9 Ingredients In Shampoos That Could Be Causing You To Lose Hair

Written by Niharika Nayak, BA (Media & Communication)  • 

So you’ve been eating the right kind of food, managing your levels of stress and not tying up your hair tight. And yet… your hair still seems to be falling out at a rapid rate and at this point, you’ve no idea what could be causing the hair fall. Thick, luscious and happy hair makes people feel good about themselves and can be a proper confidence booster. So going through hair fall can be quite demotivating and even a nightmare to some.
Well, there could be a simple culprit located in your bathroom that may have slipped your line of sight. Yes, we’re talking about that bottle of shampoo sitting innocently on your bathroom counter. If you recently noticed a decrease in the volume of hair on your scalp, you might just be using the wrong type of shampoo. You see, there are so many shampoos out there that contain ingredients that could be causing unnecessary harm to your scalp. We’ve listed down nine of these ingredients so you can keep a lookout while purchasing your next shampoo:

1. Silicones

Silicones
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Silicones are mixed into hair products to lock moisture inside the hair and coat it. This helps to prevent frizz and unruly hair. While silicone in your shampoo isn’t necessarily bad for you, if you keep using it often, it can cause product buildup on your scalp. This, in turn, leads to you suffering from hair fall due to your hair follicles being blocked. You don’t have to necessarily cut out this ingredient permanently, but you should consider giving your hair a break from them (1).

2. Parabens

Parabens
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Parabens are preservatives that are typically added to shampoos and hair products to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. However, these strong chemicals can easily be absorbed into one’s skin and cause itchiness, flaking, skin irritation and allergic reactions (2). This can ultimately lead to one losing hair. This is why you need to ensure that you use paraben-free beauty products whenever you get the chance to.

3. Sulfates

Sulfates
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Sulfates are what’s responsible for the lathering effect of shampoos. While they are effective at cleansing, they can cause irritation to sensitive skin and hair. Sulfate shampoos strip natural oils from dry and fine hair even more easily and leave one’s strands brittle and at a major risk of breakage (3).

4. Mineral Oils

Mineral-Oils
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Mineral oils are like lubricants and they may help in reducing tangles. They are added to hair products thanks to this property. However, like silicones, they can create build up and suffocate one’s scalp. This weighs down healthy hair and can cause scalp imbalances and skin irritation. (4)

5. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde
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An ingredient that can be classified as one of the worst ingredients present in modern shampoos is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde causes damage and is also carcinogenic, which means that it is a cancer causing ingredient (5). It is easily absorbed into the skin and causes allergic reactions and irritation. If you feel your eyes stinging or nose running after using a shampoo with formaldehyde, then you need to contact a doctor asap. If you see that your shampoo has formaldehyde, get rid of it.

6. Sodium Chloride

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Sodium Chloride is an ingredient that you were last near in high school most likely. However, did you know that sodium chloride (which sounds super scary but isn’t), is actually table salt? And that it’s also present as a thickener in many shampoos. While sodium chloride itself does not cause hair loss directly, if you use it in high concentrations, it can cause your scalp to get itchy and dry and can lead to eventual hair loss.

7. Propylene Glycol

Propylene-Glycol
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Just like sodium chloride, propylene glycol acts as a thickening agent in conditioners and shampoos. It can strip your hair off its moisture and leave it feeling brittle and prone to breakage.

8. Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA)

Diethanolamine-(DEA)-and-Triethanolamine-(TEA)
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Diethanolamine and Triethanolamine are chemicals that irritate the skin and can even destroy keratin (which is a key component of human hair). This will ultimately lead to brittle and super dry hair. If you notice an increase in hair loss to your scalp, then you should read the ingredients and check to see if DEA and TEA are listed in them (6), (7).

9. Alcohol

Alcohol
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Another common ingredient present in many popular shampoos is alcohol. You must probably be wondering why there is alcohol in your shampoo but it is a very common component of shampoos that are cheap. Alcohols like propanol and isopropanol are two types of alcohols that can trigger hair loss on your scalp (8).

If you are someone who values their hair then you need to take the time out to check what ingredients are listed on the bottle of your shampoo. There are better, more natural alternatives out there that you can get your hands on and plenty that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Do let us know if this article was useful in the comment section below!

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