Good hair days make you feel good about yourself! Our appearance plays a significant role in our self-image and emotional well-being. Yet, if you’re suffering from dermatitis, traditional hair care products can irritate your scalp. This can make it difficult to find products that work. Using the wrong shampoos, conditioners, and styling products can cause flare-ups.
In this guide, we delve into the many dermatitis-friendly hair care products available. We will also discuss allergy triggers and scalp-friendly ingredients to look out for.
Shampoo Ingredients to Avoid
When searching for shampoo for dermatitis UK, choose one without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Why? Although a godsend when removing grease from your locks, this harsh detergent can irritate those with eczema. A telltale sign that a shampoo contains SLS? It lathers.
Other ingredients to avoid? Olive oil, as this can cause damage to your skin’s barrier. Heavily fragrance products, including those with essential oils. Methylisothiazolinone (MI, limonene, and linalool) is a preservative known to cause contact dermatitis—finally, tree nut oils, including argan, almond, and macadamia.
Dermatitis-Friendly Ingredients
Now that we’ve discussed some of the ingredients you should avoid, we’ll talk about those that are proven to ease the signs of dermatitis. These include:
Plantago Lanceolata: This extract, derived from a leaf, is a common ingredient in dermatitis shampoos. It gently cleanses your scalp without damaging your skin’s natural barrier and is mild enough to suit skin that suffers from dermatitis. The result? Skin that is rid of unwanted itching caused by eczema-like ailments.
Plantain Lanceolata: Another scalp-friendly ingredient, plantain Lanceolata is a naturally derived extract that gently cleanses your hair without damaging the sensitive skin on your scalp. It soothes redness and itching, thus preventing dandruff. The components in this botanical ingredient promote the neutralization of nitric oxide, which causes vasodilation and inflammation of the skin. By capturing and destroying nitric oxide, plantain prevents vessel dilation.
Selenium Sulfide: this compound assists in reducing flaming, itching, redness, and overall scalp irritation. This anti-infective product works by slowing yeast growth, which is often the cause of dermatitis. When using it in your daily hair care routine, leave it on your scalp for two to three minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
Coal Tar: Another ingredient to look for when choosing your next dermatitis shampoo? Coal tar. This helps to ease scaling, itching, and flaking. It’s a derivative of keratoplastic and promotes skin shedding. This means it removes dead skin cells from the top layer of your scalp, thus slowing down the growth of skin cells. For best results, use coal tar-infused shampoos at the same time every day,
Salicylic Acid: This ingredient, found in various shampoos, is used to treat psoriasis, acne, dandruff, and dermatitis. Derived from willow tree bark, salicylic acid boasts anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties. It assists in loosening dead skin cells. This makes them easier to remove. Additionally, it improves texture, unclogs pores, and smoothes skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties aid in lessening discoloration and swelling caused by dermatitis, and its antimicrobial help to destroy or slow the growth of yeast and bacteria.
Zinc Pyrithione: This ingredient targets the effects of seborrheic dermatitis. Why? It boasts antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It can prevent the growth of yeast, which is a common cause of dermatitis.
Ketoconazole: This treatment prevents and soothes yeast and fungal infections. This antifungal ingredient lessens the effects of itchy, dry, and flaky skin. For best results, use shampoos containing this ingredient every three to four days for up to eight weeks. Or until symptoms improve.
Sulfacetamide: This ingredient helps to treat scalp conditions. These include seborrhea and dandruff by stopping the growth of certain skin bacteria.
Ciclopirox: This broad-spectrum synthetic antifungal agent, derived from hydroxypyridone, boasts several anti-inflammatory properties, which assist in relieving dermatitis. Why? It effectively treated Malassezia yeasts, a symptom of seborrheic dermatitis.
The Bottom Line
We all need to wash our hair. Some of us will wash it daily, others weekly. Irrespective of when you wash your hair, this can prove challenging if you suffer from dermatitis. Why? Many traditional shampoos contain ingredients, such as harsh chemicals and string perfumes, that cause scalp irritation.
With at least 50 million Americans estimated to suffer from dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, it’s a godsend that shampoos, conditioners, and styling products that feature scalp-friendly ingredients are available. Provided you know which hair care products to look for, you can wash your hair without worrying about flaking, itching, and redness.
For best results, always patch test a new shampoo, use gloves if you suffer from eczema on your hands, and wash your hair over the sink with a handheld shower if you suffer from eczema on your neck, face, or body.
