Sodium Chloride, most commonly known as salt, is a necessary substance for our survival and a common food seasoning used to enhance the taste of our favorite foods. But, Sodium Chloride is also found inside of numerous beauty and hair care products as well, such as shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and more. Used as a polisher for the teeth, an odor reducer, and as a thickening agent inside of shampoo and conditioner, Sodium Chloride is used by many and considered to be safe for use in minimal quantities. Most people can freely use Sodium Chloride without worry. But, is Sodium Chloride really safe when used on the skin and the scalp, or is it actually causing burning, itching, dry scalp and other concerns that worsen with each and every use of the product? Included inside of shampoo as a thickening agent to keep all of the ingredients smoothly mixed together, Sodium Chloride contains sodium lauryl sulfate, highlighting one of the first concerns of use of the product. SLS, as it is commonly called, is an agent also found inside of many cosmetics and haircare products. It is known to cause skin irritation, dry, itchy scalp, and other problems, and may even lead to breast cancer, although more research is needed before conclusive results can be established. There is enough evidence out there to support the fact that there are potential concerns that come with the ingredient. Risks with the actual Sodium Chloride itself also exist and pose risk when used on your hair. Potential effects of using shampoo and/or conditioner containing Sodium Chloride include: Eye irritation Hair loss Dry scalp Itchy scalp These problems occur more frequently when used by individuals with dry scalp, but have the potential to affect anyone that uses Sodium Chloride containing products for long-term use. On the bright side, the amount of Sodium Chloride found inside of shampoos and conditions is minimal, as is the amount of SLS found inside of the product, limiting the amount of risk that you take with the use of this products. FDA regulations are not in place for hair care products, so the cosmetics industry is able to add ingredients based upon its own testing and standards. If you are concerned about the health of your hair, choosing an organic hair care product is worthwhile. While considered safe, there are potential risks associated with the use of Sodium Chloride that you shouldn’t chance when your beautiful hair and good health both are at stake. Choosing an organic product for your hair eliminates risk and worry while providing your hair with the excellence that it needs to look its very best. Although the costs of an organic hair car product may be a few dollars more than the traditional product on the market, you’ll find that it is money well-spent when there are no headaches and risks to worry over at the end of the day.
