By Dr. Linda Amerson

Since 1998, many consumers may have received emails and been misinformed about the “Sodium Lauryl, Laureth, & Laurate Sulfates” lathering ingredients, which are commonly used in shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble bath, and toothpaste. According to the Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, the sulfates are a detergent, wetting agent and emulsifier. It is nontoxic to the skin, scalp, and mouth, when rinsed off the skin, scalp, and out of the oral cavity. In addition, it has a degreasing ability. This degreasing lathering agent is required to remove heavy buildup of scalp oils, scalp odor, scalp treatments, and most importantly to assist with thorough scalp, skin and oral cleansing. In fact, many consumers eat many foods that they should not, particularly greasy and junk foods. These foods need to be brushed from the oral cavity with this lathering, degreasing ingredient for optimum cleansing of your teeth and gums.

Everyone’s definition of scalp, hair and body hygiene is not the same. In some cases, environmental factors contribute to a person having limited access to personal hygiene matters. On the other hand, there are people who are lazy and negligent in their hygiene when it is easily obtainable.

I have many consumers who have come to my clinic for a consultation that inform me they use sulfate free shampoos and conditioners. I ask them what they know about the sulfate (SLS) ingredient. They would inform me that they “heard” from someone that the sulfates were harmful, however, had not done research for themselves about SLS. I would then show them how clean their scalp and hair was under my Tricholoscope. In all cases, when I showed a consumer their scalp, they said, “OMG! I had no idea my scalp and hair was not getting thoroughly cleansed.”

Many maintenance products are used on the hair and scalp: leave in conditioners, setting lotions, mousse, gels, beeswax, pomades, scalp oils, moisturizers, and other concoctions. My Therapeutic Essentials line of products is a very effective line for thorough scalp, hair, and body cleansing and it addresses common scalp conditions while strengthening the hair. Hair restoration has been visible in many clients.

Lastly, three different agencies, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all rated SLS and SLES as being nontoxic and non-carcinogenic.

It has been theorized that perhaps someone in the natural products business deliberately created this message as a way to increase their product sales. Something to think about?

Dr. Linda Amerson

(817) 265-8854

www.hairandscalpessentials.com