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SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 2:15:26 AM

Aneirin

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From: Tamaris
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I just thought to bring attention to the ingredient SLS (SLES) in many common hair and skin products, on reading about the stuff, it has some not very nice characteristics when applied to the human body, something which I believe is worth knowing about.

The chemical ; SLS (SLES), was originally used as a garage floor degreasing agent, and the product data sheet for SLS(SLES) is worrying to say the least.

SLS (SLES)

So, if you care about your skin and hair, read up on this stuff, and check your product labels

(And, I have just found out, my favourite products made by LUSH, are full of the stuff too, so this begs the question, is the cleaning properties of Lush products depend more on the SLS (SLES) content than the much publicised natural, green substances they use)

< Message edited by Aneirin -- 12/23/2009 2:23:42 AM >

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 5:53:13 AM

DarkSteven

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The link is pseudoscience.

1. ""Sodium Lauryl Sulphate has a low molecular weight and so is easily absorbed by the body. It builds up in the heart, liver and brain and can cause major problems in these areas.""

Molecular weight? Gimme a break Chemical affinity determines whether something will be absorbed or not. Weight simply indicates is a secondary factor in the speed of uptake.

If something is water soluble, it will pass through the body. If it's not, it will accumulate in fat. That means the liver. I don't know if the heart has a layer of fat, but I'm sure the brain doesn't.

2. The problem is, the extremely harmful compound 1,4-dioxane may be created during the ethoxylation process, contaminating the product.

Emphasis mine. Claiming that trace amounts of a chemical could have the same effects as a megadose of it is ridiculous.

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 10:02:59 AM

LafayetteLady

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From: Northern New Jersey
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According to the link, the chemical is found in nearly ALL shampoo and toothpaste. That would mean by all accounts that everyone has been repeatedly exposed to this chemical for many years. If it is so dangerous, why are we all still here, mostly healthy and functioning?

ETA: Kind of like we all know that Coca Cola will take the paint of a car, but we drink it. Hasn't eaten away at the stomachs of millions of people yet, so while it is a good paint remover, it doesn't equate to it being dangerously unsafe to drink.

< Message edited by LafayetteLady -- 12/23/2009 10:04:23 AM >

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 10:44:12 AM

BrunetteContessa

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Joined: 6/1/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aneirin

I just thought to bring attention to the ingredient SLS (SLES) in many common hair and skin products, on reading about the stuff, it has some not very nice characteristics when applied to the human body, something which I believe is worth knowing about.

The chemical ; SLS (SLES), was originally used as a garage floor degreasing agent, and the product data sheet for SLS(SLES) is worrying to say the least.

SLS (SLES)

So, if you care about your skin and hair, read up on this stuff, and check your product labels

(And, I have just found out, my favourite products made by LUSH, are full of the stuff too, so this begs the question, is the cleaning properties of Lush products depend more on the SLS (SLES) content than the much publicised natural, green substances they use)

The difference in the concentration of SLS in degreasers and the amounts in human products are ridiculously different. SLS is actually used in medicine and has been shown to have an effect on many of our current viruses and help prevent infection. There are quite a few studies out there that not only show its safe, but highly useful.

Even the American Cancer Society has a page devoted to debunking the myth that SLS causes cancer, which IMO says something.

"Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes dysfunction of the biological systems of the skin."

Yup, SLS is added to products to change the chemical formulations of the oil on the skin so it can be washed off your skin more easily without iritating the skin. If SLS is removed... you're still going to need something to take its place and do the same thing. (Or the world gets over its skin oil phobia, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.)

The SLS safety sheet? Also highly edited... they fail to mention that (logically..) we're talking about these reactions to a highly concentrated form of SLS. Even then, the MDS simply states that if skin contact is made, it will cause minor irritation, and moderate iritation if inhaled. As far as the emphasized flushing with water... have you looked at your bottles of cleaner lately? 90% of the cleaning products a huge percentage of the world uses are more hazardous then SLS at high concentration. Even my natural cleaners say flush skin with water for 15 minutes. SLS data sheet? Wash with soap and water. Done. Why? Water soluble.

Sites like that have a specific purpose, and if you actually look up the "research" they site you'll find they are greatly twisting the material. (Like the cataract study, you know those weren't living eyes and they literally dunked them in pure SLS right? And that part of the eye was removed so the lens was completely vulnerable, unlike eyes in real life?)

I suppose we can go back to the way things were way way back when. Shall we revert to olive oil and pumice stones like the Roman's did. Bet that wasn't irritating to the skin....

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 2:32:19 PM

mstrslve4fun

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Do an online search for handmade soap. I've been making and selling it for 7 years, and it is so much better for your skin then anything you can buy in a store.

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/23/2009 7:24:17 PM

chiaThePet

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Oh come on.

Unfounded hysteria

We did test it on cute furry little animals first after all.

What?

chia* (the pet)

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/24/2009 5:36:49 AM

mstrslve4fun

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Keep in mind, SLS is a detergent. Detergents are made to do one thing, break down oils and grease and rinse them away.

Your skin secreates oils for a reason, it needs them to keep the skin protected and supple. When you wash with a detergent, no matter what it is, it's going to wash those oils away. That's why most people's skin feels dry after a shower unless you moisturize. It's doubly bad for people with naturally oily skin because the body will produce excess oil to replace that what has been lost.

In the years i've been making soap the number one thing i hear from people is 'my skin feels clean without feeling all dried out'. That's the reason i got into making it in the first place, because of the way it made my skin feel. Most people don't need to put tons of lotion on after a shower when using handmade soap.

Dr. Bronner's and Burts Bees aren't worth millions of dollars because they buy into the hype. There really is something there.

My teenage boys pimples cleared up when using handmade soap. Mostly because the skin didn't react to the lack of oils by producing more when using it.

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RE: SLS and SLES - 12/24/2009 5:45:35 PM

Aswad

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quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

The link is pseudoscience.

Most links are.

quote:

Molecular weight? Gimme a break Chemical affinity determines whether something will be absorbed or not. Weight simply indicates is a secondary factor in the speed of uptake.

Sort of, but beside the point. What's interesting is whether it does anything, and whether our bodies can cope with it if it does. And that is a question that nothing short of statistics will tell us, which is why statistics are required for anything to be used in domestic products in large parts of the world.

quote:

If something is water soluble, it will pass through the body. If it's not, it will accumulate in fat. That means the liver. I don't know if the heart has a layer of fat, but I'm sure the brain doesn't.

Stuff that finds its way to the liver generally finds its way out of the liver and into the feces.

The brain, incidentally, is primarily composed of fat and water.

quote:

Emphasis mine. Claiming that trace amounts of a chemical could have the same effects as a megadose of it is ridiculous.

While worrying about SLS is probably ridiculous, this argument is not up to spec. If you're wondering why, look up the chemical agent MPTP, or the biosynthesized supplement L-5-HTP. And, of course, almost any process that creates a useful compound has the potential to introduce contamination. It is a testament to the maturity of these processes that we don't die like flies from taking aspirin or sprinkling sugar on food.

People who worry will always find something to hang their worries on.

Fear is not a rational beast. It is a response that's meant to keep us out of trouble. Problem is, it is tied into the "higher" functions of the brain, too, so that it can be triggered by conscious thinking. Fear is readily triggered by the unknown, but this extension unfortunately makes it possible for the unknown at a conscious level to trigger our fears, including our own limited understanding of all this "newfangled stuff" out there. Keep in mind that, to the average person, the remote on the TV is magic. When it stops working, you slap it, try again, slap it again, try again, maybe change the batteries and repeat the process, then call the guy who knows shit: the repair man. The wizard. It's magic. And so is SLS, unless you happen to be the wizard. But some of us can learn enough to check the statistics, which obviates the need to know the details.

And as far as I'm aware, the statistics point at SLS as a dermatological concern, not a real health risk.

My scalp doesn't appreciate it on a regular basis, so I use a highly toxic shampoo instead.

My hands don't mind it, though, so I use a common soap for those.

Neither has proven a problem so far, though.

Health,
al-Aswad.

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