Does Dry Shampoo Cause Hair Loss?

A number of online articles have recently suggested that dry shampoo may be a cause of hair loss, attracting dozens of worried comments from dry shampoo users.

Dry shampoo for thinning hair

Dry shampoo is often used by women with fine or thinning hair as it can help add extra volume. However, a number of internet users are concerned their dry shampoo use may be causing hair loss.

Mumsnet user 'coffee cake' said, “...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 definitely showing signs of thinning more on the areas where I used to spray the dry shampoo.”

Similarly, a complaintsboard.com user wrote, “...at first I LOVED it, however after a few months I noticed that my hair was getting thinner and thinner, then I noticed balding patches on the areas where I mostly concentrated on using the dry shampoo.”

Can hair products cause hair loss?

Although there is anecdotal evidence, there is currently no research to suggest that dry shampoo causes hair loss. It may be that users of this staple hair care product tend to brush or wash their hair less frequently, leading to the appearance of more hair fall.

However, some other hair products have been found to cause hair to break off. Hair products containing strong chemicals that change the state of hair - such as hair dye and bleach - can damage hair, leaving it brittle and prone to breaking. Similarly, overuse of heated styling devices such as hair straighteners can also cause damage. When overused on a regular basis, hair colouring treatments, bleaches and heat hair stylers reduce the amount of moisture in the hair, rendering it sufficiently brittle that it sheds.

As this type of hair loss is caused by damage to the hair itself rather than the hair follicle, hair will normally grow back as normal once the damage to hair ceases.

What does cause hair loss?

can be caused by a number of different factors including genetics, stress or medical issues. Shedding can be either temporary or ongoing depending on the hair loss condition. For this reason, if you are worried about thinning hair, the best course of action is consulting a hair loss specialist, who will be able to identify what’s causing your hair loss and the most appropriate treatment.