When your hair is suffering and shows it in the form of shedding and thinning strands, it becomes increasingly important to take note of the ingredients in your hair care products. This tip extends beyond those products you may assume can cause considerable damage — products that can contain drying alcohols like hairspray or gel or at-home dye kits that may contain high amounts of peroxide.
But when was the last time you honed in on your favorite shampoo and conditioner? The haircare products you use most often could also be the ones that are contributing to stripping your hair of moisture and possibly even causing hair shedding.
These three toxic hair shampoo ingredients are among the worst that pros want you to look out for — especially if you are suffering from hair loss and thinning hair.
Sulfates
It’s not that sulfates in your shampoo always cause hair loss — it’s that they can dry your hair and cause hair breakage, which looks a lot like hair loss. When your hair is broken, you can see little areas around the scalp that appear broken and the texture of your hair can even feel different. The problem is: sulfates are very common, and very addictive. This is the ingredient responsible for creating a satisfying lather that many of us associate with “clean.”
Try to read your shampoo label and reject anything that contains the words “sodium lauryl sulfate.” There are plenty of sulfate-free shampoo options on the market that are affordable and will make your hair look and feel clean, with or without the lather.
Dimethicone
Dimethicone is a sneaky, tricky ingredient because it can make your hair look amazing — before making it look worse. This silicon ingredient is often added to conditioners, but also some shampoos, and is meant to make your strands look and feel softer and shinier. And some of them work really well, too. The problem is that they are also pore-clogging ingredients. And guess what happens when you clog your hair follicles? The buildup could cause your hair follicle to stop receiving moisture and shed.
There isn’t a ton of substantial evidence though about the harms of dimethicone, but if you are experiencing hair shedding, this may be an ingredient you bypass.
These alcohol types can easily dry out your strands and scalp, which can lead to more hair fallout and split ends.
A better way to go when shopping for shampoos for hair shedding and thinning is to choose those that contain nourishing ingredients known for their ability to boost your scalp’s health. Biotin, saw palmetto, and rosemary oil are all excellent at helping to strengthen your hair follicles and will give your strands the moisture and love they need.
