Our Favorite Hair Quick-Fix And Bald Spots
Dry shampoos have gained substantial popularity in recent years as the perfect tool to last us until wash day. Some women absolutely use
their dry shampoo for eliminating their oily scalps and strands. They also use it for giving them back those extra minutes of their time in the morning. However, some people have complained about
bald spots! Who would not want more time to sleep in during the week? Dry shampoo also has lovely fragrances that add that extra luxurious touch to have a great hair day. Dry shampoo has great benefits, but do these benefits come at the cost of hair loss? There have been several claims in the past few years of women contributing their
hair loss and thinning to the use of their dry shampoo. One woman even took her hair balding complaints to Facebook and publicly denounced the so-called benefits of dry shampoo. She urged women everywhere to wash their hair regularly simply. Is this simple hack causing more harm than good? Let’s dive into the harsh reality of dry shampoos to discover if it is worth the hassle.
This Is Not New
Companies want us to believe that dry shampoo is a new trendy phenomenon only recently discovered, but the concept of dry shampoos has been around for centuries. Ancient Asian cultures used dry clay to color their hair as well as absorb oily hair. Additionally, 17th century Europeans and Americans used powder to disinfect and deodorize hair and high fashion wigs. With a concept that has been around for so long, it is hard to believe that problems are only recently arising. Are there new additions to our 21st-century formula that may be contributing to our hair ailments?
What Is Dry Shampoo?
The first clarification we should establish is that dry shampoo is not technically shampoo at all. According to Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy, dry shampoo is any product that absorbs oils and deodorizes without the use of water. Previously, dry shampoo took the form of powder but has recently been applied using an aerosol can for convenience. Dry shampoo does not cleanse the hair like a traditional shampoo.
Our scalp contains sebaceous glands, which produces a natural oil in our hair called sebum. Sebum is our hair’s natural defense against the environment. However, depending on your curl pattern, hair type and texture determines the amount and frequency of sebum the scalp produces. Typically, those with straight and wavy hair experience more oil production. Those with fine hair deal with the effects of hair weighed down with oil. Dry shampoo’s job is to absorb this access oil. This gives the appearance of clean hair and occasionally helps our hairstyles from the salon last a little longer.
Let’s Look At The Facts
Does dry shampoo cause bald spots and hair loss? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not simple. According to numerous hair experts, dermatologists and bloggers. There are tons of claims against the trendy hair product as well as those that rave about its benefits. Companies have given this age-old product a facelift for convenience and accessibility. Additives have transformed dry shampoo from sun-dried clay to a beauty companion. Perhaps, it is the new features of this product that are causing many women to face the cruel reality of bald spots.
It’s In The Can
Aerosol cans have replaced the traditional powder application of dry shampoo. The ingredients, and chemicals present in the new formula affect the hair and experience. With aerosol cans, various chemicals such as ether, butane, and polymers are introduced into your scalp and hair. They are also introduced through your lungs and skin eventually gaining access to your bloodstream. These chemicals and ingredients can disrupt the natural hair growth process and add additional substances to the hair follicles and scalp. These disruptions inhibit the growth of your hair. They also clog follicles and increase the risk of hair loss. The more that one uses the aerosol dry shampoo, the more the skin absorbs the product into the skin. With an increased absorption rate, more chemicals are deposited onto the scalp. This increases the likelihood of bald spots. There have been numerous studies on the effects of aerosol hair products. We encourage you to do some research of your own to find the best products for your hair as well as your lifestyle.
The New Wash Day
I have to reiterate that dry shampoo is not a means to replace washing your hair with traditional shampoo. Dry shampoo does not cleanse despite its name. This is the reason most women may get in trouble with this product. Dry shampoo absorbs oils and adds a fragrance to the hair. Without adequately cleansing the hair, dry shampoo and other products buildup on the hair. This clogs pores and hair follicles, and prevents hair from growing. Dry shampoo is merely a quick-fix to hair woes in between washing. However, it cannot replace
washing your hair. When you wash your hair, you remove oil and dirt and product buildup and debris from your environment. Although our lives have become significantly busier, we cannot sacrifice the health and growth of hair for convenience. Many women begin to experience bald spots and hair loss when they opt to use only dry shampoo. This bad for your body and hair health. Healthy hair is the foundation of the beautiful styles and looks you want to accomplish. Dry shampoo is not the new wash day and could negatively affect your scalp with hair loss and balding.
Good, Bad, and Ugly
Dry shampoo is not all bad. Some stylists swear by it as the perfect product to style with. For the modern busy women, dry shampoo can be a great way to go from the gym to the office without looking ridiculous. There are a lot of convenience hacks and tips that allow everyone who uses the product to live simpler and more effective lives. However, the issue comes in when we take advantage of the simple moments dry shampoo provides to us. Washing is essential to hair health as well as typical hygiene. Our hair experiences effects from debris in the environment, the sun, and especially from the tons of hair products that we can sometimes bombard our hair. Also, the sebaceous glands have to work overtime to produce sebum to help protect and nourish our hair. There has not been a direct link to dry shampoos causing bald spots. However, the ugly truth is that dry shampoos can cause product buildup and clogged pores, which increases the likelihood of hair loss. Taking care of the hair we have, gives us access to the beautiful hairstyles to try with our hair. Sometimes it is best to give our hair a rest entirely and declutter our hair arsenals to reduce the number of products on our hair, especially during the summer.
Preventative Measures
There are several ways that you can take preventative measures to ensure that your hair remains in good health. You also can still have the convenience of using your dry shampoo!
Recommended Wash Routine
The frequency of
your wash day strongly depends on your hair’s texture, curl pattern and condition as well as your lifestyle. For example, women with curly to kinky hair are advised to wash their hair less often than those with straight or wavy hair. The reason is that the sebum takes longer to travel down the turns and twists of curls rather than straight hair. That is why those with straight hair can have the appearance of oily buildup versus someone with kinky hair. Also, someone who workouts out four times a week will need to wash their hair more often than someone who does not work out because of the buildup of salt in the hair. A good rule of thumb is to wash your hair at least once per week. You never want to go too long without washing your hair. Skipping wash days will irritate your scalp, which may increase balding.
Some stylists recommend using dry shampoo only once per week while others say that using it up to twice per week is beneficial. Use the facts listed here as well as results from your own research to determine the best frequency of using dry shampoo on your hair. Keep in mind that the more often you use dry shampoo the more often you will need to wash your hair to maintain a clean and fresh scalp. A clean scalp increases your hair’s ability to grow thick and luscious.
Choose Your Weapon
If you cannot live without dry shampoo, then try exploring all the options for alleviating oil buildup on your scalp and maintaining that fresh style. With the popularity of dry shampoo, companies are experimenting with different forms to beat out the competition. Use this to your advantage to choose the best type for your hair and lifestyle. Aerosol cans are an option because they are easy to use and less messy than other product. However, you can skip the aerosol additives by trying out the powder form dry shampoo. Although more hands-on, powder dry shampoo can still absorb your hair’s oil and many products use fragrances to deodorize the hair. For my vegan babes and DIYers out there, Pinterest has numerous recipes to create your own dry shampoo customizable to your hair color and scent preferences. With ingredients like cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda and essential oils, you have control of the elements added to your hair and the bonus of bragging rights to all your friends on how you only make your own products.
What’s The Verdict?
With the plethora of horror stories online of women claiming that their dry shampoo has contributed to the bald spots and hair loss, it is easy to get worried. There are mixed messages and advice circling the internet about how to prevent these issues. The fact of the matter is that there has not been any proven correlation between dry shampoo and bald spots. Even though the concept of dry shampoo has been around for centuries, our new spin with extra ingredients is relatively new. It will take a few more years before science can run enough tests to determine results of dry shampoo use. Excessively using dry shampoo without properly cleansing your hair and scalp can inhibit hair growth and ultimately lead to hair loss and bald spots that may not be reversible. Take preventative measures to ensure the optimal health of your hair at all times even when experimenting with the latest hair care trend. Your hair health is not worth the fad. Do you use dry shampoo in your hair care routine? Have you ever experienced bald spots from this product? What is your take on this issue? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comment section below! We have to look out for each other and look out for our hair!
