Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Shampoo and conditioner caused my hair to fall out

I discovered this by accident!!

My hair had been falling out in big doses for years - I'd watched it collect in the bathtub whenever I washed my hair while I was showering [daily shower, hair shampoo every 4-5 days]
It had crossed my mind "my hair falls out when I wash it," but I also thought "that's ridiculous."
so....after having an eye rash for a month and realizing that the makeup with paraben in it was causing the problem, it occurred to me that my shampoo and conditioner were also close to my eyes...and guess what...in microscopic print on the labels... parabens and anti freeze !!! [ethylene glycol or propylene glycol in its "non-toxic" form ]...so I stopped using them immediately. 
I had a bottle of Dr Woods Shea Vision Castile Soap [just soap, shea butter and herbs], and hesitantly used it...don't know what I thought it was going to do that was scary!
Anyway...
IMMEDIATELY, MY HAIR DID NOT FALL OUT !!!
I couldn't believe what I DIDN'T see in the bathtub...HAIR.
This was too good to be true!!!
It took a month of my hair NOT FALLING OUT before I confidently declared what I now know [3 months later]...
that my shampoo and conditioner had been causing my hair to fall out. Id' tried numerous brands over the last 10 years or more...from cheap to expensive.
Also....the hair was suddenly thicker and softer [I've got straight, fine hair, so every bit of body counts].

Some google research revealed that not only do shampoos and conditioners contain parabens [usually methyl paraben], but they're also alkaline, with a pH over the neutral level of 7.
Turns out our scalp is slightly acidic [pH 4.5 - 5.5], so I figured that this also didn't help matters, so to aid my scalp back to normal, I added some acidity.
After more research, Apple Cider Vinegar was what turned up. I dilute a few tbsp. of Bragg Organic ACV with a cup of water, and pour it over my scalp after the shampoo.
Note...when I use Dr Woods Castile Soap with shea butter, I don't even need a conditioner...the comb goes straight through...no more knots...you're set to go!
Sometimes I'll cut a sprig of rosemary - pour boiling water over it - cool it - and use that as a scalp rinse instead of the vinegar. You can add sage to the rosemary as well for extra scalp health.
Discovering all of this was a very exciting side effect from fixing the rashes around my eyes.

So...experiment with alternatives to conventional shampoos...but you have to read the labels...organic and natural in big print don't count - and you'll need your glasses or a magnifying glass to do this. Especially watch out for any parabens or anti-freeze [ethylene glycol or propylene glycol in its "non-toxic" form].
Also watch out for "fragrance," as this is "proprietary" info, and so the manufacturer doesn't have to tell you the ingredients of the fragrance [and parabens are often used in them.
...and some advice I picked up in amongst my google searches...if you can't say it, don't use it [or eat it!!]...Ciao!
 

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