Is the Ritual of Shampooing Your Hair Detrimental to Your Health?
Your shower should be like a bank robbery, you should get in, get it done and get out. But with Americans spending more time in the shower than most countries and the extent of that time spent shampooing, it is time to reconsider the entire ritual. The frequency at which we shampoo and the myriad of chemicals in shampoo are putting our health at risk. It was considered that at low concentrations sulfates found in shampoo may not have caused any concern however with overuse the effects of high concentrations of sulfates are now becoming apparent, contributing to cell damage of our skin and excessive stripping of natural oils and hair proteins. There has to be a shift to natural alternatives to clean our hair.
Shampooing our hair is a ritual we do on an almost daily basis, with the majority of us not giving it much thought, and certainly no consideration that it could possibly be harmful. Americans spend more time taking a shower than most countries and the majority of that time is spent during the shampoo process (“Which Countries'') However, the shampoo industry, in an effort to deliver a luxurious experience, and a rich foamy wash, has an ingredient list that is complex, controversial and somewhat hazardous, recent evidence has shown that shampoo could be causing a myriad of health problems and the root cause of many skin disorders (Adams et al. 1062-1069). As a result, more people are beginning to question the detrimental effect excessive and harmful irritants found in shampoo are causing on our skin and question if it is really necessary and there is a slow-growing support to avoid shampoo and seek alternative solutions to cleaning the hair and scalp. I do suggest a mixture 1/3 cup of white vinegar or apple cider, to 8oz of water. Take it into the shower, pour into the scalp, wait 5 minutes, rinse and finish with a nice smelling conditioning rinse. Occasionally I do use a non- sulphate shampoo:
This movement has had its setback with both critics and verdant supporters arguing the benefits of alternatives to shampoo. Indeed, there are critics questioning the shampoos industry’s response to this backlash and their so-called alternatives, where critics state they are simply replacing one type of harmful chemical composition with another, and masking and confusing the consumer with so-called natural and organic ingredients. Critics argue that these alternative chemicals unleashed to the unsuspecting public, trying to make healthy choices, are also unsafe and the shampoo industry is simply masking another problem. Instead, the industry should be supporting consumer concerns and looking to eradicate all harmful chemicals and avoid shampoo altogether.
At $35 dollars Hue is expensive, on a budget, make your own, adding 1/3 Apple Cider Vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and water. I do prefer Braggs Apple Cider, it is more hydrating than White Vinegar.
The daily ritual of shampooing your hair may seem a normal activity, but it is only recently that we have washed our hair to this extent. According to recent data: America spends 8.2 minutes in the shower, bathe on average 4-5 times per week which is more than most other countries, with Italy, Spain, France, India, and Russia bathing 2-3 times a week, In fact, Americans lead the world when it comes to using shampoo, with over half the population shampooing their hair every day and only 3% not using any hair care product (Statista, 2020).
It was not until the 1970's that brands started promoting the use of shampoo and shifted their marketing focus from cleanliness to beauty. Up until that point, shampoo was marketed as a product that had a function only to clean the hair. As mentioned in a recent marketing journal, “Now with possibilities that shampoo can change the actual quality of your hair and life did the industry emerge, consumers now view their shampoo choice as one that can make a difference in the way they look, smell, and feel” (“Marketing School”). With the consumer demands for a product that not only delivers cleanliness but must feel luxurious and pleasurable manufactures have had to develop chemicals that deliver such an effect. The National Institute of Health explains “To achieve this effect shampoo has a rich lather, and the only ingredient that can achieve this is an anionic surfactant that has replaced soap and dissolves the impurities, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate'' (Diaz). This powerful degreaser is also commonly used in cleaning detergent used in carpet cleaners and car washes. Even as a consumer making an effort to avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulphate some manufacturers of surfactants (what makes the shampoo foam) have dozens of sulfates with similar names, for example as one government agency points out that Sodium Xylene sulfonate is a Sulphate used in shampoo and is a known irritant and that there was an increased incidence of epidermal hyperplasia in rats exposed to Xylene Sulfonate, This same study and more recent ones have gone on to debunk sulfates as a carcinogenic (United States, Dept. of Health and Human Services ). This is not old news, sulphates present in shampoo have long been documented to irritate the skin and cause dermatitis and other irritating skin conditions (Ziewas, March 2009).
However, what has caused more concern is the more recent discovery of the Human Microbiome, a unique blanket of microbes that resides on the skin. Scientists are only now understanding how this presence of microbes is important in relation to our overall health and protection from disease, and how the effect of the sulfates found in shampoo removes this natural flora during the shower experience. A recent study from a government agency highlighted - ‘The skin is a barrier that serves as the body's first line of defense against harmful microbes “(National Institute of Health) The disruption to the skin’s natural barrier is now of concern and promoting the benefits of leaving it untouched has prompted several studies. With further mounting evidence that the skin’s natural flora is of vital importance to our overall health, one study reminds us just how important the microbe is: (Ursell, K,) “Skin serves as a protective barrier and houses large numbers of colonizing bacteria” and explains this “bacteria may protect humans from pathogenic disease”.
The Shampoo industry is estimated at 8.6 billion dollars (Statista) and its response to the backlash in sulfates is to produce a shampoo that cleans the hair and does not foam. An example of such a shampoo is WEN, which contains no sulfites. Chaz Dean, the celebrity hairdresser whose company Guthy-Renker, that produced WEN, settled a class-action lawsuit for 24 million and was under Federal Investigation with reportedly “1,386 complaints of hair loss and scalp irritation, linked to the use of the product, (“Mole”). Clearly, the search to replace sodium lauryl sulfate and produce a less harmful shampoo is having some setbacks.
It is also worthy to question, how did we emerge as a culture that shampoos to this extent? History has shown us some cultures have benefitted from not shampooing their hair at all, and this is apparent when we study the history of the Native American Indians whose long shiny healthy hair is now a hallmark of their culture. It is however the industry that has driven this market growth, promoting in some cases what consumers believe are ‘natural organic’ ingredients, but in fact, continue to obscure chemicals.
Amid the confusion, some advocates for healthier hair and scalp have embraced a movement called the “no-poo” advocating the use of no shampoo at all. Instead, you would rinse your hair with either a mixture of vinegar and water or baking soda dissolved in water. The time has come for us not only to recognize the health benefits of not shampooing your hair but to question all of the products we regularly use, toothpaste, cleansers, and other health care products, which all contain harmful sulfates and pose similar risks to our health, not to mention the impact these products have on the environment.Works Cited
Adams, Robert M., et al. “A Five Year Study of Cosmetic Reactions.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 13, Issue 6,
1985, pp. 1062-1069,ISSN 0190-9622,https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(85)70258-7.
Diaz, Maria Fernanda Reis Gavazzoni. “Hair Cosmetics: An Overview”. International Journal of Trichology 2015 Jan-Mar (1):2-15 DOI: 10.4103/0974-7753.1534, Accessed Feb2021.
““How Successful Shampoo Companies Market Their Products”. December 7th, 2020.
http//www.marketing.schools.org, Accessed Feb 2021.
Mole, Beth, “WEN Hair Loss Scandal Exposed Dirty Underbelly of Personal Care Products” Science, Beth Mole, June 28th, 2017, http://www.arstechnica.com, Accessed Feb 2021.
Statista: “Hair Care Products and Shampoo market in the U.S” Statista Research Dept, Dec, 1st 2020. Retrieved from: http://www.statistic.com, Accessed Feb 2021.
“Which Countries Shower the Most” The Cleanest Country in the World, Aug 30th. 2019. http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/bolg, Accessed: Feb 2012.
United States; Department of Health and Human Services, “Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, Studies of Technical grade Sodium Xylenesulfonate in Rats”. June 1998. The National Toxicology Program. Assessed, Feb 2021.
Ursell, L.K., Treuren, W.V., Metcalf, J.L., Pirrung, M., Gewirtz, A. and Knight, R. (2013), Replenishing our defensive microbes. BioEssays, 35: 810-817. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.201300018
Zirwas, Matthew: Moennich, Jessica Shampoos, Dermatitis: March 2009-Volume 20-Issue 2-p-106-110. doi: 10.2310/6620.2008.08041.
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