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!!!

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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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