Shampoo allergy

[mondaytosunday]

My 19 year old DD has sensitive skin and MS. In the last year she has complained that when she washes her hair she gets little red bumps on her hands where the hair follicles are, and presumably this happens to her scalp. It only lasts for a few hours and is a little itchy. She is now using non allergenic baby shampoo but it still happens. I’ve told her to go to a pharmacist and ask for recommendations, but anyone here have advice? She’s very fair with auburn hair, but can tolerate make up and has no known allergies (she can’t see any commonality in her shampoo other than the usual ingredients).

I can’t use the usual shampoos. I find they make my scalp sore and very itchy. I use faith in nature shampoo. It is pretty much the only shampoo I can use. I have tried a sensitive no fragrance shampoo bar before and that worked too.

Try using a shampoo free of sodium lauryl sulphate, a known irritant for many people

I have the same problem with shampoo but started using shampoo bars and I don't have a problem with them. I just use the Alberto Balsam bars, but I can't use their shampoo because it makes me itch.

L'Occitane do some nice, mainly natural shampoos. You can get travel sized bottles to test with before paying out for full size bottles.

Faith in nature (the entirely unscented one) or simple shampoo. Anything else makes my face very sad and red. I’m pretty sure it’s the perfume. I am also fine with most make up.

some common allergens are
sodium laurel sulfate
fragrance
benzoic acid

I’m lucky that I don’t have a problem with sls, but I have other allergies beyond the basics.

many “hypo-allergenic” shampoos are in fact full of things people are allergic to because everyone is allergic to different things.

I would start by looking for products without SLS and without fragrance. That may solve the problem.

You need to be sure it is “fragrance-free” not just unscented. There is a difference. unscented can use masking fragrances to cover up the smell from other ingredients and are just as allergenic as a scented product.

Has she tried Neutrogena’s Sensitive Scalp Shampoo?

I have problems with any shampoo with SLS in it, so I use DGJ's Organic HairJuice shampoo and have had no further problems. Depends what she is reacting to, requires detective work and experimentation on yourself sometimes!