If your hair is starting to thin or if you are noticing hair loss, it’s a good idea to rethink your go-to hair products. Some shampoos seem like an appropriate choice, but can actually contain harsh or irritating ingredients that could harm the health of your hair–and even lead to hair loss.
However, it can be hard to figure out which shampoos to avoid and what ingredients can do our hair harm. With that in mind, SheFinds consulted Shab Reslan, a NYC-based trained trichologist, award-winning hairstylist, and an expert on healthy hair growth and scalp wellness.
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Reslan, who works with HairClub as their artistic educator and master stylist, explained, "Although there is a conscious effort to avoid commonly known toxic ingredients in hair care, it’s equally important to be aware of natural ingredients that can irritate your scalp or worse, cause thinning."
Despite these good intentions, there are still some harsh ingredients in many popular shampoo brands that could be causing damage.
In particular, it's smart to avoid sulfates in all hair products, as they might be harming the overall healthy of your hair.
Reslan explains, "Harsh cleansers such as Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate can irritate the scalp and affect hair growth over time. The irritation can cause inflammation at the root of your hair and make it difficult for healthy hair to grow out."
She continues, "It’s the same reason you want to keep your scalp clear of build-up. Continued blockage at the root will show weakened or thinning hair over-time."
With these warnings about Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate in mind, you might be tempted to switch to plant-based hair products. However, according to Reslan, even plant-based products can contain harmful ingredients.
She tells SheFinds, "Many plant-based hair product brands contain high concentrations of botanical oils --these are intrinsically irritating ingredients and if combined with alcohol, the penetration is enhanced on the scalp, which may increase irritation in sensitive individuals."
"If you’re already thinning, it’s best to avoid these ingredients," she explains.
For a healthy head of hair, it's crucial to make sure the products you are using won't irritate your scalp or cause inflammation.
Likewise, it's important to keep ingredients at the forefront of your mind when picking out hair products--especially if your hair is damaged or thinning.
