Whether you have recently undergone a Hair Transplantation procedure with a specialist like Dr. Joseph Williams or just want to take better care of your hair, you probably use several kinds of products in your hair. But are you really helping?
Most of us use hair gel, hairspray, shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner or shampoo, and other products to try to get that perfect look on the daily. Just like when you look at the ingredients in your food, you should look at the ingredients in your hair care products to see if there’s anything you don’t want to put on your body!
This week, we’re going to look at a few different ingredients and products that you should be careful of when caring for your hair, and provide some suggestions for you to consider as alternatives if you currently use unhealthy products!
Unhealthy Ingredients
Mineral Oil is commonly recommended by friends or old stories about hair care to maintain a shine or make hair more easily managed. DON’T use it in your hair, though! Here’s why:
Mineral Oil can help hair lay down flat and stay down, but that comes at a price – it leaves deposits of those minerals and oils that can build up on your scalp and along your hair. Unfortunately, it also causes build-up that can make the hair look less healthy which often leads to adding more of the same product on top.
Mineral Oil can be hidden in Hair Care products under names that include Paraffin or Petroleum, so look out for those when choosing your products!
Methylisothiazolinone, or MIT, is another common ingredient in Hair Care products that tends to slip under the radar. These tend to be used to increase the shelf-life of the product, especially if it uses any sort of organic elements, but it is a known skin irritant.
In fact, it has such potential for skin damage that it is banned in products that have long-term skin exposure in much of the world! According to safecosmetics.org, MIT is of high concern even though it is so widely used.
Particularly if you have had Hair Transplantation such as Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) or Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), your scalp is in a sensitive state as it is, and you definitely do not want to expose it to anything that can damage the skin. This could not only lead to discomfort, but could damage the Transplanted follicles as well!
MIT might also be listed as Methyl or Isothiazolinone independently, as well as MIT or CMIT, so make sure you look for variations of those terms on your Hair Care labels.
Healthier Ingredients To Look For
So if unpleasant chemicals like MIT and Mineral Oil are in so many Hair Care products, what should you look for instead?
It can be difficult to find products that are perfect, but looking for these ingredients below can help counteract some of the harm that might come from other elements.
Lauryl Glucoside is a cleaning detergent that is a gentle alternative to many of the harsher ingredients in shampoos. If you go look at your current shampoo bottle, it’s likely you will find a sodium sulfate ingredient on the label – these are a common ingredient, but have raised concerns about skin irritation and harshness in recent years.
Lauryl Glucoside provides a good cleaning element while being much gentler on the skin and hair during washes. This is especially important for those who prefer to or have to frequently wash their hair because of a job or other concern.
Once again, if you have had any sort of Hair Transplantation or Hair Care procedures done, Lauryl Glucoside is the better alternative because it will still clean the hair and scalp, both of which are important for aftercare, but also be less of an irritant and minimize the damage resulting from normal care.
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), for example, uses lasers to stimulate growth on the scalp, which also has an element of minor irritation for many people. Using one of the Sodium Sulfate products will not only cause more irritation, but might hinder the healing and regrowth process for the treated Hair Follicles.
Coconut Oil is another natural ingredient you can either look for in Hair Care products or use on its own to maintain healthy hair. Coconut Oil is particularly reactive to hair and is easily absorbed, and it tends to blend with your scalp oils to naturally enhance your hair’s strength, shine, and flexibility.
Jojoba and Olive Oils offer similar benefits, but Coconut Oil is the best option. Sebum is a natural oil in our scalps, and all of these have that same oil in them, so it’s easily absorbed and utilized by our own bodies in the Hair Care process.
Be sure when looking at products with one of these types of oils that you also look for MIT and Mineral Oil! Just because it has Coconut Oil does not negate the damage that can be done by using one of those irritants alongside it.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that Hair Care is as important as wisely choosing what you eat and drink. The products you choose might look good, but reading and understanding the labels can save you a lot of irritation and headache (maybe even literally!)
For good information about the ingredients on your products, go to www.safecosmetics.org and look up the ingredients in your current Hair Care items for more information.
As always, if you have had any Hair Transplantation procedures done, make sure to consult with your doctor about the best Hair Care products and plan for your specific needs. Your procedure is an investment in your confidence, your looks, and your happiness – take care of it!
If you have concerns about your Hair, either following your Transplantation by Dr. Williams or someone else, or if you have been using unhealthy products for a long time and are concerned about your Hair, contact Dr. Williams today for a consultation.
Remember to read those labels!
