It’s true. Common ingredients found in many popular hair care products have toxic ingredients that can cause various health risks, including blindness, reduced sperm count, suppression of the immune system, and even risks of certain cancers.
When we wash and condition our hair, the pores on our scalp absorb the chemicals that are used to make the products we use. People often do not pay attention to the ingredients that are used to make hair care products, but those very ingredients that we hope will give the desired results may be the same ingredients that one day finds one in the hospital with a cancer diagnosis.
Most shampoos contain a strong chemical that is used as a detergent, an elegant fragrance that only the manufacturer really knows about the chemicals used in its development, synthetic colorants, and many other ingredients that are toxic to the body.
Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) and also commonly known as sodium dodecyl and sodium laureth sulfate (SLFS) is one of those detergent agents used in popular shampoos. However, what manufacturers do not inform people is that this chemical is very toxic to young children and can even cause blindness. Not only that, but the other risks associated with SLS and its derivatives are cataract formation, possible link between SLS and SLFS with cancer, skin irritation, dermatitis, premature hair loss, scalp irritation, eczema, dandruff and other harmful scalp conditions. This is just one chemical component used in making shampoos and the risks are only for that particular chemical. Compile the risks of the other chemicals used in making shampoo and you have a dump of toxic waste that you are dumping on your hair.
Hair conditioners are no better and can possibly be worse as it is common for people to allow a conditioner to sit on the scalp for several minutes before rinsing off. This allows dangerous ingredients in hair products much more time to seep into your system through the pores on your scalp. Just one drop of SLS can stay in your system for five days, giving it plenty of time to move to systemic tissues, such as the brain, liver, and other vital organs.
If you wash and condition your hair daily, your body is never free of this chemical that may be causing you some serious risks, not to mention the risks for an exposed young child. Fragrances used alone in conditioners have some very serious side effects, such as suppressing the immune system, endocrine disruptors, and cancer.
So one may ask, what is the alternative? The first and foremost thing any consumer should do is educate themselves about the possible risks of the ingredients used in the products they buy. This applies to all products, not just hair care products, but it’s a great place to start.
Another solution is to make your own hair care products so you know exactly what the ingredients are. You can wash your hair with an egg shampoo, which is simply a couple of eggs beaten until frothy and massaged into your hair like you would a traditional shampoo, however it leaves a film on your hair. This can be resolved with a vinegar or lemon juice water rinse (ratio of 3 tablespoons of vinegar or juice to 1 cup of water).
A great conditioner is to simply heat up a can of beer and pour it over your hair. Let it sit for about a minute and then rinse with water. There are several other homemade shampoo and conditioner recipes that can be used to achieve beautiful hair without the risks of harmful side effects.
Educate yourself not only about what you put into your body, but also about what you put into your body; it can be just as harmful to your health.