Is Batiste Dry Shampoo Causing Hair Loss?
Lauren Agnew is claiming Batiste dry shampoo, which she used so she could skip washing her hair daily (like all of us), has caused her hair to fall out, CBS affiliate WFMY is reporting.
Agnew told the station that, while she has tried every hair color and style possible, only when she tried Batiste dry shampoo did she have an issue with damage.
“Your hair is coming out in clumps,” she said. “Drying your hair, your hair is coming out in clumps. Trying to put your hair up and you just run your fingers through it, and you have 20, 30 hairs coming out. You look at it, and you just cry.”
This isn’t the first time Batiste has made headlines for reported reactions to the product.
Nicole Baxter of Belfast, Northern Ireland, claims she had a severe reaction to a dry shampoo, the details of which she shared in a scary Facebook post detailing how she noticed a bald patch on her head that kept getting bigger, along with some sores and blisters.
After a diagnosis of triangular alopecia (hair loss in one area of the head), Baxter’s doctor told her she’d need a scalp biopsy and not to use any product on her hair the day of. At this point, Baxter stopped using dry shampoo but still didn’t connect it to her scalp issues. However, when she went back for the biopsy, the doctor said her issues had cleared up and told her the best thing she could have done was to stop using the product.
“Moral of the story — dry shampoo caused me to now have this bald patch on my head (which I still have, and it may or may not grow back, but nothing can be done) and a terrible scalp for ages,” she wrote. “Just wash your hair, people!”
It should be mentioned that the brand is one of the highest-rated dry shampoos — with a four-and-a-half-star rating on Amazon — and it appears on recommended lists from Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. It’s the top-selling dry shampoo in the U.K.
“Dry shampoo is probably fine when used rarely and in someone with no history of scalp disease such as eczema or psoriasis,” Patricia Ceballos, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group told Yahoo Beauty.
But can it cause hair loss?
“The buildup of oil and dirt on hair could potentially irritate the scalp. Irritation represents inflammation, Ceballos explained. “And inflammation leads to hair loss.”
Out of the 12 ingredients in the product, 10 are considered moderately to highly toxic by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. The worst offenders are butane and isobutane, the first two listed ingredients, which can cause irritation to eyes, skin, or lungs and be toxic to organ systems. Canada bans their use in cosmetics.
Ceballos recommends not overusing dry shampoo, saying, “It should be employed judiciously. It should never completely replace water and regular shampoo, which effectively keep the scalp clean.“
We reached out to Batiste Dry Shampoo, who shared the following statement: “Batiste Dry Shampoo is committed to producing quality products, which are used by millions of loyal customers globally. We would like to assure our customers that all Batiste Dry Shampoo products comply with all government regulations. As with any beauty product, use only as directed and discontinue use if any sensitivity occurs. For any questions or concerns, please contact our Consumer Relations Department at 1-800-952-5080.”
According to WFMY, the brand refunded Agnew the $8 cost of her bottle.
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