3 Shampoo Ingredients That Often Exacerbate Hair Loss & Thinning, Doctors Say
1. Silicones
Silicones, commonly found in shampoos, are often portrayed as beneficial due to their ability to enhance shine and gloss, Dr. Enrizza P. Factor, dermatologist and writer at My Eczema Team, tells us.
However, Factor stresses, their detrimental impact on scalp health should not be ignored as they can stifle its ability to receive necessary nourishment. "Silicones in shampoo can cause hair loss by coating the scalp so that nutrients cannot be absorbed," she warns.
2. Sulfates
Having already thin, fine and delicate hair and adding harsh sulfate-based products can exacerbate or worsen hair loss. “This harsh detergent, sodium lauryl sulfate [SLS] is a common ingredient in shampoos and conditioners and is known to strip away natural oils, leaving hair feeling dry, brittle, and damaged,” Lauren Udoh, hairstylist and Hair Creative Director of WigReports, says.
This ingredient in conditioners can “also cause scalp irritation and hair loss.” Jean Will, co-founder of NiaWigs Inc., agrees, and adds that sulfates “are one of the most detrimental” ingredients that may be found in popular conditioners.
“Surfactants such as sulfates are used to remove debris and excess oil from the scalp,” she reiterates. “They can make your hair frizzy and trigger an allergic response to your scalp. Furthermore, when used for lengthy periods of time, they can cause hormone disruption,” she adds.
3. Sodium Chloride
According to Dr. Yoram Harth, MD, Medical Director of MDhair, sodium chloride, a frequent component of mass-produced shampoos, is not recommended for women who are experiencing hair loss or thinning.
Commonly used to thicken shampoos and conditioners, it can "dry the scalp, causing redness and itching," Harth notes, and this scalp irritation can "damage hair follicles and cause more hair loss."
2 Essential Shampoo Ingredients That Combat Hair Loss & Dry Tresses
1. Biotin (Vitamin B7)
Biotin (aka vitamin B₇) is an important nutrient often found in foods like eggs, broccoli, bananas and milk. Many people take biotin as a supplement as they age, Ghanima Abdullah, cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, explains, to strengthen their tresses. If also using a shampoo with biotin as a main ingredient, one can really reap the benefits of this vitamin in more ways than one. “Biotin is the ingredient to look for in shampoo if you want thicker, fuller, healthier hair,” Abdullah says.
Abdullah highlights the benefits of incorporating biotin-infused shampoo into one's hair care routine, which includes enhancing hair growth, relieving discomfort associated with itchy hair, and mitigating other hair conditions commonly experienced during the winter season. “Not only can it be taken as a supplement, but when used in shampoo the ingredient goes directly into the hair follicles.”
She notes that biotin helps increase circulation to the scalp, which helps the hair follicles produce a better quality of hair and more of it. “It's believed that a deficiency of biotin leads to hair loss,” she adds, so using shampoo with biotin is one of the “easiest ways to help reverse the effects of aging on hair, which can manifest as thinning and brittleness.”
2. Saw Palmetto
Incorporating saw palmetto into your shampoo can prove to be advantageous in reducing hair loss, Dr. Rebecca Hilton, hair expert at J-Beauty, says, as it is a highly sought-after ingredient in the realm of hair care.
"Saw palmetto is a natural extract from the berries of the Serenoa repens plant and has been used for centuries for the treatment of various conditions including hair loss," she explains. Hilton adds that "saw palmetto works by blocking the production of DHT," which helps to "reduce hair shedding."
Dr. Elaine Kung, MD, FAAD, founder of Future Bright Dermatology, concurs, and points out that because saw palmetto is a DHT blocker, it is "helpful in the treatment of female pattern baldness that can become quite apparent when a woman is in her 40s."
The Bottom Line
Overall, Kung stresses that choosing the right shampoo for your hair is crucial as "shampoos are not only scalp cleaners, but indubitably act as preventing the hair shaft damage." Many scalp diseases are also "treated by active ingredients that are added to the shampoo's formulations," she says.
She also notes that "shampoos are typically composed of 10–30 ingredients, although products with as few as four ingredients are available." Our experts advise keeping an eye out for shampoo products with biotin and saw palmetto while waiting for an appointment with a doctor to recommend a more specific treatment solution for your scalp and locks!