Hair Products that Cause Hair Loss

Thinning hair, shedding hair and hair loss affect both males and females, and it’s no more or less demoralising for either. You may find it deeply distressing to notice a receding hairline, a bald patch, or an area of thinning hair. But here’s the catch: There’s no one reason behind hair loss—causes can range from the simple and temporary, like harmful hair products, to the more complex, like a vitamin deficiency or an underlying health condition.

It can be alarming to know that the hair care products you use daily could actually be contributing to your hair loss! That’s the last thing we would have wanted! Often we’re so careful about the foods we eat or even the products we apply to our skin that we fail to realise that our hair products could be damaging as well.

Having said that, many routine hair products can cause hair loss due to product build-up, irritation and allergies to the scalp or damaging the hair strands. Moreover, cosmetic hair products like dyes, bleaches, straightening creams and the like can weaken the hair strands causing breakage and making it look like you are losing hair, adding to your distress

With so many over-the-counter hair products pervasively available in markets today, it’s easy to get pulled into the bandwagon thinking you should be using them too. The problem with some styling products is the chemicals they contain, which can irritate the scalp, dry hair, and clog hair follicles. 

Hair Products Causing Hair Loss

Are you wondering why your hair is falling out? Even though you eat a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, enjoy good health, have no family history of hair loss and take pride in your hair. It might be the case that the time and effort you are putting into your hair care may, in fact, be what is contributing to your hair loss. Here are some common and not-so-common hair products causing hair loss which explain why you might be seeing less hair on your head and what you can do about it.

Take a look at the type of shampoo you use every day. There are some shampoos that can be harsh on your hair, stripping it of moisture and causing split ends and broken hair. The best shampoos are the mildest ones, often labelled for everyday use and free of parabens and sulphates. 

Most of the smoothening, straightening and perming products used in salons have formaldehyde in them, which can cause hair breakage and scalp irritation in some. As these treatments also require high temperatures to lock your hair into place, it can further damage and break super-fine or already damaged hair. If you’re looking for a less-damaging, truly formaldehyde-free treatment, opt for a treatment containing glyoxylic acid instead.

Frequent dyeing of hair, especially if you are using bleach, can also lead to hair loss. When hair is overprocessed, it tends to generally snap off and break due to the damage caused by the chemicals. This causes the hair to get devoid of its elasticity, making them dull, dry and lifeless. 

Hair pomades can sometimes be difficult to wash out and require several shampoo treatments to remove them completely. Poorly-formulated pomades that don’t protect against dehydration and oil-based pomades that clog hair follicles can cause dandruff and scalp irritation which can further trigger hair fall. 

To be on the safer side, it is always better to talk to a dermatologist about which products are safe to use. Our expert dermatologist will analyse your hair type and suggest products accordingly, plus give you the best options for hair loss and damaged hair too. Book your consultation with HairMD.