Is Baby Shampoo Good For Hair Loss? (The Facts)

Baby shampoo is typically designed to be as gentle as possible and is in fact used by both babies and adults alike. But is baby shampoo good for hair loss?

Is Baby Shampoo Good For Hair Loss

In short, yes baby shampoo can be used for reducing hair loss as it generally does not contain harsh ingredients like alcohol, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and artificial fragrances.

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What Is Baby Shampoo?

Babies are very sensitive to allergens and chemicals, particularly when they’re firstborn.

Getting shampoo or soap in their eyes will not only be a painful experience for them (and you, let’s be honest), it might also make them have an aversion to bath time. No one wants that.

Baby shampoo is specifically designed for young babies and toddlers to cause minimal irritation.

The main difference between baby shampoo and regular shampoos is the pH level and the surfactants used in the formula. Baby shampoo aims to have a neutral pH level, at around 7.

That way, it hovers around the pH level of the fluids in our eyes, so that if the shampoo does get in your child’s eye, it won’t burn or sting.

Baby shampoo also usually won’t contain ingredients like sulfates or surfactants, so are less likely to irritate either your scalp and hair or your baby’s.

Baby shampoo usually contains what’s called amphoteric surfactants as cleansing agents, which are more gentle than traditional sulfates.

Why Use Baby Shampoo?

It’s worth flagging that baby shampoo won’t actively help hair growth.

So if you’re looking for a product that’s going to support the natural growth of your hair – maybe by thickening it or boosting its collagen content – then it would be best to search for a shampoo that advertises itself as doing so.

That said, baby shampoo is suitable for people with sensitive scalps and who are subject to dry, dehydrated locks.

It’s also good for people with color-treated hair or allergies to ingredients like sulfates, as it is gentle enough to preserve hair dye and won’t provoke a reaction.

However, you may also find yourself needing to lather, rinse, and repeat a couple of times if you’re washing your hair with baby shampoo as an adult.

That’s because there is less cleansing agent in the shampoo, so your hair might need double the amount in order to achieve the same level of cleanliness.

You can also use baby shampoo for multiple other health concerns.

If you’re prone to eczema on your face and around your eyelids, dermatologists recommend using it to wash your skin, wiping away any flakes with a cotton swab. You can also even use it to treat minor eye infections too.

Always be sure to consult a physician if you have serious concerns about your skin or eyes.

Also Read: The Problem With Low Poo Shampoos (And Alternatives To Use!)

Is Baby Shampoo Good For Hair Loss?

Is Baby Shampoo Good For Hair Loss

The answer is yes: baby shampoo is good for hair loss. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that will strip your skin and hair of its moisture, resulting in dry, brittle locks that easily break.

It is therefore also suitable for adults with serious allergies, as it’s typically formulated with all-natural ingredients.

Recommended Baby Shampoo For Hair Loss

Cetaphil Baby Wash And Shampoo With Organic Calendula

Cetaphil Baby Wash And Shampoo With Organic Calendula

This baby shampoo will blend into a rich lather that gently cleanses without stripping either skin or hair of natural oils.

Organic calendula is soothing and calming, and also smells delicious. The formula is hypoallergenic and dermatologist recommended, and it’s clinically approved for even the most sensitive skin.

There are also no parabens, colorants, or mineral oil.

Eucerin Baby Wash And Shampoo

Eucerin Baby Wash And Shampoo

Recommended by both dermatologists and pediatricians, this gentle formula contains vitamin B5 and shea butter to soothe even the most sensitive scalp and skin. It’s free of parabens and drying alcohols and is gentle enough for everyday use.

Aveeno Baby Daily Care Hair & Body Wash

Aveeno Baby Daily Care Hair & Body Wash

As with all of Aveeno’s products, this hair wash relies on the goodness of colloidal oat extract to gently moisturize and cleanse. Free of sulfates, soap, and dyes, it is great for even those with eczema or particular dry scalps. It’s dermatologist and paediatrician approved, too. You can also opt for a bedtime range if that’s your preference, which smells delightfully of lavender and vanilla.

Possible Reasons For Hair Loss

There are many possible reasons for hair loss. Below, we list just a few, but if you are concerned, it’s best to consult a doctor. That way, you can get the best treatment possible for your unique circumstances.

The Ingredients In Your Shampoo

As already suggested, many ingredients in adult shampoos can cause dryness and dehydration in hair.

This can then result in hair loss and dry scalps, and even dandruff. Avoid foamers and thickeners like SLS and sodium chloride.

Some shampoos even contain formaldehyde, a particularly nasty chemical. Paraben and phthalates are also not ideal and avoid artificial fragrances and dyes.

Alcohol is standard in most hair care products, but excessive amounts will dehydrate your hair.

Genetics

Hair loss is hereditary and can be developed by both men and women. It’s usually called male or female pattern hair loss, and its medical term is androgenic alopecia.

Your follicles will simply shrink and stop growing hair, and this can happen at various stages of life.

Hormonal Imbalances

If you have PCOS – polycystic ovary syndrome – you may experience some hair loss as a resulting symptom.

Similarly, if you’ve just given birth, it’s quite common to experience postnatal hair loss.

Also Read: Does Shampoo Expire? What You Need To Know

How To Maintain A Healthy Haircare Routine

Thankfully, there are steps that you can take in order to ensure that you’re maintaining as healthy a regime as possible for your hair.

Following the below steps will keep your hair looking its best, but feel free to mix in your own tips and tricks depending on your hair type, as everyone is different.

Don’t Over Wash Your Hair

Gone are the days when women would wash every day. By subjecting your hair to a daily shampoo, you’re stripping it of its natural oils.

These are essential to maintaining the health of both your scalp and your hair. Paradoxically, washing your hair every day might also make your hair more oily, as it attempts to address the oil imbalance caused by shampooing by overproducing oil.

Using baby shampoo is a good way of reducing hair loss and nurturing vulnerable locks.

Use The Right Products

Everyone’s hair is different, and you need to use the right product for you. If you have hair type 1A hair, for example, using heavy creams and oils might only weigh your locks down.

You also want to only be using ingredients like keratin or collagen in your hair if they’re right for you.

Dry Hair Properly

You may prefer air-drying hair as opposed to using a hairdryer, but just be sure that you’re not tying wet locks up in a bun, as this promotes breakage.

Equally, don’t use hair bands that are too tight. Avoid ones with metal tags on, as these can tear on hair and cause real breakage.

Pulling hair back into a ponytail every day can also cause hair loss, so mix it up.

Use The Right Tools

If your hair is prone to breakage and dehydration, regularly using heat tools won’t help, as they might burn brittle strands and cause hair loss.

Be sure to use a hairbrush that’s right for you too. If you’re pulling huge clumps out of your hair after brushing, you need to invest in another product.

Increasingly, hair experts recommend using UV protectants on hair if you’re heading out into the sun, too. That way you’re minimizing damage and dehydration.


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Alice Carlill

Alice is an experienced writer and researcher with a background in the Creative Arts. She is a published poet and is currently completing her Ph.D., having worked in a variety of industries, including as a theatre dramaturg. Alice is passionate about the environment, so is always on the lookout for the best zero-waste products that are vegan and cruelty-free.