Does Head and Shoulders cause hair loss?
Does it work on the dandruff problem?
Is Head and Shoulders bad for your hair or is it good for your hair?
This query popped into my inbox last night and I found it intriguing. I thought let’s discuss it here. After all, a lot of you appreciated my article on Is Garnier Fructis good for your hair? and I thought let’s turn it into a series.
Is Head and Shoulders good or bad for your hair? Let’s discuss 🙂
Is Head and Shoulders Good For Your Hair?
The simple answer is Yes and No.
And no I am not drunk but bear with me for a moment and I will explain why?
Head and Shoulders is probably the first name that strikes most of our minds when we think about dealing with dandruff. After all Head and Shoulders has designed its products targeting the consumers in dandruff niche.
Head and Shoulders products contain pyrithione zinc and selenium sulfide as its main ingredients.
Pyrithione zinc: This ingredient has anti-fungal properties and it helps keep those flakes away. It does help minimize dandruff. You can read more about its effect on dandruff in this scientific study.
Selenium sulfide: It is another ingredient that helps combat fungal growth on the skin. It has been found effective on dandruff. You can read more about its effect on dandruff in this scientific study.
Since Head and Shoulders shampoo is an effective anti-dandruff treatment, it helps in improving your overall scalp health.
People with dandruff often complain about severe hair loss. This is because if you have dandruff, it makes your hair grow weaker from its root. Plus with constant scratching, your hair follicles get damaged. Which in turn makes you susceptible to hair breakage.
Thus, using these shampoos is definitely gonna help you.
Also Read: How I Got Rid Of My Dandruff Naturally In A Month: Hair Care Routine & Tips!
Is Head And Shoulders Bad For Your Hair?
Apart from pyrithione zinc and selenium sulfide, most Head and Shoulders shampoos are formulated with SLS and SLES. These two are very strong surfactants that strip off all the natural oils from your scalp which are necessary for hair’s overall health.
If you have been following my blog, you might already know that I always recommend opting for SLS-free shampoos and I strongly urge you to avoid hair products with harmful chemicals.
Since Head and Shoulders shampoo contains both strong harsh surfactants together, it results in your scalp getting over cleaned again and again every time you wash your hair. These shampoos do remove those flakes successfully but it also remove the natural oil which your hair needs to grow.
Another ingredient in these shampoos is Methylisothiazolinone.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties which do help combat fungal infections, seborrhoeic dermatitis, psoriasis, and other scalp infections. But at the same time, methylisothiazolinone when used for a longer duration of time, can cause never damage.
Does Head And Shoulders Cause Hair Loss?
Head and Shoulders doesn’t contribute to direct hair loss.
But It does contain a lot of harsh chemicals that may strip off the mandatory natural oils leaving your hair susceptible to breakage. Plus if you use them for a longer duration, your scalp goes into cleaning overdrive which will eventually lead to the production of more oil which in turn would leave you with more oil production to deal with.
This in turn can cause hair loss.
While researching for this particular article, I came across a lot of hair loss forums where people were complaining about how head and shoulders gave them hair loss.
I believe, if you are sensitive to any of the ingredients of these shampoos, then you might notice severe hair loss. Otherwise using this shampoo occasionally as an antidandruff treatment won’t leave you with severe hair fall problems to deal with.
Also Read: 21 Causes Of Hair Loss And Solutions To Tackle It Immediately
Is Head and Shoulders Cruelty-free and Vegan?
No, Head and shoulders is not cruelty-free. They do sell their products in China where animal testing is mandatory. So it is not a cruelty-free brand.
Some Head and Shoulders products contain animal derivatives and thus they aren’t completely vegan brand. However, they might have some products that might be completely vegan.
Conclusion: Does Head And Shoulders Cause Hair Loss?
Is Head And Shoulders Bad For Your Hair Or Is It Good?
These shampoos are an effective way to treat dandruff. They do work well on fighting fungal infections and combating flakes too. It also works well as a good clarifying shampoo to remove the color from your hair.
But long term use of their products might hamper your hair health and leave them dry. You might also face severe hair loss problems.
I will leave you with this, that Head and Shoulders shampoo is good if you use it occasionally as a dandruff treatment and not for daily use. Rest I laid out as many points as I thought might help you decide whether Head and Shoulders is bad or good for your hair and does it cause hair fall?
If you want me to continue this series then do let me know which brands do you want me to write about next.
Have a lovely day.