Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: Avoid.

April 7, 2006

A lot of people don’t know that an ingredient in most shampoo can be harmful to their health and is known to cause hair loss. The culprit, sodium lauryl sulfate.  This inexpensive detergent is commonly used in cosmetic cleansers, hair shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble baths, etc.  At the end of this article I’m going to list several shampoos that do not contain this substance and that are worth checking out.

How is that the FDA, charged to look out for our health, allows the use in manufacturing of this harmful substance that is used everyday by most Americans?  Here again, big business wins out. You see Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a cheap industrial degreeser. (Big business likes cheap which equals more profits.)  (Read the warning label on the chemical Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and decide for yourself if this is something you want on your skin everyday) The following is a copulation of information found on the Internet regarding SLS.

“SLS has been blamed for many cases of premature hair loss in both men and women. It takes hair longer to grow when it has been affected by SLS.”  Bottom line, SLS corrodes the hair follicle and makes it harder for hair to grow back. This is significant because we lose hair every day, most of which grows back.

“Research has found that SLS compromises the overall integrity of the skin barrier to a great degree. Scientists recommend that different detergents, which affect the overall integrity of the skin less, should be used.

SLS penetrates the epidermis, there is a possibility that it will harm important protective cells. One study found that the capacity of sodium lauryl sulphate to abrogate the function of epidermal antigen-presenting cells could be tumor promoting.

Disturbing the function of the antigen presenting cell scan be extremely harmful to the body’s immune response. SLS penetrates epithelium and has protein-denaturing properties. Since proteins are such an integral part of our cellular system, any changes can cause degenerative effects in our bodies. Research has found SLS to have a degenerative effect in absorption, metabolism, and excretion studies.

This surfactant can penetrate and persist in the cells of the brain, heart, spleen and liver. SLS,when present in shampoos, may cause protein changes that corrode the hair follicle and cause hair loss. With the potential for disturbance of such basic cellular processes, the effects of SLS can be harmful and disruptive to all areas of the body. “

In its final report on the safety of sodium lauryl sulfate, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology notes that this ingredient has a "degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties." What's more, the journal adds, "high levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration."

Interestingly, sodium lauryl sulfate "is used around the world in clinical studies as a skin irritant," notes the journal. The publication expressed additional concerns:
• Carcinogenic nitrosamines can form in the manufacturing of sodium lauryl sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient.
• Other studies have indicated that sodium lauryl sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain from skin contact. This poses the question whether it could be a serious potential health threat from its use in shampoos, cleansers, and toothpastes.
• Still other research has indicated sodium lauryl sulfate may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.
• Although sodium lauryl sulfate is not carcinogenic in experimental studies, it has been shown that it causes severe epidermal changes in the area it is applied, indicating a need for tumor-enhancing assays.
• Additional studies have found that sodium lauryl sulfate is heavily deposited on the skin surface and in the hair follicles. Damage to the hair follicle could result from such deposition.

Threat to Eyes

Damaging effects of sodium lauryl sulfate on eye health are also of concern. In experimental, acute eye tests, a solution of 10 percent sodium lauryl sulfate "caused corneal damage to the . . . eyes if not irrigated or irrigation was delayed."

A solution of 5.1 percent "caused mild irritation."

There may be another more insidious problem with use of sodium lauryl sulfate. Bear with us if we use a little scientific lingo in this section of the report. Your reward will be a better appreciation for whether sodium lauryl sulfate poses undesirable health effects. Often, in order to make a shampoo gentle to the eyes, the manufacturer will utilize a combination of anionic surfactants (i.e., detergents) with nonionic detergents. An anionic detergent contains a negatively charged polar group. A nonionic detergent has no polar end. Anionic detergents "display remarkable detergent, emulsifying, and foaming properties." Nonionics are "generally considered as the mildest of all surfactants" whose use "has been restricted because of poor foaming potential. They serve more often as auxiliary detergents."

However, while anionic detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate are the most irritating to the eye, nonionic detergents are less irritating. What's more, according to Tom Conry, author of Consumer's Guide to Cosmetics, "Some of the nonionic surfactants are believed to anesthetize the eyeball. Although we have not been able to track down all of these anesthetizing surfactants, the most common ones are cocamide MEA and DEA, and lauramide MEA and DEA." This is why anionic detergents are frequently combined with nonionic detergents to make shampoos gentle to the eye. In essence, while more aggressive anionic detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate are irritating the eye, the eyeball has been anesthetized by nonionic detergents also in the formulation. Look at shampoo labels and such combinations will be apparent.

Further, according to the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, "Tests show permanent eye damage in young animals from skin contact in non-eye areas. Studies indicated sodium lauryl sulfate kept young eyes from developing properly by possibly denaturing the proteins and not allowing for proper structural formation. This damage was permanent."

Check your shampoo and you’ll probably find SLS as an ingredient. Here is a list of shampoo’s that don’t  have sodium lauryl sulfate. We personally use and like the Aubrey organic brands, as do our young children, who are most grateful that we stopped using SLS shampoos:

1. AUBREY ORGANICS (complete line of shampoos) *
2. CALIFORNIA BABY
3. ECCO BELLA
4. LOGONA
5. Giovanni's Tea Tree Oil

It’s been said that the smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention. Changing your SLS based shampoo to an organic shampoo is a small thing we can do to protect the health our children, our hair and skin, and our health in general.

SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE [ 151-21-3] 94

2. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION

2.1 Health Effects - Acute
Swallowed
Material is slightly irritative if swallowed.
Eye
Irritating to eyes.
Skin
Irritating to skin.
Inhaled
Inhalation not likely as material is in needle form.

2.2 Health Effects - Chronic

2.3 First Aid
Swallowed
DO NOT DELAY. Obtain medical attention immediately.
Eye
DO NOT DELAY. Flush eye with fresh water. Obtain medical attention immediately
Skin
Remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin with water using soap if available. If persistent irritation occurs, obtain medical attention.
Inhaled
Remove affected person to fresh air. Seek medical attention if effects persist.
First Aid Facilities
Ensure an eye bath and safety shower are available and ready for use.

2.5 Advice to Doctor
Treat symptomatically based on judgment of doctor and individual reactions of patient. Dermatitis may result from prolonged exposure.

2.6 Toxicity Data
Oral LD50 = > 22,750 mg/kg (rat) Dermal LD50 = > 10,000 mg/kg (rabbit) Inhalation LC50 = not available

3. PRECAUTIONS FOR USE

3.1 Exposure Standards
No exposure standard has been established for this product.

3.2 Engineering Controls
Ensure adequate ventilation to maintain exposure levels at a minimum.

3.3 Personal Protection
When handling dry needle, use approved dust respirator; impervious gloves; full face shield or goggles and protective clothing to prevent repeated exposure or prolonged contact.

3.4 Flammability
Product is classified as non-flammable but will burn.
SAFE HANDLING INFORMATION

4.1 Storage / Transport
This product is not classified as dangerous goods under the provisions of the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail. The The product should be stored in cool, dry place. Avoid temperatures above 40 deg C. Do not store near copper, copper alloys, albata and strong oxidising agents.

4.2 Packaging / Labeling
UN No. N/A
Class None Allocated
Sub Risk None Allocated
Hazchem Code N/A
Pack Group 0
EPG No. N/A
Shipping Name SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE
Hazard
Risk Phrases
Safety Phrases

4.3 Spills and Disposal
Spills
Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Prevent contamination of soil and water.
Shovel into waste container for subsequent safe disposal. For small spills, flush contaminated area with plenty of water. For large spills, recover for reprocessing or disposal and flush away any residues with water.
Disposal
Dispose of waste material in accordance with all Local, State and Federal Government regulations.

4.4 FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD
Fire / Explosion
Avoid conditions over 50 deg C. Carbon monoxide may be evolved if incomplete combustion occurs. Dust may present explosion hazard.
Extinguishing Media
Use chemical powder, carbon dioxide, foam, water spray or fog, sand and earth.

5 OTHER INFORMATION Other Information
Acute toxicity, LC50 : 1-10 mg/l (fish); 1-10 mg/l (daphnia); 1-10 mg/l(algae) Acute toxicity : IC50 : > 1000 mg/l (estimated) (bacteria). If product enters soil, it will be mobile and may contaminate ground water. Practically non-toxic in sewage treatment plants. EC50 > 100 mg/l to organisms.

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