Can Shampoo Cause Hair Loss: Hair Experts Reveal Myths and Tips

A shower seems relaxing until you find chunks of your precious hair falling from your scalp. While it is absolutely normal that you shed some hair when you shampoo, the red flags arise when your hair loss is severe. So, why does it happen? Is your shampoo causing hair loss? Will replacing your shampoo stop hair fall? Probably not. Because it is not the shampoo brand, but the ingredients in that particular formulation 3, that could be the root cause behind your excessive hair loss. Another point to notice here is how frequently you shampoo your hair and the quantity of shampoo you use.

So, here in this article, we will shed light on the ingredients in shampoo that may cause hair loss, a-k-a harmful ingredients you should avoid, some of the most common myths about shampooing, how often you should shampoo, and tips to reduce hair fall while shampooing. Read on!

Does Frequent Shampooing Cause Hair Loss?

No - frequent shampooing does not cause hair loss or lead to hair fall. Interestingly, it is actually (natural) common to lose about 100 hair strands every day. So, when you shampoo, it merely dislodges your detached hairs from the follicle’s base. On the contrary, when you do not shampoo, most of these detached hair strands simply remain sitting loosely on your head, waiting to fall out until you wash or comb. In simple words, the less frequently you shampoo, the more hair you will lose.

As a matter of fact, frequent shampooing promotes healthy hair by stimulating the scalp and creating optimum conditions for healthy hair growth.

Shampoo Ingredients That Make Your Hair Fall Out and Should Be Avoided

As per anecdotal reports, multiple ingredients in shampoos 1 (like sulfates, mineral oil or petroleum, alcohol percentage, and preservatives) might weigh your hair down and contribute to excessive hair loss.

Below is a list of 7 shampoo ingredients you should avoid 2 to lessen your hair fall -

1. Sulfates

Sulfates, such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, are common ingredients added to shampoos worldwide. These sulfates are powerful detergents with great foaming and cleansing properties. However, on the downside, these sulfates may make your hair dry, frizzy, limp, and tangled, causing damage and hair loss. Furthermore, sulfates even strip off natural oils from your hair, preventing healthy hair growth.

2. Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride (salt) is added to shampoos as a thickening agent. While an optimum amount of Sodium chloride is fine for your scalp and hair strands (especially when you have an oily scalp), high concentrations may lead to an itchy scalp, dryness, and excessive hair loss.

3. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde, a preservative, is added to shampoos to increase the product's shelf life and keep them shelf-stable. An optimum amount of this preservative in any cosmetic product is supposedly safe. However, a high concentration of Formaldehyde may cause hair damage, allergies, hair loss, and scalp rashes.

Furthermore, shampoos tend to contain numerous formaldehyde donors, i.e., chemical compounds. So, when you shampoo frequently, these donors slowly release this preservative into the air, causing irritation and allergies in your eyes, lungs, nose, and scalp.

While no clinical research has proved that Formaldehyde alone is the reason behind hair loss and damage, it alongside other chemicals 4, becomes one of the ingredients to cause hair fall.

4. Alcohol

Alcohols (like Cetearyl, Stearyl, and Cetyl) are added to many shampoos worldwide. These alcohols, when combined with sulfates, dry out your scalp and hair by stripping off your natural oils. This, in turn, again causes excessive hair fall.

5. Propylene Glycol and Propylparaben

Propylene Glycol and Propylparaben are added to shampoos as a humectant that helps the nutrients to penetrate through your scalp. However, a high concentration of humectant may irritate your scalp, resulting in hair loss. Also, it may disturb your hormonal balance leading to reduced hair growth.

6. Fragrances

Artificial fragrances and colors should always be avoided, especially if you have sensitive skin and hair. While they do leave a pleasant smell after shampooing, they cause severe scalp irritation and hair fall.

7. Phthalates

Phthalates are added to shampoos and cosmetics as perfume fixatives or solvents. The impacts of Phthalates are similar to that of artificial fragrances. Even these solvents may negatively affect your scalp and hair health by interfering with your hormonal systems, causing excessive hair loss. Moreover, these are also malicious to the atmosphere.