While many of us might be aware of the dangers of parabens and sulfates as damaging ingredients in our hair products, there is another one experts say to watch out for. With this being in countless popular products, it’s important to note that excessive usage often leads to scalp irritation and hair loss— and all of this is avoidable!
Read on to learn more about retinyl palmitate and what it might mean for your tresses (it’s usually not good news). We spoke with health, beauty and haircare experts— Dr. Daniel Boyer, M.D. of Farr Institute, Dr. Virginia Blackwell, M.D. of Eve Magazine and dermatologist Ksenia Sobchak of Giejo Magazine & Loxa Beauty— who all provided tips and reasons to avoid this widely considered ‘toxic’ ingredient for thinning hair.
The Dangers of Retinyl Palmitate on Aging Hair
If you’re wondering exactly what “retinyl palmitate” refers to, Sobchak notes that it is considered a “gentler version of retinol” and that it is usually found in high concentrations in most hair products. “Frequent use of products with this ingredient can trigger aging symptoms,” Sobchak says, as it can cause skin peeling, irritation, burning, dryness, and scaling. Why take the risk, right? Sobchak advises anyone with thinning or aging hair to “avoid any beauty product that indicates retinyl palmitate on the labels.”
Boyer agrees that long-term use of hair products containing retinyl palmitate may lead to scaling, irritation, and peeling. He also notes that these hair products “can lead to itchiness on the scalp that may make you scratch the skin of your scalp aggressively or repeatedly, damaging your skin and hair follicles.”
This may lead to temporary hair loss if you don't stop the use of shampoo products with this ingredient, he continues. “Additionally, scaling and peeling, which are both side effects of the long-term use of hair products containing Retinyl palmitate, may also damage hair follicles, making them dry too,” Boyer adds. “Retinyl palmitate causes itchiness on the scalp,” Blackwell concurs, “so scratching an itchy scalp repeatedly can damage hair follicles, resulting to hair fallout.”
Ultimately, all advise you to avoid retinyl palmitate as an ingredient for many reasons and to look out for it specifically when shopping for shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, hairspray and other haircare products. To learn more about treatment for hair loss, experts recommend visiting your own dermatologist, trichologist or doctor who can assess the patterns on your specific scalp and determine the essential next steps!
