Are you experiencing thinning hair, an itchy scalp, or hair loss? One of the reasons could be the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) in your shampoo. The solution is to switch to a sulfate free shampoo. Organic shampoos do not contain SLS and are a good alternative to shampoos that contain SLS. Before you ditch your shampoo and rush to the store to buy Organic shampoos, let’s take a look at what SLS is and why it can be harmful to your hair and scalp.

SLS is a chemical that is common in household cleaning products, including shampoos. You can also find SLS in degreasers because it is great at stripping away oil. Car shampoo has SLS in it as well.

SLS also creates a lot of lather and bubbles that give you this feeling of clean hair. Regular shampoo with SLS is good at cleaning the dirt and oil from your hair. Unfortunately, your hair contains essential oils that it needs in order to maintain its shine and luster. SLS strips that away too. Without these oils, your hair becomes dry and brittle. This leads to greater hair loss.

SLS irritates your hair and scalp. SLS is a known skin irritant and there are studies on the harmful effects it has to your health. It can cause rashes and other skin problems as well. The burning feeling you get in your eyes because of shampoo – that is SLS at work.

Manufacturers claim that the small amount of SLS is harmless to the human body, but SLS build up in the scalp over time causes damage to hair follicles. SLS is harmful to the eyes as well. It can damage the cornea with prolonged exposure. If you get shampoo in your eyes, wash it away immediately. It is better not to use regular shampoo on children as well because there are studies that have shown that SLS can prevent their eyes from developing properly.

Another thing that SLS is good at is it strips away color. It’s great if you need to take out unwanted color on something, but not very appealing to people who spend money to color their hair. If you are spending money for hair color, then you will likely be spending money on a shampoo that removes it.

A common misconception among consumers is that the more lather and bubbles your shampoo creates, the better your hair is cleaned. This is far from the truth. Bubbles are just bubbles and do not clean your hair nor your scalp. What’s worse is that these bubbles cause more harm than good.

You are probably thinking why SLS was used in shampoo if it can do so much harm. The reason is simple. SLS is cheap and because it creates so many bubbles, it looks good on TV commercials. The models with mountains of bubbles in their hair, don’t they look so clean? It is really just a marketing ploy to sell their products. Over time, these foamy bubbles rather became the trademarks of a good shampoo. It is about time that this misconception is corrected.

Now you know that shampoos with SLS can harm your hair, you want to go out and buy a sulfate free shampoo. Before you do, here are some things that you should know first.

Sulfate free shampoos are more expensive than the regular shampoo – so much for cutting down on your spending. Actually, sulfate free shampoos can clean your hair better. You will not need to use much shampoo on your hair every time you clean it. Sulfate free shampoos may be a bit more expensive, but they are more economical and will prevent you from getting hair and scalp problems.

Sulfate free shampoos create less lather and bubbles. You might get a bit disappointed with this if you have gotten used to seeing bubbles in your hair. It just takes a little getting used to. Just think of it as less bubbles means less harm to your hair and scalp.

Sulfate free shampoo cleanses your hair thoroughly and gently. Your hair will not dry out. Regular shampoos with SLS leave your hair dry, which is why you are encouraged to use conditioners. Unfortunately, the more chemicals you use on your hair, the higher your chances are of getting hair and scalp problems. Ironically, the same products that make your hair look shiny and beautiful are the products that can cause you to lose your hair as well.

Many consumers who have switched to sulfate free shampoos wish that they had done it sooner. Many of them noticed better hair volume and hair control. People who need to color their hair noticed that the color remains much longer.

If you start to notice problems with your hair and scalp, it is not too late to switch to a sulfate free shampoo. Organic shampoos may cost a bit more than your regular shampoo but they will save you money in the long term. Hair and scalp problems cost money to fix and you will be saving yourself from all the trouble simply by switching to a sulfate free shampoo today.

Next time you have your hair done at a salon, check to see if they use sulfate free shampoo. More and more salons are starting to be aware of the harmful effects of SLS in shampoo. Many have switched to sulfate free shampoo and some have started to promote it as a safe, effective, and powerful hair care product that can ultimately solve hair and scalp problems.

Find more information about sodium lauryl sulfate and it’s uses here.