Nature's Gate & Sodium Laureth Sulphate

> Hi,> After reading all the stuff about Nature's> Gate I went to the store to pick it up. In the> past I read an article that claimed Sodium Laureth> Sulphate was a primary skin irritant and could> also contribute to hair loss so whenver I buy> a shampoo I always check it to see whether it> has Sodium Laureth Sulphate. I also found it in> Nature's Gate Shampoo and was very dissapointed.> Has it really been proven about Sodium Laureth> Sulphate ? If so why are we still using it???> Has anyone experienced hair loss from using these> shampoos that contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate??>I have heard of rare cases of hair loss from individuals who are extremely sensitive to this ingredient. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and its progeny are commercial sudsing agents. Most commercial shampoos contain this ingredient. You just might be washing your clothes and your hair with the same ingredient.I can tell you from experience that I had a reaction to this ingredient several years ago and since that time have been using Aubrey Organic shampoos which do not contain this ingredient. I think my scalp had a reaction over time. I had what some call "scurf." It was like a horrible case of infectious dandruff. I have to tell you that my scalp was so itchy and irritated that I dug my nails into my scalp until it bled. The amount of this "dandruff" was like a virtual snowstorm and it was extremely oily. It seemed like every time I used the shampoo, my sebacious glands worked over time to make up for the stripping from the shampoo. A brave friend of mine tried to rake the stuff off my scalp, and afterwards we mopped up the bathroom floor because there was so much.I had never had a problem with commercial shampoos, but I think that the Finesse shampoo which I had been using at the time must have had a potent formula. At any rate, after I eliminated the source, the problem disappeared and yes, my scalp healed.I don't know whether it was Karen or someone else here who noted that the general public likes suds, so sellers don't think it is exactly wise from a monetary sense to make a product which will not sell. I think that's the main reason why you see it as a major ingredient in most shampoos.I would only say that if you start noticing changes in your scalp or hair, I think you should consider the possibility of a sensitivity to a shampoo or conditioner ingredient.It's strange, but your hair and scalp are a lot like your hands. You can put them through a lot, but don't forget how delicate they really are.Cheers,Jade

Sorry about the above empty message! The bottle of Nature's Gate I bought had an asterik by the sodium laureth sulphate ingredient which said it was coconut oil derived. How can that be bad for your hair? I'm confused. Can anybody explain this to me? Thanks.>

> After reading all the stuff about Nature's> Gate I went to the store to pick it up. In the> past I read an article that claimed Sodium Laureth> Sulphate was a primary skin irritant and could> also contribute to hair loss so whenver I buy> a shampoo I always check it to see whether it> has Sodium Laureth Sulphate. I also found it in> Nature's Gate Shampoo and was very dissapointed.> Has it really been proven about Sodium Laureth> Sulphate ? If so why are we still using it???> Has anyone experienced hair loss from using these> shampoos that contain Sodium Laureth Sulphate??Most shampoos on the market contain either Sodium Laureth Sulphate or some other closely related Sulphate chemical. Some people may have a sensitivity to these chemicals and those people can have problems with skin irritation and hair loss... but if you're sensitive you should avoid all detergent shampoos, not just the ones that contain SLS specifically. It's just the most common sulphate used. Without such detergents and foaming agents your shampoo will not develop a thick lather. All those shampoos that say "lather, rinse, repeat" contain synthetic foaming agents. If you want to avoid detergents with these chemicals you should look for a castille soap based shampoo such as the ones put out by Aubrey Organics... they also biodegrade better.Personally I like the idea of castile soap based shampoos, but the Aubrey Organics ones were HORRIBLE on my hair. However a couple weeks ago I found another castile soap shampoo that I'm a lot happier with. It doesn't feel like a "normal" shampoo... in fact when wet my hair feels kinda sticky even after using a conditioner, but it dries really soft and silky. I can use a much lighter conditioner than with the aveda shampoo. It has a glucose high on the ingredient list, which I thought was interesting. Unfortunately it's a VERY small brand (Botanics of California) that I can't even find in my local heath food store. :-P I've been alternating it with my aveda shampoo and they both seem to be more effective that way.-jennifer j