If you’ve been experiencing hair loss lately, it’s time to investigate the ingredients in your shampoo. It’s not uncommon for aging individuals to experience thinning, hair loss, and fallout due to various factors, including their diet. However, experts warn that the chemicals and components found in your daily haircare products could also play a significant role.
To better understand the situation, we sought advice from Dr. Yoram Harth, MD, board-certified dermatologist and medical director of MDHair, Dr. Elaine Kung, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Future Bright Dermatology, Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, and Dr. Rebecca Hilton, hair expert at J-Beauty.
They warned us about two hidden shampoo ingredients that can aggravate hair fallout in individuals over the age of 40 and recommended that those who are already losing hair should avoid them. They also shared optimal alternatives below!
Uncovering 2 Shampoo Ingredients That Could Worsen Your Hair Loss
1. Sodium Lauryl & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) (a.k.a. Sulfates)
Sodium Lauryl and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) are found in many mass-market shampoos. These chemicals are potent detergents used to remove oil and dirt from the hair, and provide richer foam. They give that refreshing, rich lather in the shower, but what you could lose in this instance outweighs the temporary satisfaction you could gain when rinsing.
"Unfortunately, sulfates strip off the natural protective layer of the scalp and hair, causing dryness and irritation," Harth notes. Sulfates, he explains, have been shown to "damage the protein in the hair strands causing more breakage and split ends," which of course won't help with hair loss and can exacerbate it.
2. Sodium Chloride (a.k.a. Salt)
Sodium chloride is another common ingredient of mass-market shampoos. Commonly used to thicken shampoos and conditioners, it can "dry the scalp, causing redness and itching," Harth says, and this scalp irritation can "damage hair follicles and cause more hair loss."
2 Shampoo Ingredients To Prioritize For Thinning Hair
1. Biotin
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, Abdullah 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.”
2. Saw Palmetto
Incorporating saw palmetto into your shampoo can prove to be advantageous in reducing hair loss, Hilton 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." Kung 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 concludes that "shampoos are typically composed of 10–30 ingredients, although products with as few as four ingredients are available."
While awaiting a doctor's recommendation for a tailored treatment for your hair and scalp, it is recommended to keep a lookout for shampoos that contain biotin and saw palmetto, as suggested by our experts.
