5 Ingredients In Shampoo That Are Harming Your Hair

This new year, you’ve decided to take better care of your hair. From applying heat protection sprays before styling your mane to once-a-week deep conditioning treatments to opting for microfiber towels to minimize rubbing your locks up the wrong way – you’ve diligently followed through it all. And yet, with January drawing to an end, your hair is still as dry and lackluster as ever. Far from the thick glossy crown you were aiming for.

Have you ever taken into consideration the fact that you’re perhaps shampooing your hair far too often? While the act of shampooing does remain an essential element of hair care, overdoing it can have a damaging impact not just on your hair, but also on your health.

# Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

This is the ingredient that makes your shampoo so similar to your detergent. Anything that can work up a foam is very likely to contain SLS.

Exposing your hair to too much of this chemical will end up stripping your hair of all the natural essential oils it needs to stay healthy. Over time, this will damage your hair protein and halt healthy hair growth.

# Parabens

Parabens are preservative ingredients that are added to extend the shelf life of your shampoos, that can once again, irritate your scalp. Constant itching can lead to scalp inflammation, one of the main reasons for damaged, unhealthy hair. But what makes this group of chemicals even scarier is the fact that they’re also on the list of common chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors. To understand how dangerous they can be, you must first know what happens when these are absorbed by your body.

# Formaldehyde

Another preservative agent used in shampoos and other skin care products, formaldehyde is linked to an increased risk of a series of conditions like liver diseases, respiratory allergies, embryotoxicity, sclerosing peritonitis, diabetes/hypertension, cerebral ischemia/neurodegenerative diseases, and multiple aging-associated diseases.

Not only does the long-term use of formaldehyde put your health at risk, the damaging impact of this chemical will also reflect on your hair, making it dry, frizzy, and more prone to premature hair fall.

# Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

This petroleum-based chemical is commonly used in shampoos to create a creamy texture. PEG may not only be contaminated with carcinogenic compounds but may also be a developmental toxicant that could interfere with human development. Studies prove PEG’s genotoxic properties and many health experts claim that it can cause extreme irritation and systemic toxicity if applied to broken skin.

# Fragrance

When you see ingredients like ‘fragrance oils’ or ‘fragrance oil blends’ or ‘fragrance’ in your shampoo, you may think they’re perfectly harmless. But take a look at the chemical composition of these and you’ll probably be afraid to ever go near a shampoo that contains this ingredient again.

Fragrances contain phthalates, chemicals that can disrupt your natural hormone levels, consequences of which will be almost immediately visible through the reduced health and quality of your hair. These chemicals can also cause ovarian aging, obesity, and a drop in sperm count, while some studies show that these can even lead to cancer.