Bathroom
washing chemicals = shampoo?
No one in their right mind would think of washing their
hands with Clorox, right? However, Clorox contains the same chemical many
popular soaps have: Sodium-Lauryl Sulfate.
Sodium-Lauryl-Sulfate, also known as: SLS, Sodium Dodecyl
Sulfate, Dupanol, and etc. is normally used as a surfactant in cleaning
supplies and personal hygiene products (shampoo, hair dye, soaps, and etc.)1.
It can also be used to blend two liquids that originally do not mix well (emulsifier)2, food additives, preparation of blood
cells, and etc.3
BUT why would we wash our body with a
chemical used to wash our bathroom?
•
It is inexpensive4.
People wash their face daily which means the product runs out faster. Would you
want to spend a lot of money every month for something that does not last long?
•
Also, SLS creates
foam. Foam represents better cleaning to many consumers5,6.
•
It is highly
effective in removing grease and oil, which is a common goal with face wash and
shampoo.
Does this
represent what we put on our
hair,
face, and bathrooms?
D, Delafunky (Artist). (2012). shamPOO
[image of painting]. Retrieved from
http://flickr.com
Is it
dangerous?
It is known for7:
•
eye irritation
•
extreme drying of skin and irritation
•
ingestion can lead to vomiting and diarrhea
•
when heated, releases toxic fumes such as Carbon Monoxide
However, many of these health precautions can be avoided.
Studies have revealed that higher concentrations of SLS led to increased
irritation and drying of skin but returned to normal after removal. Also, it
did not show any signs of long-term effects8. SLS is considered safe
if contact is short by rinsing and if contact with skin needs to be longer
(i.e. lotion), concentrations do not exceed 1%9. Also, many products
recommend storage in room temperature and away from light.
Alternatives?
•
Sodium Laureth Sulfate has similar chemical properties but
with less irritation4
•
SLS-free shampoo and natural products. However, be cautious
of ingredients as some products label SLS as “natural”10
Washing hair every other day helps retain natural
oils, therefore, decreasing damage1References
1. U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health.
(2012). Household
products database: sodium lauryl
sulfate.
Retrieved from http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgibin/ household/brands?tbl=chem&id=1073&query=sodium+lauryl+sulfate&searchas=TblChemicals1&prodcat=all
2. emulsion.
(n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 05, 2012, from
Dictionary.com website:
3. National
Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. (2002). Hazardous substances data bank:
~KhdYUZ:2
4. Natural
Health Information Centre. (2009). Sodium lauryl sulfate. Retrieved April 1,
2012, from http://
5. Lehrke,
S. (n.d.) Sodium lauryl sulfate toxicity. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/
6. Fakhry-Smith,
S. S., Din, C. C., Nathoo, S. A., & Gaffar, A. A. (1997). Clearance of
sodium lauryl sulphate
from
the oral cavity. Journal Of Clinical Periodontology, 24(5), 313-317.
doi:10.1111/1600-051X.ep13460817
7. Material
Safety Data Sheet. (2003). Sodium lauryl sulfate. Retrieved April 2, 2012,
from http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~choi/MSDS/Fisher/Sodium%20dodecyl%20sulfate.htm
8. Branco,
N., Lee, I., Hongbo, Z., & Maibach, H. I. (2005). Long-term repetitive
sodium lauryl
sulfate-induced
irritation of the skin: an in vivo study. Contact Dermatitis (01051873), 53
(5), 278-284.
doi:10.1111/j.0105-1873.2005.00703.x
9. Liebert
M. A. (1983). Final report on the safety assessment of sodium lauryl sulfate
and ammonium
lauryl
sulfate. International
Journal of Toxicology, 2, 127-181.
doi:
10.3109/10915818309142005
10. Allen,
J. (2011). What alternative to use rather than sodium laureth sulfate?
Retrieved April 3, 2012
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