Are Sulfate-free Shampoos Really Better for Your Hair?

If you are like anyone else, you love to wash your hair at least every other day of not daily. As you lather up you can help but love the feeling of all those bubbles but did you know that the very ingredients that give you that amazing lather may also be the most damaging to your hair?

Most mainstream shampoos contain sulfates which is great for making lots of lather but not so great for your personal health, your hairs health and even the environments health. So why are the mainstream companies still using sulfates in their brands of shampoos? For the most part it is because sulfates are cheap to make and create lots of lather. Being that we are all have become accustom to the idea that lots of bubbles means really clean hair they keep making cheap shampoos.

Just what are sulfates and why are they an issue? You will find the in the shampoo’s ingredient listed as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which are in fact really a harsh chemical surfactants that are found in lots of other products including toothpaste. They are known to cause eye and skin irritation plus when you use shampoo that contains these ingredients they can be absorbed through the skin.

Did you know that sulfates are really far from being gentle and can be causing damage on the very thing you are trying to pamper? Yes your hair! Sulfates are very drying and can damage hair follicles which could lead to hair loss. All because we really enjoy our amazing lather while washing our hair. It can also strip the hair and scalp of essential oils causing that drying effect. Worse if you are spending lots of money to color your hair, it causes the color to fade quicker so you have to get your hair colored more often.

If you want to change your brand of shampoo and start looking into more natural and or organic shampoos but don’t know what to look for?

Here are a few tips on what to look for while reading the shampoo bottle label. Look for ingredients such as gylcerine and glucosides that come naturally from corn and sugar. Usually found on the label as decyl glucodisde or coco-glucoside. These ingredients won’t give you that lots of lather you maybe accustom to but try it for a few weeks and your hair will become healthier, shinier, silkier and softer. Now isn’t that a great trade off?

One finally thought, sulfate-free shampoos are going to cost a bit more than your mainstream shampoos do because of their ingredients. So don’t be surprised at that, but you will in fact use less to cleanse your hair and your hair will be better over all. Isn’t that worth a extra few dollars at the counter? Your hair will love you for it!

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional hairstylist advice.

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Hair Loss Scalp Disorder: Seborrheic Dermatitis

There can be several disorders or diseases that result in hair loss. Hair loss is an indication that there can be a problem that is happening inside your body. One disorder that is related to the changes on the scalp is known as seborrheic dermatitis. This is a common inherited disorder and should be treated continuously and as soon as possible.

Seborrheic dermatitis is also often known as dandruff, eczema or cradle cap. When you have seborrheic dermatitis, you experience a change in the skin texture on your scalp. This will include either greasy or oily areas over the scalp or white flakes that are coming from your scalp. You are also likely to experience itching and redness in the scalp area, and also hair loss.

If you notice any of the above mentioned symptoms, then you may be having seborrheic dermatitis. For treatment, you can use a medicated shampoo for direct application on your scalp. Depending on the shampoo, it will contain a variety of ingredients that will help.

If the medicated shampoo fails to arrest your hair loss and scalp disorder, you can get a prescribed medication from a health care provider in order to get rid of seborrheic dermatitis. These shampoos will contain medications such as salicylic acid, coal tar, zinc, resorcin and selenium. The prescribed medications will have stronger amounts of these ingredients in them, as well as added ketoconazole and corticosteroids. You can also massage your head in order to get the balance in the scalp back to a normal condition. This is especially effective with children who are dealing with seborrheic dermatitis.

While seborrheic dermatitis can easily be treated with the right shampoos and care for the hair, it cannot easily be prevented. Once you have the symptoms, it will be likely that you may get them again. You will need to continue to use the shampoos that have the medication in them and take the necessary measures in order to prevent the problem from coming back.

In addition, make sure that you have an adequate supply of essential vitamins and supplements. As always, a healthy diet helps. Adopt good hair care tips to prevent more hair loss.

If you are having a difficult time from preventing this problem, then you can consult a health care provider about possible treatments. Having an understanding seborrheic dermatitis and knowing how to treat the problem will help you in maintaining a healthy scalp and hair.