When it comes to keeping your hair healthy and strong, the shampoo you choose matters more than you think. While many bottles promise volume, shine, and strength, some formulas can actually do the opposite—drying out your scalp, stripping natural oils, and even leading to excess shedding. Dermatologists warn that certain shampoos on the market contain harsh ingredients that can quietly sabotage your hair health over time. To help you avoid the worst offenders, experts are calling out three ingredients you’ll want to think twice about before lathering up.
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1. Silicones
Silicones, commonly found in shampoos, are often portrayed as beneficial due to their ability to enhance shine and gloss.
However, Dr. Enrizza P. Factor, writer at My Eczema Team, stresses, their detrimental impact on scalp health should not be ignored, as they can stifle its ability to receive necessary nourishment. "Silicones in shampoo can cause hair loss by coating the scalp so that nutrients cannot be absorbed," she warns.
2. Sodium Chloride
According to Dr. Yoram Harth, MD, medical director of MDhair, sodium chloride, a frequent component of mass-produced shampoos, is not recommended for women who are experiencing hair loss or thinning.
Commonly used to thicken shampoos and conditioners, it can "dry the scalp, causing redness and itching," Harth notes, and this scalp irritation can "damage hair follicles and cause more hair loss."
3. Sulfates
Having already thin, fine, and delicate hair and adding harsh sulfate-based products can exacerbate or worsen hair loss, Lauren Udoh, hairstylist and Hair Creative Director of WigReports, explains. “This harsh detergent, sodium lauryl sulfate [SLS], is a common ingredient in shampoos and conditioners and is known to strip away natural oils, leaving hair feeling dry, brittle, and damaged,” she says. This ingredient in conditioners can “also cause scalp irritation and hair loss.”
Jean Will, co-founder of NiaWigs Inc., agrees and adds that sulfates “are one of the most detrimental” ingredients that may be found in popular conditioners. “Surfactants such as sulfates are used to remove debris and excess oil from the scalp,” she reiterates. “They can make your hair frizzy and trigger an allergic response in your scalp. Furthermore, when used for lengthy periods of time, they can cause hormone disruption,” she adds.
