EP 332: Three Ingredients Sabotaging Thinning Hair—and What To Use Instead

Ever wonder why your hair keeps shedding even when you’re “doing everything right”? We pull back the curtain on the label tricks and ingredient traps that quietly work against thinning hair and a sensitive scalp. Drawing on real client stories and dermatology guidance, we spotlight three red flags hiding in plain sight—heavy silicones, sodium chloride, and sulfates—and explain how each one disrupts scalp balance, weakens the cuticle, and accelerates breakage.

No single bottle can regrow hair, but smarter cleansing sets the stage for better results with minoxidil, peptide serums, and consistent styling care. If your scalp could choose, it would ask for fewer irritants and more balance. Start by auditing the first five to seven ingredients on your shampoo, aim for sulfate-free and sodium chloride–free formulas, and keep an eye out for lightweight, water-dispersible alternatives when you want slip without the buildup. Subscribe for more stylist-backed, science-informed hair advice, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to stop shedding and start healing their scalp. Loved what you heard? Hit follow, leave a review, and tell us the first ingredient you’re cutting from your routine.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Sarah’s Story and Hidden Red Flags
• 3:13 Why Labels Mislead and What Matters
• 4:13 Offender #1: Silicones Explained
• 5:11 Offender #2: Sodium Chloride Risks
• 5:54 Offender #3: Sulfates and Shedding
• 6:55 Simple Swaps and Next Steps
• 7:31 Resources, Links, and Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:54

I remember a client named Sarah who sat in my chair almost in tears because she felt like she was doing everything right. Expensive shampoo, hair vitamins, weekly masks, yet her hair just kept thinning. When we turned over the bottle, she was using the ingredient list read like a red flag parade. It's something I see all the time. Products marked as healthy can quietly work against your hair goals. Today, let's talk about three shampoo ingredients dermatologists say you should avoid if you're dealing with hair loss. Welcome to All About Hair, where we talk shop, share stories, and spill the secrets behind great hair and a great career. I'm your host, Denise Keilitz, a former salon owner, educator, and a lifelong hair crusader. Whether you're a new stylist building your book, or just someone who loves learning about all things hair, you're in the right place. Look, when you're already seeing more shedding than usual, the last thing you need is shampoo that's secretly making things worse. But so many bottles on the drugstore shelf promise volume or repair while containing harsh ingredients that strip natural oils. They can irritate the scalp and they can weaken fragile strands. Here's the tricky part. Shampoo labels are confusing. Marketing terms like strengthening, hydrating, or clean beauty, they don't always mean what we hope they do. And if you're not used to reading ingredient lists, you might not even know what you're looking at. I can't tell you how many times a client has said, but it was salon quality while holding a bottle loaded with harsh detergents. Here's the solution. Dermatologists warn about these three major offenders. So if you can just stay clear of these three ingredients, I think you're going to be doing okay. First of all, silicones. Why? Silicones can make hair look shiny and silky short term, but some, especially heavy, non-water soluble types, they can coat the scalp and block moisture and nutrients from reaching hair follicles. Over time, this buildup can weigh hair down and it can worsen shedding. If you're struggling with hair loss, skip shampoos with dimethicone or other cone ingredients unless they're specifically labeled water soluble. Once I had a curly client who swore her hair was just breaking off. We realized she was using a super slick silicone-heavy shampoo. Switching to a lightweight silicone-free cleanser helped her scalp breathe again and her hair feel less suffocated. The second major offender, sodium chloride. Yep, salt. Many mass market shampoos they add sodium chloride to thicken their formulas and give it that very high-end texture, but it can dry out your scalp. It could also cause redness and itching, and it can irritate already fragile follicles. If your scalp is sore or if it's flaky, check to see if sodium chloride is hiding in your shampoo because you don't want it to be. And on a side note, if you have a Brazilian blowout in your hair, you definitely don't want to be using sodium chloride because it'll strip it right out of your hair. Alright, the third ingredient you want to look for is sulfates, like sodium lauryl sulfate, or it could be called SLS. Sulfates are powerful detergents that strip natural oils. This is great for squeaky, clean dishes, but not for delicate hair. For those with thinning strands, sulfates can leave hair brittle, frizzy, and prone to breakage. And if you use long-term, they can even cause scalp irritation or they can trigger sensitivity. I once helped a new mom dealing with postpartum shedding. She was unknowingly using a double sulfate shampoo because it promised volume. Once we switched her to a gentle sulfate-free cleanser, her scalp calmed down and she stopped feeling like every wash meant more hair going down the drain. I know. We've all had that experience, have we not? So just making this one change: ditching harsh ingredients. Just look at the labels. This can reduce breakage, it could soothe scalp irritation, and it creates a better environment for hair to stay and grow. While it's not a miracle cure, it's an easy, smart first step to protect the hair you have and support any treatments you might be using, like monoxidil or hair growth serums. So if you've been worried about hair loss, start with your shampoo bottle. Look for gentle, sulfate-free, silicone-light, sodium chloride-free options and give your scalp the love it deserves. Small changes can add up over time. And if you need more information on protecting and growing your hair, make sure you're subscribing to All About Hair with Denise on YouTube and our podcast. Make sure you're following us. Don't forget to go over and grab my hair growth protocol sheet. You can pick that up at deniseKeiletz.com forward slash thinning hair. It's all one word. And I'll make sure I put the link in the show notes. And always remember, when you know better, you do better. Thanks for tuning in to All About Hair. If you loved this episode, hit subscribe, leave us a review, and share it with a fellow stylist or hair loving friend. You want more tips, tools, and behind the scenes goodness? Follow me on YouTube or head to my website at deniseKeilitz.com. Yes, I know it's hard to spell, so don't worry, the link is in the show notes. Until next time, keep learning, keep creating, and keep loving what you do.