Going sulfate-free shampoo - no more hair loss

Despite my hair being fast growing, for many years I have shed many hairs daily - certainly more than the 100-odd hairs that it is said we lose as part of normal hair loss. While the shedding feels less with shorter hair, and more with longer hair, I still felt that I was losing too much hair every day. A tangle in my brush and a wad in the shower daily. I always had little baby hairs on my hairline - and probably all over my scalp too. These were a clear indication that a sizeable of volume of hairs were constantly being replaced.

I had heard about some shampoo brands, including one that I used, being responsible for hair loss. After hearing this again a few months back, I turned to the internet.

The primary problem, it seems, is the sulfate ingredient in shampoo. Sulfates are responsible for that lovely foamy lather. On the ingredient list of most shampoos, you'll find sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfates. The shampoo that I had used for years contains both of these. 

It also contains a number of other ingredients - glycols, salt, silicones, artificial colourants, fragrances, and preservatives - that are skin irritants. This article explains the many shampoo chemicals. 

I never had an itchy, dry or dandruff scalp, but, because of the ingredients in my shampoo, my hair was subject to being stripped of its natural oils. The whole list of ingredients was responsible for making my hair dry, brittle, frizzy and weak, and affecting my hair follicles. Disruption to the protective keratin sheath around the hair shaft and follicle leads to hair loss too. With my sporty activities, I've generally been a daily hair washer, which increased by exposure to these damaging chemicals.

I headed to the shops to look for a sulfate-free shampoo. It took time to read the back of so many bottles, but finally in the African hair-care section I found a shampoo that is free of petroleum, paraben (preservative), sulfate and silicones. 

I've been using this Mango & Marula shampoo (by 'The Perfect Hair' brand) for about two months now. Of the no-no ingredients, it does contain propylene glycol, but this seems to be the lesser of the evils. It is priced similarly to most shampoos. The only other sulfate-free shampoo that I found was an expensive salon brand.

Within a week or two of using this shampoo, I had significantly less hair loss. My hair was longer then so I noticed the difference quickly in my brush and when washing my hair. The reduction in shedding has continued and I have very little hair loss now - I would say even below the requisite 100-odd hairs a day.

Without the sulfates, my shampoo does not foam. It takes a while to get used to this as it initially feels like your hair is not getting washed. But this sulfate-free shampoo seems to do its job.

My hair feels soft and healthy. The baby hairs on my hairline have grown significantly and I can only assume that this is happening all over my scalp.

I'm still using the same conditioner - to finish the container, but I'll look at changing to something from the same range as that shampoo. I'm that impressed.

Not my brush, but you get the idea. This is a drop in the ocean compared to what I was losing daily.