Consider What Goes On Your Hair May Enter Your Bloodstream...
Shampoos are a classic example of potentially toxic cocktails we seem to be oblivious to. Below is an example of ingredients used by a well-known manufacturer of personal care products who distributes their products worldwide. It is a typical example of the type of ingredients you would find by looking at the ingredients of shampoos on sale in your local shopping centre or at your hairdresser.
The ingredients below are from a 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner. Where possible I provided some comment after the ingredient that provides some insight into the safety of the particular ingredient for human use.
It must be said, however, that the toxicity of some of the ingredients is related to the consumption of the ingredient and while a shampoo is not consumed as such, chemicals can nevertheless be absorbed through the skin and enter the blood stream, essentially being the same as if you had eaten them.
Example of ingredients found in a 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner
Preservatives
- Diethanolamine - Suspected: Carcinogen (causes cancer), Cardiovascular or Blood toxin, Gastrointestinal or Liver toxin, Kidney toxin, Neurotoxin (toxic to your nervous system), Respiratory toxin, Skin or Sense Organ toxin.
Surfactants
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - no scientific evidence of toxic effects on humans.
- Ammonium Xylenesulfonate - no evidence of toxic effects on humans. Some minor irritation in rabbits to skin and eyes have been reported.
Emulsifiers
- Cetyl Alcohol - this one is find and dandy,
- Cocamide MEA - derived in part from coconut oil, potentially toxic (International Journal of Toxicology; 18 (Suppl. 2). 1999. 9-16).
Conditioning Agents
- Cetyl Alcohol - not a problem (J Am Coll Toxicol Vol:7, 3 (1988) pp 359-413.)
- Dimethicone - please see: DMDM Hydantoin below,
- Glycol Distearate - no scientific evidence of toxic effects on humans,
- Trimethyl Tricaprylate/Tricaprate - Recognized Carcinogen, Suspected: Neuro- and Reproductive toxin,
- Panthenol - Dexpanthenol is the alcohol corresponding to pantothenic acid (the water-soluble vitamin B5)
- Panthenyl Ethyl Ether - May cause contact dermatitis.
Buffering Agent:
- DMDM Hydantoin - contains Formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen (causes cancer). Causes allergic, irritant and contact dermatitis; headaches and chronic fatigue. The vapour is extremely irritating to the eyes, nose and throat (mucous membranes).
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone - causes cosmetic allergies and potential dangerous neuro-toxic effects.
- Methylisothiazolinone - causes cosmetic allergies and potential dangerous neuro-toxic effects.
- Sodium Benzoate - Suspected: Cardio-vascular or Blood toxin, Gastrointestinal or Liver toxin, Kidney toxin, Neurotoxin, Skin or Sense Organ toxin.
Chelator:
- EDTA - known carcinogen (causes cancer)
I think you get the idea.
Chemicals such as these are not what you would want to put on your body, hair or in fact anywhere near you, I’m sure. Problem is that no one warns us of the potential dangers posed by some of these ingredients and so we use them thinking that regulations and government controls would not permit potentially toxic chemicals to be put into products we use everyday...
Do yourself and your health a big favor - choose Natural Hair Care Products and be safe.
