Can dry shampoo cause hair loss/thinning?

[coffeecake]

Hi I have posted about thinning hair recently and I have done a lot of reading on the subject.
By chance I came across a thread on mumsnet about greasy hair where someone mentioned dry shampoo as a possible solution, and then another mumsnetter said "Beware of dry shampoo, it thinned my hair a lot".

That sentence stuck to my mind, because I have been using the dry shampoo Baptiste (probably in excess) for the past few years.
When I say in excess, I mean every single day (expect on the day of washing my hair and the day after), but then I would only wash my hair once a week or less thinking that it would be much better for the health of my hair.
I heard so many times that washing your hair often was bad for it, but now I'm wondering if a dry shampoo could have done some harm instead.
My hair has less volume than it used to have, but is definately showing signs of thinning more on the areas where I used to spray the dry shampoo.


I read somewhere on the internet that dry shampoo soaks up the grease and gathers it to your scalp and it then clogs the pores which makes regrowth difficult.
I was wondering if anyone had experienced a thinning of the hair after using dry shampoo excessively?
P.S: I did do all the blood tests and they came back normal.

[CointreauVersial]

I bloody hope not, I use it all the time.

[coffeecake]

This is what I have found on another website

" Default Batiste Dry Shampoo problems!!!
Hi Guys

I have been using this product (batiste dry shampoo) for about 4 months, its very good if your on the go and dont have the time to wash and dry your hair however after using it every week or so (sometimes every other day if i have a busy week) i have started to notice my hair is falling out. Not drastically but still falling out, its thinner and the areas it seems to be thinner is where the product was used (around the forehead and top of head)

I have since researched this product as it DOES NOT state anywhere on its packaging that you should not use weekly etc. It does not give you any idea of how often you can use this product which really concerns me. I have always had lovely, healthy and fairly thick hair. Now it's thin and falls out easily when showering.

Apparently a few websites (health related websites) say that if used frequently this kind of product can impact on hair loss as the ingredients used to make it can leave fatty acids on your scalp resulting in slow hair loss. This is very worrying to me.

What should i do? Of course i have stopped using the product but i feel that the company should have some sort of notice on their labelling/packaging with user instructions which it doesnt??

Has anyone else suffered with this problem?

Will never use the stuff again."

I hope I was allowed to copy and paste this from another site. I don't know what the rules and regulations are.
Cointreau, love the name!!

[chipstick10]

No. I think you are looking for solutions and making excuses, ive been there and i totally understand but you need to see a trichologist or someone in that field . Of course iron levels and thyroid etc can be a cause but it could be genetic

[FerrisBueller1972]

Why don't you just wash your hair more often and lay off the Batiste?

[Dillydollydaydream]

Whenever I've used it it makes my scalp itchy and flakey. I have the tropical one though so maybe that's it.

[coffeecake]

Chipstick, point taken, of course I would prefer my hairloss to be caused by an external factor rather than a genetic, irreversible condition.
And of course I'd rather avoid going to a clinic that costs me an arm and a leg what with the consultation and the follow up monthly treatments, all that to see no improvement at all.
But still it would be a bit of a coincidence, seen as all of my bloodtests are normal, my mum and dad both have a full head of hair still at age 58 and 62, and I have been using that dry shampoo almost as a substitute for regular shampoo.
I have booked an appointment to see a dermatologist anyway, but I have a fairly good idea that he is going to say the same. I just hope something can be done and it's not damaged the hair permanently.
Like Ferris said, I should have been washing my hair more often, like normal people.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if that stuff clogs up the pores and stops regrowth if used in excess.
All that said, it could also be Female pattern baldness.
I have stopped using Baptiste now and using that Aveda Invati shampoo regurlarly and hope I see an improvement.

[chipstick10]

Philip Kingsley advocates washing hair every day. You wash your body everyday, and the hair on your body, why wouldnt you wash your hair.!!!!. It makes sense really and i now wash my hair every day most of the time, its certainly healthier there is no doubt about that. What is your gut feeling on what is causing your hairloss?.

[coffeecake]

Funny you ask, since the beginning, I couldn't help thinking maybe it's this stuff that's causing my hair to thin and fall out, as it caused a lot of itching to my scalp everytime, and I seemed to be shedding quite a lot of hair at one point.
But I quickly dismissed the idea thinking " No, surely they would have done tests on it, it wouldn't be on the market if it was harmful to your hair". So I carried on using it, and got it in my head that I must have some female (or male) pattern baldness or too much testosterone or something.
But now I am seriously wondering, as I have read quite a lot of stuff online saying that it should certainly not be used to skip shampoos .
You get a lot of mixed advice everywhere, a lot of people say to not wash your hair everyday as it could damage it.
I can't believe Philip Kingsley say to wash it everyday though, do they mean, even if it doesn't need it?
Since I've started washing my hair every 2/3 days, I have noticed some growth all along my hairline, and a lot of short hair all over, and my hair, for the first time in months has that "glossy" effect that I used to get normally before.
I hope this is a good sign, and I am praying that the thickness will come back.

[MoomieAndFreddie]

No idea but I have to say I don't like the idea of it, and don't use it.

[WildThongyoumakemyringsting]

Let us know how you get on at the dermatologist coffeecake- i'm considering it too.
For the moment i'm trying iron, philip kingsley hair supplements AND paraben free shampoo. Like you all tests clear and no history of f.p.b. In my family.
Maybe we need a support thread. Im seeing these posts from loads of mns.

[echt]

Hard to believe that washing the body every day is a reason for washing the hair every day.

We don't need to bath/shower every day anyway. For hygiene/ appearance's sake, face, neck, hands, pits and bits are quite sufficient. All the rest is modern habit/custom/personal taste.

Is Kingsley selling product? Bet he is.

[TheBirdsTheBirds]

Every time you wash your hair, the action of shampooing dislodges all those hair that are naturally ready to fall out. The less often you wash it, esp if you wear it up or don't brush it a lot on the non-wash days, the more hair will appear to be falling out the next time you wash it.

Obv this doesn't explain your thinning hair, but could it explain why the dry shampoo seems to "cause" more to fall out?

[coffeecake]

Yes that could explain it, but my problem is that I am noticing a thinning.
Echt, I was thinking the exact same thing, I don't want to sound cynical but it's in Kingsley's interest to get us to wash our hair everyday as he probably sells ridiculously expensive shampoo.
Yes wild I agree with the support thread, shall I start one? I sure could do with some support at the moment, it really is getting me down and I don't want it to take over my life.
wild are you the worrying/stressy type? That's the only thing I can think of for my thinning, I worry ALL THE TIME and it is beginning to worry me
Seriously though, I have not stopped stressing since I've had my DCs, even regarding random or minor things.
I find it really hard to chillax about things, and I really admire you mums out there who are relaxed and cool about everything. And yes, such mums do exist, I know some and I wish I was like that.
Where shall I start that support thread? I've never done one before.

[shineonucrazydiamond]

Try folic acid tablets. Worked for me as I was low on folate - this caused my hair to shed quite alarmingly at one point last year. Worth a go anyway!

As for dry shampoo, I wouldn't use it as dislike the idea. Just wash your hair every day or every other day and that'll solve any 'product leaving deposits ' issue '

[squoosh]

I love dry shampoo and have used it for aeons. I spray it straight on freshly washed and dried hair as a styling product, it gives my fine hair lots of oomph.

Haven't heard these concerns before but I can imagine why you would be anxious to closely examine anything you use on your hair as a possible culprit.

[coffeecake]

Thanks shine I am on folic acid tablets, I take a supplement designed for hair skin and nails and it has Folacin in it. Is that the same? It says it contains 200% of the RDA.
When you say it worked for you, how long did it take to fully grow back?
At first did you notice any short hair growth?

[WildThongyoumakemyringsting]

Hi coffee
yes I am a bit of a worrier - but not more than I always was and my hair used to be vthick. I noticed the thinning from the front last November and it is certainly not getting better - I don't know if it is because I'm always looking at it but it does seem worse if anything. (expensive shampoos/supplements etc)
Tbh I don't know either how to start a support thread - can anyone else with that?
I was interested in the post on your other thread from the mn who went to a dermatologist and was diagnosed with ?can't remember which a normal GP wouldn't be aware of. I think she was prescribed some type of steroid if I remember correctly.
I'm lucky enough to have private medical cover through work so I am going to ask for a referral after the school half term.

[WildThongyoumakemyringsting]

p.s. just spotted another Hair Thinning thread in GH
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1583100-Thinning-hair

[Medal]

Hi coffee, I posted on an earlier thread of yours and agree it would be good to start a support thread! Do we just start a new thread in the normal way for it?

I think it is a great sign that you are getting new growth, hopefully will just be a matter of time for your hair to thicken back up. Now, if you can just send some of that new growth over here......

[shineonucrazydiamond]

coffee - I was losing my hair dramatically - it is fairly fine anyway and below my shoulders and I was pulling out loads in the shower each morning. For months. I had blood tests - all fine although my folate levels were low - however, still normal.

I took specific folic acid tablets - decent ones - and the hair loss stopped within a fortnight. And then , it's been fine ever since - although I shed some hair in winter but that's pretty normal stuff.

Probably worth a try anyway. I was getting myself in a right twist about it so I sympathise.

[coffeecake]

wild nice one for that link, how did I miss that thread? It seems to be a very common problem these days, probably due to all different reasons.
I think to be honest, it's always been a problem, but women in the olden days weren't focusing on it too much (what with the war and all that).
The other day I tried to get a bit of sympathy from my gran by telling her about my hair, and she said "Really? Oh yeah by the way guess what happened to your dad?".
I thought "that says it all doesn't it", my gran is normally a good listener but that subject really didn't shock her at all. But then again, she did grow up during the war, lost her mum when she was 6, her husband at age 53, and a 34 year old son.
So my thinning hair was not going to concern her too much.

[coffeecake]

medal I just can't find that thread where that mn said about the steroid tablets. But I remember vaguely, it's annoying I've looked everywhere.
What is the normal way for starting a support thread then? Do I do it in "style and beauty" or "health"?
Style and beauty I would have thought.

[coffeecake]

Sorry P.S: What shall I call the new support thread?
I thought of "Support thread for hairloss in women"
or "Support thread for ladies with hairloss"
Let me know if you think of anything better

[Kalypso]

I would like to join a support thread please! I'm nearly thirty but have had noticeable female pattern hairloss since the age of 20. My experience is in line with the above poster's opinion (i.e. that it's an internal thing). I had a major depression at 20 and suffered hairloss along my parting as a result. I always had very fine hair to begin so the loss was more noticeable. Interested to read about the folic acid though, I might give that a try!

I've been using dry shampoo for a couple of years - I don't think it has made the loss worse.

For me, using sprinkle on fake hair (yes,really!!) has given me a big confidence boost. It hides the areas where my scalp is showing through,and nobody has ever noticed it. It's a bit like putting concealer on a spot. Obviously I'd prefer to reverse the thinning, but knowing it's not so obvious has really helped me stop worrying so much.