You may find some products labelled “sulfate-free” and suggestions to avoid sulfate-containing products. And you may wonder what sulfates actually are and the benefits and side effects of this commonly used ingredient, especially in hair care products.
Let’s look at this article for information about sulfates and sulfate-free shampoo.
What are sulfates/sulphates?
Sulfates are salts of sulphuric acid, the cleaning agents used to remove oil and dirt from the surface. They are widely used in shampoos due to their lathering effect and cleanliness.
Due to the rich lather, the effects may be visually satisfying, but did you know this can be used in liquid detergents and dishwashing cleaners and can penetrate your skin? Like many detergents, SLS and SLES are irritants. They may cause eye and skin irritations. (1)
What are sulfates used for?
You may aware of the word sulfates in especially hair care industries. But do you know what sulfates do?
Generally, sulfates are found in cleaning products like shampoo, toothpaste, face wash, and detergents.
These are surfactants used to give lather. By decreasing the surface tension of water, they help in the cleaning of oils and dirt.
In 1930, Procter & Gamble made the first sulfate-based shampoo. (2)
The most common types of sulfates used in shampoo are sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, or ammonium laureth sulfate.
Are sulfates bad for your hair?
Excessive use of sulfate-based shampoo is bad for your hair, but these are not as bad as the hype created in the market suggests.
Dr. Joel Schlessinger, LovelySkin’s CEO, and board-certified dermatologist, once said sulfates sometimes cause irritation and drying effects if your skin or scalp is sensitive by nature.
SLS and SLES are common sulfates used in soap-based products, and you can avoid them if you are sensitive to them. And you can replace it with naturally derived or salt-derived surfactants. (3)
Can Sulfates Cause Hair Loss?
Heavy deposition of sulfates on the hair follicles and skin surface may damage the hair follicle but there is no evidence present on the result of hair loss due to the use of sulfates. (4)
Hair loss due to sulfates in shampoo is not supported by science, but oxidative stress and itching due to skin irritation due to their deposition may lead to temporary hair loss and breakage.
Are Sulfates bad for the environment?
Sulfates are made from petrolatum or natural sources such as palm or coconut oil. Production of sulfates from natural sources like palm oil and coconut oil leads to deforestation and habitat loss.
While making sulfates from petrolatum requires fossil fuels, which leads to air pollution, acidification of soil and water, and has adverse effects on ecosystems, (5)
Why Should Sulfates Be Avoided?
Sulfates should be avoided due to various health concerns. Here are some reasons to avoid sulfates, which are recommended by dermatologists, hair stylists, and experts.
Skin sensitiveness
If your skin and scalp are sensitive, using sulfate-based products may cause irritation and dryness.
Color-striping properties
One of the professional hair stylists, Jennifer Korab, once said sulfates may strip and dull the colour of colour-treated hair.
Sulfates make your hair dry and may damage the hair structure.
Sulfates may remove the natural oil from the scalp, which may result in drying and irritation of the scalp, leading to dry and damaged hair.
When should someone avoid sulfates?
Sulfates are an effective surfactant that can easily remove oil and dirt from your scalp and skin. But it may not suit you if you have sensitive skin or a sensitive scalp. There are some side effects of sulfates that are seen in people who have sensitivity to certain chemicals.
If you are sensitive to sulfates there is a possibility of an allergy, and you may notice irritation, itching, redness, and inflammation on your skin.
One of the suggestions given by dermatologists on AAD is to try to avoid buying a product containing sodium lauryl sulfate, as this may irritate your skin if you are suffering from Rosacea, a skin disease.
What products should I use?
Now that you have the information about the uses and adverse effects of sulfates, you know why many formulators add sulfates to their formulations. It’s totally up to you to choose the products for your hair care routine.
If you have sensitive skin or a sensitive scalp, you should avoid sulfates and implement a sulfate-free regimen in your routine, which is my suggestion.
Finding Alternatives for Sulfates
Alternatives to sulfate may be plant extracts that can gently clean your hair. Glycosides, taurates, fatty acid isethionates, glutamates, and amino acid sulfosuccinates may be the better option because they may not destroy your hair.
Why switch to sulfate-free shampoo?
When your hair is dry and dull and you are concerned about your colour stripping away quickly, you should switch to a sulfate-free shampoo.
Before switching over to sulfate-free shampoo, you should know one thing: these may not give as much leather as sulfate-based shampoo, but that does not mean it can hamper the cleaning process. So don’t worry; you can switch to sulfate-free shampoo without a doubt.
Benefits of sulfate-free shampoo
Generally, the sulfate-free shampoo contains naturally derived surfactants and has so many benefits. Here are some benefits of sulfate-free shampoo, including:
Moisture retention and reduced irritation
Due to less lather, it may not remove natural oil from the scalp, which helps in moisture retention, and automatically reduces irritation.
Because irritation and itchiness are mainly caused due to dryness of the scalp may be seen in sulfate-based shampoo.
Prevent frizz and increase hair health
The moisturising properties of sulfate-free shampoo prevent fizziness and make your hair soft and smooth by influencing its health.
Retained hair colour
The sulfate-free shampoo has not much of an effect on the colour of the hair; it is gentle and does not strip away any colour from dyed hair.
How sulfate-free shampoos are actually saving your hair?
Everyone nowadays wants to follow the latest buzz about sulfate-free shampoo. But did you know these shampoos will actually save your strands?
They actually give a good cleaning effect without drying out your strands and make it moisturising and frizz-free. And these may fulfill your dream to get great-looking and -feeling hair.
How to know if your shampoo is sulfate-free?
Some products, as part of their marketing strategy, label their packing material as sulfate-free. If not, you should check the ingredient list on the back of the product.
SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate), and Ammonia Laureth Sulphate (ALS) are the common sulfates that may be used in the product.
How do I switch to sulfate-free shampoo?
If you are worried about the dryness or breakage of your hair or the colour striping quickly of dyed hair, now is the time to change your shampoo. And carefully select your shampoo; sulfate-free shampoo is recommended.
Before switching to any shampoo, try to figure out your main concerns for your hair. Do research on natural products; don’t follow other people’s suggestions because different people have different skin types and hair textures.
Here is a video with information on who should use sulphate-free shampoo from a doctor.
Conclusion
Sulfates may not have health concerns for everyone. However, if your skin or scalp is sensitive, you may get some side effects from it. Try to choose the best shampoo suited to you as per your skin and hair type. Sulfate-free shampoo is the better option. But if are more concerned about your problems consult with a dermatologist for better results.
FAQ’S
Q.Why are sulfates in shampoo?
Ans. The purpose of the sulfates used in shampoo is to create a lather to remove oil and dirt from your hair. These are the surfactants that act as cleaning agents.
Q. Can sulfates cause cancer?
Ans. There are marketing gimmicks about how sulfate can cause cancer. But no such scientific research was found on the cancerous properties of sulfate. And the FDA and American Cancer Society give the go-ahead for the use of sulfate in cosmetics and personal care products.
Q. Should You Avoid Shampoos with Sulfates?
Ans. Generally, sulfates are not as harmful as people say, but you should avoid them if you are experiencing any side effects from them. If you are prone to dryness, fizziness, or any breakage, prevent it for some time to see if your concerns are really due to sulfates or not.
Q. What is Sulfate-Free shampoo?
Ans. Sulfate-free shampoo is a shampoo that does not contain any sulfates.
Q. When do You Need to Use a Sulfate-Free Shampoo?
Ans. People with dyed hair, people with dry or frizzy hair, and people sensitive to sulfates should ditch sulfate-based shampoo and use a gentler, sulfate-free shampoo.
Also Read
- Parabens: Should you avoid parabens in skincare?
- Niacinamide for hair; Is it safe to use niacinamide on hair?
- Sodium benzoate for skin; Is sodium benzoate safe for the skin?
Reference
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate
- https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/sulfates-shampoo
- https://www.lovelyskin.com/blog/p/are-sulfates-really-bad-for-your-hair-and-skin
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651417/
- https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/sulfate-and-health
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