!

• Elliyahnna said on April 19, 2011

  I don’t even buy shampoos or soaps or anything like that at the store anymore. I make all my own products from fresh and pure natural ingredients. I just got so sick and tired of always hearing about “this can cause that and that can cause this” and none of the products worked the way they were suppose to anyway. I’ve taken on a very natural and holistic approach in almost every aspect of my life and when it comes to products for my face, hair and body I found this motto from another website, “If it’s not safe to put IN your body, than you shouldn’t put it ON your body”.

• Luc said on April 20, 2011

  Interesting read….

  I’m an extremely weird case.

  Im 28, nearly all males in my family.. grand parents, father, brother are balding, or extreme thinning hair…. I tho have THICK as hair.

  I’d love to know more because..

  1. I don’t eat alot of veggies or fruit. I eat really bad
  2. Im 91kgs 10% bodyfat, extremely muscular/lean with high test levels
  3 Love hot showers, spend alot of time with hot water
  4 Shampoo my hair EVERYDAY, prob with bad shampoos

  Lately my hair has been falling out alot, but generally every yr I go through stages of hair loss and then it regrowths thicker…. this is prob one of the worse cases ever.. easily 100+ a day in the shower… but im sure it will regrow afterwards!!

  My point is.. people take such good care of themselves and they still lose hair, are over-weight… and then people like me, eat shit, build muscle easily, stay lean, have bloods and am healthy as… my hair is pretty good too and i dont try at all?

  It comes down to GENES.

  Like you could use steroids to build muscle, but once you go off youll go back to normal… so no matter what we do I think honestly it will go to whatever your body has planned…

  Im sure diet can/will affect a bit, and we all have issues.. but yeah.. I guess we can all try…but who knows what really works and what really happens.. even with organic stuff… there isnt alot of studies on these things.. just cos its natural.. doesnt mean its safe!!

  For others, maybe look into a produce called TOCO 6.. by PP.. it’s a vitamin e blend…it has a patent on it.. its 25US.. im sure like anything it should help!!

  Love reading this thread, will be buying some new natural stuff for myself also, including skin care and whatever else!!

  Take care all

• mona alwakel said on May 8, 2011

  when i used head and shoulders hydrating & smooth and silky my hair would come out a lot so u might want to stay away from that

• roxy101 said on May 10, 2011

  hey im doing a science experiment on SLS but i just dont know how to test it out im goin mad crazy any help !!! plz im begging and get back to me asap!

• roxy101 said on May 10, 2011

  is Wen shampoo free of SLS and also is Charles Worthington?

• Jenn said on May 25, 2011

  Wow I can’t believe people have been commenting on this for 5 years.
  I have recently came acrossed a Loreal product that says its sulfate free. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it. 4 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter I started to have a reaction to shampoo. I couldn’t figure out which ingredient it was but I knew something was causing Burning, my hair on my head hurt, it almost felt like my scalp was sun burnt. It only got worse after my daughter was born. I suffered for the last 5 years and mentioned it to every doctor I saw, not one even did a thing. I had one dermatologist give me prescription shampoo that was over 135$ I asked the pharmacist if a few of the things I knew I was having trouble with were in that shampoo and sure enough they were. The pharmacist actually said it was just a glorified dandruff shampoo. ( Now I knew there were some products I strictly stayed away from, one was dandruff, the other was pantine) of course like a lot of doctors this one didn’t listen since I told him about these two products.

  Since using the Loreal sulfate free product, my hair doesn’t hurt, and all the things I was having trouble with have gone away. But the shampoo has so many other things in it and the smell is just to much for me, so I found this site and was amazed at how many people have commented and how many ways it SLS seems to be effecting people. Just when you think your the only one, you find out if you search enough your not alone.
  Thanks for all the comments people.. best wishes in the search for products that aren’t harming our skin and doing all the rest of the things people have found… By the way CHRIS you need to update, I want to know what has changed since you wrote this so long ago in 2006.

• kerry said on May 28, 2011

  hi i’ve been having trouble with my hair for about 3 years now im 27, my hair falls out from all over sometimes its worse than others & sometimes my scalp feels really irritated, but i can always see new hair coming through. my partin is also wider than it used to be. I’ve had blood tests at docs but they came back fine so im now going to try the sls free shampoo and hope this will work i’ll report back if i notice any changex

• Angela said on June 2, 2011

  Be very careful and test it first; my husband recently came back from Taiwan with some of this stuff that is apparently all the rage out there by Facianohair.com; they seem reputable enough, but I just don’t think this idea is ready to be let loose on the public.

  It smells gorgeous as some bright spark has made a mix with a mint extract that although smells fresh and invigorating is extremely course on the scalp; great idea for a real shampoo, but having this on your scalp for a few hours and that’s long enough to cause an affect that feels like sun burn on your head and by then of course it is too late.

  Maybe one day when this stuff is in our local newsagents or chemist I’ll give it a try, but right now I agree, this is still too hazardous, unproven and likely to cause long term affects. For now maybe a warning like on other hair products suggesting a small test patch would be wise?

  Angela.

• Charlotte said on June 2, 2011

  I found thus article interesting, especially since I gave up shampoos a week ago. I used to use a pricey product line from a salon to fight hair loss for around 10 years, and all it really did was empty my pockets. After 2 years on a natural coconut based shampoo and conditioner, my face and hairline started breaking out in an ugly rash that lasted for literally months. Finally it occurred to me that it might be the sulfates and fragrance. After a week washing with baking soda and filtered water, and finishing with ACV and water, my rash is just about gone, and my hair is lovely. It even seems to have more body than before. and WITHOUT a bunch of product on my hair!

• Koya said on June 4, 2011

  Hi everyone!!! Love this thread!! As for me….I still use sls shampoo’s, jus because I haven’t found a natural shampoo that I like OR work. I am African-American with natural hair. I wear protected styles, so my hair doesn’t see heat tools often. My scalp and hair change, so sometimes I need to switch shampoo’s that will get the job done. I haven’t had any problem with the sls shampoo’s. But I have open pores all over my face, so I am HIGHLY fickle what I put on it. I have notices over the past six months, majority of the facial care products AREN’T what they use to be. Some burn my face and I have laugh lines(cause I’m all ways smiling lol) so it makes me look so much older when these products burn my face. The moisturizers are JUST as worse, they break my skin out….and these are the ones with supposedly with no mineral oil or parbens and all that jive. I just about had enough of the beauty care line…I have started to make my own hair grease and soap. The only lotion I still have in my house is Nivea…….(don’t throw a shoe at me!!) for my skin it WORKS and it reminds me of my mom because thats what she lived by. I like Dr. Bonners…it just dry my hair out…and really I’m not interested in purchasing shampoo’s that cost 15.00 for 8oz….I have a WHOLE LOT OF HAIR….So Ima make my own bar soap with herbs and spices(lmao) to deal with the sls . Everyone happy hair growing and till the next time….Peace(>_<)

• love said on June 13, 2011

  Umm Just want to say that I use pureology and redken treatments and my hair has never ben better!

  I bleach my hair regularly (its naturally black) however with constant treatments at the salon and my pureology and redken routine my hair looks and feels great. I also wash my hair 3 times a week.. so I dont know what all of you are on about.

  go get yourself some redken extreme protein treatment, maybe some redken headstrong and try pureology conditioning treatments! all great products

• Trish said on June 19, 2011

  Here’s my story. I used baby shampoo most of my life, until the age of 23 when I started using Pantene. I had wonderfully thick hair all my life but it thinned a bit from the age of 23-33. I chalked it up to aging, bad diet, pregnancy. About 5 years ago, my hair started falling out in clumps. I switched to Fructies by Garnier a year ago. My hair started coming out even more and my eyes were burning like crazy every time I shampooed. I thought it might be our water and installed a filter on the shower head. No change. One day last month, I noticed that my 7 y/o daughter’s hair was coming out in clumps too. Immediately, I grabbed the baby shampoo and used it on both of us. Not a single hair came out of her head that day, and only a few on mine. Next shampoo, same thing. I went back to the Garnier and our hair again came out in clumps, my eyes burned. Back to the baby shampoo and we were fine. Whatever is in adult shampoo, the sodium lauryl sulphates and whatnot, it makes our hair fall out by tons. We are not going back to that stuff ever again. I just hope that the damage can be undone for us.

• Tessa Bennett said on June 21, 2011

  Just came across this thread, very informative I have enjoyed reading the contributions made. I have started a new hair care journey so such information is invaluable. The information about sodium lauryl sulphates is disturbing to say the least – my eyes are wide open to this and other associated sulphates…I am currently searching for an appropriate shampoo…I wonder what people used centuries ago, I bet they did not have the problems we have today…
  Thanks for the initiation Chris…

• khaveman said on June 26, 2011

  I love Dr. Bonner’s soaps. I use SLS-free shampoos, dish soap and Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. Anything that touches my skin will be SLS free. The Bonner’s soaps are so fresh, great quality and made with integrity. Sure all I’ve mentioned is more expensive than the usual products, but it is worth it to me! Good article.

• Nancy said on July 2, 2011

  To Trish- It may be possible that your daughter’s recent hair loss is related to radiation brought to the US via rainfall and from the Fukishima nuclear disaster. I was out in the rain with my dog, not thinking about the potential fallout from Japan. Then I noticed funny little red spots on my facial skin, had a ton of hair fall out, and became very tired for a while. I met with several other people who live in this area who had similar symptoms of hair loss after being out in the rain. There are reports of radioactive rain fallout in California, Washington, Missouri, Pennsylvania, etc. Here is one website with advice on how to deal with radiation and decrease its effects: http://www.life-sources.com/news/70/How-to-Protect-Yourself-from-Radiation-Exposure.html
  I also am wondering what damage I have caused my scalp/hair from using shampoos with sod. laurel sulfates, etc. and also from previously using hair tints. Sometimes after I washed my hair, my face would be so red and itchy, that doesn’t happen anymore but I have been getting a rash on the back of my head, possibly from the shampoo/SLS or hair color. I am so happy to have discovered henna, I have used it twice now and LOVE it! I love that it only has two herbs in it (I use Light Mountain Naturals- light red color) with cassia and henna; it is much less toxic than regular hair dye. I am going to switch over to homemade hair shampoo and will start out with baking soda/vinegar rinse and if I don’t like that, I’ll try a Dr. Bronner’s blend. (I tried plain Dr. Bronner’s but it didn’t rinse out well). My “rash” on my scalp has improved since switching to henna-based color but not totally gone. Has anyone on this list tried the laser hairbrush?
  Also, I have just switched from using commercial antiperspirants/deodorants (some natural, non-aluminum, and aluminum types for workdays, ha ha) and today am happy to report that just using a little bit of coconut oil mixed with a light dash of baking soda, and a drop of lemongrass essen. oil worked! I even had my kids check me out late in the day since their noses are better than mine. It works great! Can’t believe it! Cheaper and better for the environment too.

• laurie said on July 12, 2011

  Someone above asked about Dr . Woods Soaps, I have not used them on my hair,but I use the black soap with shea butter, awesome, my skin looks alot younger and so clean, the shea butter helps with the acne and the wrinkles- I highly recommend this soap. It has no SLS or parabens. I suppose you can use it as a shampoo and body wash , I just use it for my face. I even have my daughter using it for her acne . I am now on the no sls/ parabens band wagon and do alot of research on organic hair loss- it is kind of ironic the some shampoos for hair loss have sls and parabens in them, so I’m still looking for an effective hair loss shampoo that is100 % organic

• Peter said on July 17, 2011

  First of all, I’m a man in my early 20s and experiencing hair thinning and hair loss upon shampooing. Don’t buy into this SLS crap. I read this article b/c i was experiencing hair loss, and went ahead to purchase Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock Ginseng Biotin Shampoo. Upon using it, i noticed that my hair did not lather up at all. I very gently massaged my scalp and noticed hair on my palms. I knew it didn’t work. Because it didn’t lather up, my hair still felt very oily (as if i didnt wash it yet), so i used more. More hair starts falling out.

  I think all this talk about SLS shampoos causing hair loss is false. I’m very disappointed that my hair still fell off after using SLS free shampoo…

• Lori said on July 27, 2011

  I tried a washing experiment based on something I saw on TV ( A European hairdresser on a make over show of all places), which was to stop using shampoo.

  I first tried it when my hair was a few inches past my shoulders. I color my hair, doing roots every 2-3 weeks due to fast growth, although I use no other products, heat, or perms. I went 11 days without shampoo, rinsing and conditioning nearly every day. It was amazing how soft my hair became. I have bangs and it was a little trickier there. I ended up cutting my hair off, experiment ended.

  For some reason, I decided to try again this last spring. I was growing my hair out which was chin length. I managed 60 days without shampoo! I still colored my roots every 2 weeks or so, but I just stayed in the shower and extra long time to make sure the dye was out. My normally horse tail looking hair was shiny and formed soft curls. My bangs were kind of an issue. Even though I’m past the age, I still have a slightly oily forehead. I had put off a haircut, but finally went and she lathered up. Oops, I forgot to stop her. I fell back in the old habit of shampoo, and realized last night my hair looks terrible compared to what it had been in the spring. So I started just rinsing again today.

• Miria said on August 1, 2011

  I am surprised that no one has mentioned borax as a great hair wash. All you need is “20 Mule Team Borax” from the grocery store, an empty shampoo squeeze bottle, and some water. Put about three or four tablespoons of borax in the bottle, fill with water, and shake well. Some of the borax probably won’t dissolve. You now have a great shampoo that will leave your hair clean and smelling nice, your scalp healthy, and probably great little hairs growing in where there used to be thin or bare places. One thing–Wet your hair first, before applying the borax solution. I find it’s a little too drying if I apply it to dry hair. Rinse out with cool water. After you rinse the borax out, apply a rinse of one-half teaspoon citric acid to one quart water, then rinse again with cool water. You have to do this in order to get the borax out of your hair; don’t try to skip this step. You can mix this in another empty shampoo bottle, adjusting the quantity of citric acid to the volume of the bottle. I have put both of these solutions in small spray bottles (let the borax settle for a few minutes before putting in the spray bottle so as not to clog up your sprayer) as it’s easier to use them that way, since the solutions are watery and do not lather at all. It takes a little getting used to, but the results are wonderful. My hair has so much body, fallout is way decreased, and really no styling products are needed because hair is so manageable. You can use a very dilute vinegar solution as a rinse instead of the citric acid, maybe a couple of tablespoons in a pint of water or so. Or Google “vinegar hair rinse” and see what others suggest.

  I was very, very afraid to use the borax the first time, but my hair looked lovely from the first use. Prior to using the borax/citric acid I had been using just no-silicone conditioner to wash my hair for several years, but wanted to get away from all chemicals. This is SO simple, so effective, SO cheap, and so good for my hair that I am one happy camper.

  Also, I have quit using any kind of color on my hair, because of the chemical issue. Since I was gray prematurely, and had dyed for years, I feel so free now that I don’t have to contend with roots and constant upkeep, to say nothing of the increased health of my scalp and hair. Now my hair is a lovely moonlight color with no artificial color at all. I highly recommend the website http://goinggraylookinggreat.com for support if you are thinking of going natural with your color. I’m not affiliated with the site, but I have read a lot of the articles there for help getting through that transition. It’s one of my best life decisions. I hope my experience will be of help to someone.

• Kimo said on August 13, 2011

  hi I’m a 27 years old female. and i have long wavy hair.

  my hair has been over sensetive and prone to falling specially under the shower for years. now, i’m trying many shampoos and here’s my conclusions:

  1- baby Johnsones & Johnsones, Fructis, Herbal Essence, Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo, VO5 and Organix (though it doesnt contain SLS and smells great!) shampoos cause my hair loss significantly increases.

  2- in the other hand, Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Liquid Soap was amazing and stopped my hair falling completely. the only negative thing was that it leaves your hair looks dull. I was fixing that by applying coconut warm oil before wash for an hour or more. and I have tried some successful wash off conditioners ( made of egg yolk, honey, oilve oil and warm water) and it really works and leaves your hair shine again.

  3- when I cannot buy Dr. Bronner’s shampoo..like nowdays, I have found that H&S shampoo causes a lot less hair falling than other common commercial shampoos. although, it causes some hair loss during the shower if I used excessive amount or re-washed for 3 times or more. another negative point…It causes me itchy scalp!

• Hailey said on August 19, 2011

  I have found this article and every comment very helpful, thank you guys! from my experience I have found non SLS products to be the best on my hair, my hair is the thickest it’s ever been (it’s always been quite thin), it’s strong, incredibly glossy, healthy and when i do wash my hair the most I’ll lose these days is a couple of strands and that’s it. I would love to try not washing it for a while though, so I will and see how it goes

• Hailey said on August 19, 2011

  I would also like to add that before I started using non SLS products I was using products that contained SLS and I was always losing large handfuls of hair when i washed and my hair was quite thin and lifeless but now my hair has never been better! the non SLS products I am using are the L’Oreal sulfate free reconstruct system

• kunkawi said on September 14, 2011

  They said Cleopatra used olive oil for her hair, I don’t know if it’s true or not but I use 2 tea spoon extra virgin olive oil, helf avocado, and 1 egg , mix together and put on my hair about 10-15 min. It makes my hair very soft. It’s good that ancient people didn’t have to deal with the chemical issue
  This artical’s very helpful, thank you.

• Kat said on September 20, 2011

  Thanks for you testimony! I have noticed my hair is thinning lately and I’m pretty upset since I’m a girl and a performer. I just wanted to share this site with you guys: http://simplemom.net/the-oh-so-important-hair-update/
  I”m starting a new regimen today SLS free and probably soap free as well but I want to try the Castile soap first. Vinegar as a conditioner is smelly but it works!

• El said on September 28, 2011

  It took me sometime to read through this article, but wow people are having tough time finding/experimenting the right solution for their hair and nice to know I am not alone on that. I have used all types of high-end product only sold in salons (i.e. Kerastage, Biolage, Redken, Shiseido…), and I started to have allergic reaction, extremely itchey scalp, increased hair loss and I am in mid 30s. I was totally fine in 20s, like I could party, stay up all night to study, and go to work early next day…but when I got into 30s, I felt easily tired, more prone to stress…etc.
  I found out the following works well for me after 4 years of search for better/healthier hair and skin:
  1) Not eating out, and cooking fresh and healthy food at home (restaurants and fast food eating habit is very bad, makes you susceptable to more allergcy reactions)
  2) Expensvie does not mean “the product is good for you in LONG-TERM”. Less is better sometimes, and know that all over the counter products are in business to make money, just like restaurants. If you want your good stuff, make it yourself at home.
  3) Stick with old fashioned lye, water, and vegetable-based oil soap, and never go with petro chemical products/synthetic (you can easily make natural soap for a fraction of price at home, after reading a couple of books for how to make cold process soap. Make sure you know what you are doing before trying to make one yourself. If not you can purchase home made soap from crafters or small soaper, dont go to a manufacturer as they will rip you off, and their goal is only to get your money and dont care about your health in longer term.)
  4) Know yourself, this means if you are using natural products, make sure you do a patch test first so that you are not allergic to any of their ingredients. Patch test is easy. Put a dime size product with clean q-tip to cleansed skin, best place is inside an arm. Leave the product for over night or up to a day and to see if you develop rash or itchiness. If you do develop irritation, dont use the product and stop immediately (if you know you become itchy by using the new shampoo you just purchased, stop using it immediately, not waiting like 1 week…)
  5) Exercise or find some way to relieve a stress, since stress makes your body not being able to fight off irritants.

  If you want a really good solution, that has no cancer causing chemicals that are petro-chemical based, stick with home-made bar of soap instead of pretty colored or fancy packaged shampoo (which only purpose is to get your money, not to condition your hair.) These types of soap should only list water, oils, sodium hydroxide, and not the stuff you cant read or understand without a chemistry degree.

  You take off dirt/oils with alkaline solution because your skin is in neutrally Ph balanced, whether it may be an old fashioned soap or baking soda. You can then use lemon juice (any citrus juice will do, that is highly acidic) to bring the higher alkaline level of your hair/skin to bring down to neutral ph level once you wash them to make it softer. Make sure you get rid of any soap residue by bring your ph level to neutral by washing all your soap scum with hot water, and dryin your hair with hair dryer if you dont want to smell like a wet mop. If you use liquid soap that is made of potassium chloride instead of sodium hydroxide like a regular soap bar, it will leave less soap scum on your hair. (This PH rule does not apply if you are using petro chemical products, like SLS and similar materials, as those petro chemical based products usually do not care your PH balance, but will mix with water and oil, and emulsify so that you can rinse your dirt/grimes/oil with water down the drain.)

  In substitution to vinegar, which can be really smelly and off-putting to others, you can also purchase citric acid in health food store or on-line. It is odorless and used to control ph balance in food, jams, cans..etc. Add honey, molasses or any sugar content as a moisturizer and few drops of oil to make a home-made rinse. Its cheap, it works, and you know what you are putting on your skin and hair. If you have frizzy hair, castor oil will increase softness and managibility and decreasing frizz significantly.

  And yes, I do believe FDA is not functioning properly.

  Hope this helps.

• Diane said on October 1, 2011

  I gave up SLS shampoos about 5 years ago because it finally dawned on me that if toothpaste with SLS gave me canker sores, perhaps it was also responsible for the creeping hair loss. My hair grew back; it was wonderful. However, the shampoo eventually irritated my scalp. It wasn’t dandruff, it was like a peeling sunburn – dry, very itchy, red. I think the offender is a citrus ingredient. I tried a different shampoo without SLS or citrus, and my scalp went back to normal, but I lost my hair again.

  Experimenting over the years backs-up my first experience: one particular SLS-free shampoo allows (causes?) my hair to grow back, but irritates my scalp. Other SLS-free shampoos do not bother my scalp, but hair regrowth stops. My solution is to use the “regrowth” shampoo twice a week and the “no result” shampoo other days. The hair regrowth is much slower, but it does happen, and my scalp is fine.

  Experiment and find what works for you. Maybe one person can use vinegar, but another can’t. Maybe your hair is too fine to use heavy oil products. Organic is good, but it is not a universal cure or without any side effects. After all, poison ivy is organic but certainly not healthful, and people are allergic to all kinds of organic things from foods to animals.

• Dawn said on October 7, 2011

  Redken shampoo and conditioner.

  My daughter and I were advised to use the Redken Shampoo & conditioner by our hairstylist

  In the last eight weeks my hair has thinned considerably and my daughters gorgeous long blonde hair is falling out.

  Does anyone know how long it will take for the hair to grow back?
  Has anyone else had this PROBLEM with the Redken range?

  Dawn

• Katie said on October 11, 2011

  I saw someone asked about bumble and bumble. That’s what led me to this site. I started using it based on it’s reputation for being a high end product but have noticed considerable hair loss with it. For all the moms out there, I’d equate my hair loss to post pregnancy proportions! My mom had the same issue with the volumizing line, but I adjust attributed it to her sensitive skin. Guess I was wrong. I have only been using it for 3 months when I finally put it all together. The loss started a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the info!

• Eric said on October 15, 2011

  Ive have used SLS free shampoo for the first time (seba med) for a month now. My hair shedding is actually never been worse, loose a lot of hair, but I have thick and heavy mane too. Anyway it sure makes your hair feel more natural, harsh shampoos takes all the life and style out of the hair..

• soly said on October 15, 2011

  ye so im 21 years old now and im recieding!!!!! losing hair it feels very thin now got worried …. started researching found out about sls !!!! didnt even know it existed !!!!! no stopped using sls products only using sls free products and i feel much better hair is also less dry and feels more mostirurized deff with out a doubt stop using those products there crappp herbal essence, pert, gariner they make u go balddd trust me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Samuel said on October 30, 2011

  I would try using Dr. Bronners Peppermint or Lavender bar soaps to wash your hair with. That is what I have been using because its all organic and whole ingredients. Also peppermint is a anti-androgen, dht inhibitor, and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor so it will be beneficial for people who are balding. Check my video out I made about this. I also have many videos on hair loss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwg-gcuPLsc&feature=channel_video_title

• Brett Hanklin said on November 8, 2011

  Ive been working on the maxim if not using harsh chemicals SLS etc then it cannot do you any harm.
  Tried Alpecin and hair seemed to go lighter and more straw like…..chemicals at work.
  Regine itchy. Nizorale itchy.
  All these strike me as chemical loaded and react accordingly.
  So i have gone with Rainforest shampoos. Tried all. No irritation at all….no shedding and possibly some regrowth. Hair goes a bit greasy for a week or so because you are not stripping the oils out but settles down on week 2.
  No a guy at the sports club who only used baby soap when washing his hair (actual bar of soap) Never suffered any hair loss and now 47 Could be he lacks th dodgy genes….could be the bar of soap.

• RR said on December 15, 2011

  Over a year ago, I cut back to washing my hair only once or twice a week. At the time my hair was shedding so much that I would not wear dark colors as my hair is blonde and all the hairs would show up. After I cut way back on the washing the hair fall out was less but still there.
  Last week I decided to get rid of all chemicals in everything I possibly could. I found Kiss My Face Olive Oil (no fragrance) soap. Got a huge bar and started using it for toothpaste (just rub my toothbrush on the bar), hair (spray hair with vinegar when you’re done) and of course hand and body.
  Hair – Roots less oily, no hair loss noticed, hair just looks better, no itchy scalp.
  Teeth – No noticeable improvements but I feel better about using this soap which does not taste soapy at all. Doesn’t taste great either but…
  Body – less itchy
  By the way, I found this website because I was so surprised that my hair stopped falling out and wanted to find out if it was because I got rid of the shampoo and I am sure from my experience that is it. No clinical study necessary.
  This soap is just olive oil, water and sodium hydroxide (lye)
  I have tried Ivory before this and the hair was good but it is terrible as a toothpaste (very soapy taste).
  If you are trying to get away from ALL harsh chemicals you should give soap a try but do check the ingredients. Some shampoo bars are actually made with SLS as the first ingredient.

• New Tressy said on February 2, 2012

  Hi,
  I’m a 58-year-old woman who is growing her hair for the first time.
  All my adult life my hair has been prone to falling out. Then, when I ran my fingers over my scalp, I could feel new hairs growing like bristles. This indicated the hair was breaking off inside the root. The hair on the back of my head rarely grew beyond 2 inches before shedding. The rest of my hair was prone to be frizzy. So I always had short hair.
  Six months ago I started not washing it apart from with water, and used no other hair products. At first, it was greasy and I solved this by frequent brushing with a bristle brush for fine hair. It’s naturally dry though, so it wasn’t too much of a problem.
  Now the greasiness has gone. I’m still brushing my hair and thoroughly rinsing it with water to clean it. It’s thick, of even length and smooth.
  Look at film footage of teenagers in the 60s with thick bouncy hair, and wonder: ‘What happened?’
  To say I’m annoyed about this is an extreme understatement.

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This article was written on March 16, 2006 was posted in these categories Hair & Scalp Care, Hair Loss Causes, Hair Products .

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