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SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE

C₁₂H₂₅NaO₄S - Does Not Cause Cancer

I've had a number of questions asked to me about the safety of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, a common ingredient found in most shampoos. Although, I have been triggered into writing this by a client who buys Urtekram Shampoo. Here's a taster of what she says:

"as for the urtekram shampoo, we stopped using it when we discovered it contained sodium lauryl sulphate, and used an all-natural shampoo from new zealand for awhile (living nature). it was utterly crap and ridiculously expensive, so we've now gone back to urtekram. how can you assure me? i know from personal experience that i have a mild-scale allergic reaction to products containing sls (red itchy bumps). now, fair play i am incredibly sensitive, but to be honest, i'd rather not take the chance. especially given that one of my diseases is known to be exacerbated by environmental toxins, chemicals, etc..."

Then there was the 'haox' email sent to another client who in turn passed it on to me! and I quote:

"Please read this message carefully. Go home and check your shampoo. Change it before it's too late. Check the ingredients listed on your shampoo bottle, and see if they have a substance by the name of Sodium Laureth Sulphate, or simply SLS."
"This substance is found in most shampoos, and the manufacturers use it because it produces a lot of foam and it is cheap. BUT the fact is that SLS is used to scrub garage floors, and it is very strong! It is also proven that it can cause cancer, and this is no joke."
"I went home and checked my shampoo; it didn't contain it; however, others such as Vo5, Palmolive, Paul Mitchell, the new Hemp Shampoo from Body Shop etc. contain this substance. The first ingredient listed (which means it is the single most prevalent ingredient) in Clairol's Herbal Essences is Sodium Laureth Sulphate."
"I also found it in Revlon's Shampoo Flex. So I called one company, and told them their product contains a substance that will cause people to have cancer. They said, Yeah we knew about it but there is nothing we can do about it because we need that substance to produce foam."
"By the way Colgate toothpaste also contains the same substance to produce the "bubbles". They said they are going to send me some information."
"Research has shown that in the 1980s, the chance of getting cancer is 1 out of 8000 and now, in the 21st C, the chances of getting cancer is 1 out of 3, which is very serious. So I hope that you will take this seriously and pass this on to all the people you know, and hopefully, we can stop 'giving' ourselves the cancer virus."
"This is serious, after you have read this, pass it on to as many people as possible, this is not a chain letter, but it is in deep concern with our health."

My Response

We humans suffer all kinds of allergies, caused from eating strawberries to touching tomatoes, shampoo is a fairly common product to be allergic to. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is primarily used in cleansing products that are washed off like shampoos, hand-soaps, bath products and shaving creams, normally only very small quantities of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate will come into contact with the skin and hair. Therefore, if proper washing procedures are followed the product will only come into contact with the skin for a very short time, a matter of seconds in the case of hair washing - "Rinse Well". Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) when used as an ingredient in shampoo do not cause cancer.

Urtekram's Response

"Our range of personal care products comprises award-winning shampoos, conditioners, body lotions and toothpastes. Most of our personal care products contain organic herbs, organic oils, organic raw materials. Furthermore all of our personal care products are made of 100% vegetable-based raw materials and are all free of preservatives".
"Lately one of the ingredients that we use in some of our products SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) has been in focus. Whilst Urtekram will not defend possible problematic ingredients, after much investigation we have decided to use Sodium Laureth Sulphate, a slightly different ingredient with similar properties, but specially developed for us. Thus some of the usual harmful chemicals used in its manufacture are not contained in our version".

OECD, ready biodegradable (class A)
100% vegetable-based, as it is derived from coconut/palm oil. It is not derived from petrochemical source
Contains no preservatives (i.e. no formaldehyde or other unacceptable preserving agents)
Accepted as the best possible washing detergent by all nature preservation boards
We are also in the process of developing an organic Sodium Laureth Sulphate for future use
As always our ingredients are GMO free, being from Palm trees that have not been genetically engineered

Note on Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)

Shampoo risk to unborn babies It has been reported that some shampoo contains the chemical methylisothiazolinone (MIT) that is used in some shampoo to kill off bacteria. A US study found methylisothiazolinone (MIT) may damage the developing nervous system and researchers are concerned about the potential effect on human foetuses.

Urtekram Shampoo Does NOT Contain Methylisothiazolinone (MIT)

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate AKA

Sodium dodecyl sulphate, Dodecyl sodium sulphate, SLS, Lauryl sodium sulphate, Sodium laurylsulphate, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Sulphuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is used as an oil dispersant, and as a cosmetic and perfume ingredient. Your shampoo is safe, but I still think you should Use Urtekram Shampoo!