Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate

Does an unknown chemical in many soaps and shampoos cause hair Loss and cancer?! Continue Reading to Find Out!

 

A chemical compound named Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) is found in many products around the house, like soap, shampoo, makeup and facial cleansers. This compound is found in these products because they trap dirt and oil from surfaces like skin and hair and removes them when rinsed with water. ALS is also used in these products to produce foam when the solution is lathered on your hands or head to spread it's cleaning effect¹.

In low amounts ALS is harmless unless left on the skin without rinsing, where it could cause some irritation or stinging in the eyes². If consumed, it will cause vomiting and diarrhea². At high amount of ALS, it may burn, irritate and cause tissue damage on the skin, again if left without rinsing². This could potentially cause hair loss if used improperly over time, thus disrupting hair growth and eventually hair loss. The tissue damage could potentially cause mutations in the skin and potentially cause cancer because usually anything that would damage tissue would potentially lead to cancer due to increased chance of mutations². This would only be seen in high amounts of ALS, and even then, this is only a potential cause of cancer.

If you would like some alternative products that doesn’t use ALS, natural spa factory³ and Attitude⁴ uses products that use glucoside or sodium benzoate variations. Glucoside and sodium benzoate is a less aggressive chemical compound that produces similar effects. Though the effects are similar it won’t produce the same “cleaning” effects as ALS would produce.

Just remember ALS is harmless unless used in high concentrations and not rinsed shortly after use.

References:

¹Surfactants. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry[Online]; Wiley & Sons, Posted 2000. https://doi-org.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/10.1002/14356007.a25_747

²Journal of the American College of Toxicology 1983, 2 (7), 127–181

³What are the alternatives to sodium lauryl sulfate shampoo? https://www.naturalspafactory.com/blog/alternatives-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-shampoo/ (accessed Dec 5, 2018).

⁴ATTITUDE Super Leaves Natural Shampoo & Body Wash 2-in-1 - Scalp Care. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/741537/ATTITUDE_Super_Leaves_Natural_Shampoo_&_Body_Wash_2-in-1_-_Scalp_Care_/ (accessed Dec 5, 2018).