THE TRUTH ABOUT SUPERMARKET SHAMPOOS

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a chief component of almost all shampoos sold today, and yet troubling data has compounded over the years concerning this harsh irritant’s ability to damage the body over a period of time. SLS also has its staunch defenders. After all, this chemical is the darling of the chemical industry because it is extremely cheap, versatile and effective in stripping grease from the hair, leaving it squeaky clean. Which is why SLS is also used commercially as a garage-floor cleaner and industrial-strength degreasant.

Leading toxicologist and cancer researcher Professor Samuel S Epstein sheds some light on SLS’s true nature in response to assertions made by a Dr Weil as to SLS’s safety. The information below is a salutary wake-up call for the public to seek safer shampoo alternatives to those found in the local supermarket which are found to contain this damaging chemical.

Re: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), there is no evidence that SLS is carcinogenic. However, contrary to Dr. Weil, SLS is a harsh ionic detergent which is a strong irritant to skin, depending on concentration and the duration of exposure.  The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) 2000 Compendium, of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, admits that SLS "causes severe epidermal changes--of the skin of mice-- (indicating) a need for tumor-enhancing activity assays," (1).  The Compendium also admits that SLS-containing products are "designed for brief discontinued use, following which they are thoroughly rinsed from the surface of the skin."

Furthermore, as reported in model studies, published by the Danish Institute of Public Health, a single 24-hour exposure of SLS to human skin damages skin protein and causes prolonged disruption of "the skin barrier integrity of the skin," to allow the penetration of carcinogens such as nickel and chromate (2,3). Thus, skin absorption of the multiple carcinogenic ingredients commonly found in mainstream industry, cosmetics and toiletry products (4), including shampoos, could be greatly increased by SLS-type detergents.

Clearly, the American Cancer Society is unaware of this information, besides the fact that mainstream industry cosmetics and toiletries contain a wide range of carcinogenic ingredients, precursors, and contaminants, besides ingredients that break down to release carcinogens such as formaldehyde.  Furthermore, laureths, besides other ethoxylated alcohols, are generally contaminated by the volatile carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, as admitted by the CIR Compendium (1), and also the carcinogen ethylene oxide.

 

Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.

1.  CTFA.  Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Compendium 2000.

2.  Nielsen, G.D. et al.  Effects of Industrial Detergents on the

Barrier  Function of Human Skin.  Int. J. Occup. Med. 6(2):138-142, 2000.

3.  Nielsen, G.D. Effects of Four Detergents on the In-Vitro Barrier

Function of Human Skin. Int. J. Occup. Med. 6(2):143-147, 2000.

4.  Epstein, S.S. and Steinman, D.  The Safe Shopper's

Bible.  Macmillan/Hungry Minds, Inc., New York, 1995.