Benefits Of Shampoo

Shampoo is a vastly known consumer product that we all benefit from. When our skin produces sebum (a greasy substance) it primarily protects our hair and hair follicles, but can also make our hair look unclean. Sebum is hydrophobic, which fundamentally means it can’t be washed away with water. This is where the widespread consumer product shampoo comes into the picture. Much like you would find in dishwashing or laundry products, you can find detergent in shampoo. “Detergents lower the surface tension of water, which makes it less likely to stick to itself and able to bind with oils and soiling particles.” ("How Shampoo Works.”) So this means detergent can work as a surfactant. Detergent molecules also carry elements of hydrophilic portions, …show more content…
However, a majority of shampoos contain the chemical Cocamide DEA. DEA is a fairly common and is known to create the foamy consistency in in varied cosmetics, however mostly in shampoos. The ingredient is withdrawn from fatty acids of coconut oils and diethanolamine (DEA), which is the part of the molecule that gives the shampoo its surfactant characteristics. The pros of this specific chemical, is that it gives shampoo a certain viscosity that can appeal to many customers. Nevertheless, Cocamide DEA comes with consequential health hazards. DEA is known to react with other components in cosmetic compounds; it can form an extremely strong carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA). When this molecule is used, it is soaked up through our skin, meaning it could possibly cause stomach, esophagus, liver and bladder cancers. Recent studies have discovered that 98 shampoos sold by significant international companies contained cocamide DEA. “Most people believe that products sold in major stores are tested for safety, but consumers need to know that they could be doused with a cancer-causing chemical every time they shower or shampoo,” Michael Green, Executive Director of …show more content…
However, IARC have made a study on cocamide DEA and they describe, “cancerous symptoms were only apparent in mice and not rats, when tested.” They also advocate that NDEA should be treated as if it were a carcinogen in humans, due to the fact that fieldwork on potential cancerous effects on humans hasn’t been fully researched yet. Supporting their conjecture, The National Toxicology Program similarly concluded, “There is a sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of nitrosodiethanolamine in experimental animals.” Cocamide DEA has already recognized to be a skin irritant, and has been given an overall hazard rating of seven by The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website, in a result that they are acquainted with studies on cancer, allergies, immuntoxicity and concerns over organ system