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View Full Version : Can a shampoo cause shedding after one use?



nytquill
December 10th, 2010, 07:01 AM
Just to experiment today I tried out Herbal Essences Drama Clean. Normally I use Live Clean shampoo which is sulfate-free but has a lot of botanical extracts. I'm using the "hair care of the stars" method, mixing coconut oil into my shampoo and I thought I'd see what kind of results I get with a more "straightforward" shampoo.

It seemed like I shed a lot more hair in the shower than usual. Now I know shedding comes and goes and I know lots of things can cause it, and I know it's a pretty subjective thing. I have been adding to my supplement routine for example. But I always brush my hair before getting in the shower and the shed hair in the brush seemed in line with what I'm used to seeing these days. But then once I got to washing my hair there seemed to be a lot more of it than usual.

When I first came to LHC it was because I was having some kind of reaction to Pantene and I wanted to learn about going sulfate-free. I never did work out if I was allergic to something or if it was simply the drying effect of a strong cleanser (I know now that my skin dries out very easily from washing).

So I'm just wondering if it's possible for a shampoo to cause shedding after just one use? So far no itchies at least. Also I wasn't really keen on how my hair felt in the shower; I dunno if it's just because I'm not used to that "squeaky clean" feeling anymore...or the bottle lists "corn silk extract" as an ingredient, which sounds like a protein to me. My hair doesn't hate protein but doesn't love it either. More of a moisture fiend.

I feel a little unscientific ditching a shampoo after just one use, but I just wasn't wowed by it. Maybe keep it around for clarifying?

Thoughts?

ETA: hair is still wet and towel-wrapped so I have no idea of the actual results of the shampoo yet.

ktani
December 10th, 2010, 07:15 AM
Just to experiment today I tried out Herbal Essences Drama Clean. Normally I use Live Clean shampoo which is sulfate-free but has a lot of botanical extracts. I'm using the "hair care of the stars" method, mixing coconut oil into my shampoo and I thought I'd see what kind of results I get with a more "straightforward" shampoo.

It seemed like I shed a lot more hair in the shower than usual. Now I know shedding comes and goes and I know lots of things can cause it, and I know it's a pretty subjective thing. I have been adding to my supplement routine for example. But I always brush my hair before getting in the shower and the shed hair in the brush seemed in line with what I'm used to seeing these days. But then once I got to washing my hair there seemed to be a lot more of it than usual.

When I first came to LHC it was because I was having some kind of reaction to Pantene and I wanted to learn about going sulfate-free. I never did work out if I was allergic to something or if it was simply the drying effect of a strong cleanser (I know now that my skin dries out very easily from washing).

So I'm just wondering if it's possible for a shampoo to cause shedding after just one use? So far no itchies at least. Also I wasn't really keen on how my hair felt in the shower; I dunno if it's just because I'm not used to that "squeaky clean" feeling anymore...or the bottle lists "corn silk extract" as an ingredient, which sounds like a protein to me. My hair doesn't hate protein but doesn't love it either. More of a moisture fiend.

I feel a little unscientific ditching a shampoo after just one use, but I just wasn't wowed by it. Maybe keep it around for clarifying?

Thoughts?

ETA: hair is still wet and towel-wrapped so I have no idea of the actual results of the shampoo yet.

I highly doubt it. Perhaps you shed more this time because the shampoo helped release more hair that was due to shed because it cleansed away more oils. Cause hair to shed that was not ready to? No, I do not believe that.

Here you go.
From P&G (Proctor & Gamble), http://www.pgbeautygroomingscience.com/hair-loss.html
"Shampoos and hair loss
The fact is that shampoos do not cause hair to fall. Nor do they have any effect on the daily rate of loss, or on the rate of hair growth. Not surprisingly, more hair is shed on days when the hair is shampooed than on other days because of the simple mechanical action of washing the hair. Scientists studying different kinds of shampoos (including '2-in-1' products) could find no differences between their effects on hair loss."

This is of interest too, http://www.dermadoctor.com/pages/newsletter198.asp.
"Nizoral A-D Shampoo has met the FDA's standards as a dandruff treatment, but you will not see the shampoo advertised by its makers as a hair loss remedy. It would be illegal for them to do so, because that has not been proven."

nytquill
December 10th, 2010, 07:44 AM
I didn't figure. It was just odd, my hair felt weird to me while wet and then there was more shedding. I shampooed with Pantene for years, during which time my hair thinned (probably not related or only indirectly related) and it caused my scalp to itch terribly. It took me years to catch on that a) this wasn't normal and b) it might be caused by my shampoo. What I mean by indirectly is that I suppose it's possible my scalp being continually irritated would have affected my hair but more likely it was just a hormonal or nutritional thing.

So trying out an undiluted sulphate shampoo again and noticing suddenly more shedding kind of made me paranoid. But the idea of it releasing more already-shed hair that might have been held in by oils makes sense. Also possible with the increased cleanness of the hair that the strands became more grabby, less slippery, and more likely to come out/break off from handling?

I think I'll give it a fair shot and go ahead and finish the bottle I mixed up before deciding how I feel about it. Like I said it might be too strong for regular use and I'll just use it for clarifying from the sulfate-free stuff. Or I might try diluting it first.

ktani
December 10th, 2010, 07:52 AM
I didn't figure. It was just odd, my hair felt weird to me while wet and then there was more shedding. I shampooed with Pantene for years, during which time my hair thinned (probably not related or only indirectly related) and it caused my scalp to itch terribly. It took me years to catch on that a) this wasn't normal and b) it might be caused by my shampoo. What I mean by indirectly is that I suppose it's possible my scalp being continually irritated would have affected my hair but more likely it was just a hormonal or nutritional thing.

So trying out an undiluted sulphate shampoo again and noticing suddenly more shedding kind of made me paranoid. But the idea of it releasing more already-shed hair that might have been held in by oils makes sense. Also possible with the increased cleanness of the hair that the strands became more grabby, less slippery, and more likely to come out/break off from handling?

I think I'll give it a fair shot and go ahead and finish the bottle I mixed up before deciding how I feel about it. Like I said it might be too strong for regular use and I'll just use it for clarifying from the sulfate-free stuff. Or I might try diluting it first.

It depends on what you are using it for exactly. There are two Drama Clean Shampoos. Degunkify is the clarifier. Refreshing is a deep cleansing shampoo.

If you add some coconut oil to either (I do not know which one you have but this applies to both), you may be able to completely offset the squeeky hair feeling that can lead to hair being more "grabby" and if you have no scalp issues with it, it can help soothe it.

To clarify? No added coconut oil. For regular use? Why not?

ETA: As P&G pointed out (and I have read the same thing elsewhere), people shed more during shampooing from the simple mechanical action of massaging the scalp, that releases hair ready to shed only. When people here have reported reduced shedding from using a shampoo with coconut oil added to it, or from applying a herbal cleansing solution left on the hair and not massaged, hair due to shed is not released as easily, although it will shed because it is time for it to do so, on its own, at some point.

nytquill
December 10th, 2010, 08:59 AM
That makes sense. The science of all this is just fascinating to me, honestly :)

So...hair is mostly dry now. Looks decent enough to go out in public with but I'm not thrilled. Seems kind of stringy/lanky in the length. Like I'm starting to be able to see the outline of the back of my head again where normally it just falls away.

So I'm thinking I probably need to clarify - and is there a difference between a clarifyer and just a strong, clear SLS shampoo? I know it depends on what you have to get off your hair. But I don't have hard water or mineral issues that I know of so I'm just talking about whatever buildup has come from my regular sls-free shampoo. Maybe some of the waxy type chemicals?

I also need to tweak my shower routine some more I'm sure. Sometimes it's so frustrating! I've been tweaking and experimenting for over a year and still haven't settled into a routine the way I was with S&C. But I guess that's why S&C is popular, it's simple and straightforward. It's just too drying for me.

JuneBride
December 10th, 2010, 09:05 AM
I think shampoo in general causes more shedding. I simply have less shedding when I CO wash and more shedding when I shampoo. No matter what brands I use.

ktani
December 10th, 2010, 09:09 AM
That makes sense. The science of all this is just fascinating to me, honestly :)

So...hair is mostly dry now. Looks decent enough to go out in public with but I'm not thrilled. Seems kind of stringy/lanky in the length. Like I'm starting to be able to see the outline of the back of my head again where normally it just falls away.

So I'm thinking I probably need to clarify - and is there a difference between a clarifyer and just a strong, clear SLS shampoo? I know it depends on what you have to get off your hair. But I don't have hard water or mineral issues that I know of so I'm just talking about whatever buildup has come from my regular sls-free shampoo. Maybe some of the waxy type chemicals?

I also need to tweak my shower routine some more I'm sure. Sometimes it's so frustrating! I've been tweaking and experimenting for over a year and still haven't settled into a routine the way I was with S&C. But I guess that's why S&C is popular, it's simple and straightforward. It's just too drying for me.

The difference is this: a deep cleansing shampoo or one for normal hair usually has less additives and can remove some build-up, over time primarily, while a clarifyer is designed to remove build-up faster and can in one use.

However, some clarifying shampoos can contain coating ingredients of their own, and depending on how much of what is on the hair, cannot remove all build-up in one or even 2 shampooings.

Adding coconut oil to the right shampoo (one with no to minimal coatings) has been reported to solve the "I hate shampooing because it dries my hair out." problem and more. People who were devoted conditioner only washers for a long time have been converted to washing their hair with a shampoo with added coconut oil. One example, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1369059&postcount=790.

bumblebums
December 11th, 2010, 09:53 AM
I shed more when I used shampoo. I haven't touched shampoo in over a year, and my hair is thicker and healthier now. Plenty of people use shampoo and love it, but it isn't for my hair.

ktani
December 11th, 2010, 10:01 AM
There is no scientific basis for hair loss being caused by shampoo. Extra shedding while shampooing? Yes. Only hair ready to shed though. Not hair being caused to shed ahead of its time because of any shampoo used.

There is plenty of marketing to say that shampoo causes hair loss. And that is all it is, hype, to sell alternate products.

HannahDelicious
December 11th, 2010, 11:23 AM
There is no scientific basis for hair loss being caused by shampoo. Extra shedding while shampooing? Yes. Only hair ready to shed though. Not hair being caused to shed ahead of its time because of any shampoo used.

There is plenty of marketing to say that shampoo causes hair loss. And that is all it is, hype, to sell alternate products.

Actually, I think shampoo can cause hair loss, but only i

HannahDelicious
December 11th, 2010, 11:25 AM
Actually, I think shampoo can cause hair loss, but only i

Oopsy, my computer hijacked my post! Anyways, I was going to finish that if you are allergic to a certain shampoo, it possibly can cause temporary hair loss (because of the reaction).

ktani
December 11th, 2010, 11:29 AM
Oopsy, my computer hijacked my post! Anyways, I was going to finish that if you are allergic to a certain shampoo, it possibly can cause temporary hair loss (because of the reaction).

Possibly. I doubt it though. The statement was general and I have not heard of allergic reactions to a shampoo including hair loss. If you can find something to back that up from a reputable source, it would be great!

ETA: Welcome to LHC!

HannahDelicious
December 11th, 2010, 11:38 AM
Possibly. I doubt it though. The statement was general and I have not heard of allergic reactions to a shampoo including hair loss. If you can find something to back that up from a reputable source, it would be great!

Well, in this case, me. It's actually why I joined the forum! I was really scared because my hair had been falling out because of a crazy thing going on on my scalp. It was a rather long process, so I did not realize that it was possibly the shampoo that I had used.

So I stupidly tried the shampoo again figuring that it was not a problem and the reaction almost started all over again, but I have used medication this time, so it is starting to calm down before anything bad happens.

I am not saying so much that the hair loss is a reaction, but rather, if the allergic reaction is severe enough, it can take some hairs with it. I still have some bald spots, but they are tiny and are definitely growing back. I did not mean to cause a scare, or any controversy, so sorry if I did. Maybe it's something that only happens to me and my weird head. :D

ktani
December 11th, 2010, 11:44 AM
Well, in this case, me. It's actually why I joined the forum! I was really scared because my hair had been falling out because of a crazy thing going on on my scalp. It was a rather long process, so I did not realize that it was possibly the shampoo that I had used.

So I stupidly tried the shampoo again figuring that it was not a problem and the reaction almost started all over again, but I have used medication this time, so it is starting to calm down before anything bad happens.

I am not saying so much that the hair loss is a reaction, but rather, if the allergic reaction is severe enough, it can take some hairs with it. I still have some bald spots, but they are tiny and are definitely growing back. I did not mean to cause a scare, or any controversy, so sorry if I did. Maybe it's something that only happens to me and my weird head. :D

Absolutely no apologies are necessary. This was your experience. If you are on medication, or were, there is an underlying cause or you had a severe reaction to an ingredient in that product. I am so sorry that this happened to you.

There are shampoos on the market that are not formulated properly, containing ingredients that are known sensitizers and allergens.

That is about cosmetic companies not doing their jobs properly. It does not condemn an entire category of product.

It can also happen with using a natural product that is not a shampoo.

HannahDelicious
December 11th, 2010, 11:51 AM
Absolutely no apologies are necessary. This was your experience. If you are on medication, or were, there is an underlying cause or you had a severe reaction to an ingredient in that product. I am so sorry that this happened to you.

There are shampoos on the market that are not formulated properly, containing ingredients that are known sensitizers and allergens.

That is about cosmetic companies not doing their jobs properly. It does not condemn an entire category of product.

It can also happen with using a natural product that is not a shampoo.

In my case, that sounds about right. The shampoo I tried was somewhat obscure, although not enough to set off any alarms at the time. After I had tossed the thing out, I decided to stick with the stuff I could more easily find in stores.

I am just glad I am over the worst of it. :)

ktani
December 11th, 2010, 11:57 AM
In my case, that sounds about right. The shampoo I tried was somewhat obscure, although not enough to set off any alarms at the time. After I had tossed the thing out, I decided to stick with the stuff I could more easily find in stores.

I am just glad I am over the worst of it. :)

I am very pleased to hear that you have recovered!

That company should possibly be held accountable, depending on the exact cause of the problem. At the very least, you can report them to the proper regulating authorities, if you know the cause of what happened.