People who visit dermatologists use aesthetic products on a daily basis. These aesthetic products are often the causes of skin diseases, even affecting the outcome of dermatological procedures. In this series on aesthetic products, Dr. Lee, Weonju (Prof. of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University Hospital) will discuss various aesthetic products, including shampoo, skin whitening products, moisturizers, cleansers and sunscreens. Doctors would be able to provide more professional advices to their patients if they are better informed of the ingredients and usage of these products.

 

According to historical records, Korean ancestors washed their hair about once a month. They applied oil to the hair and tidied it up with a Korean traditional fine-tooth comb to keep their appearance neat and clean. Nowadays, there is a myriad of hair and scalp cleansers or shampoos available in the market. Our store shelves display an endless variety of hair products and people can choose ones that meet their taste and scalp condition. People can maintain healthy and beautiful hair by understanding and choosing the right shampoo product. Otherwise, they can damage their hair by making a wrong choice. Doctors should also be well versed in aesthetic products in order to provide their patients with advice on the appropriate use of shampoo products.

 

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Shampoo is a hair care product that is used for washing off dirt, dead skin cells and sebum from the scalp and hair to maintain a clean condition. Shampoo also enhances the physiological function of the scalp, helping to maintain beautiful hair. The most important function of shampoo is to cleanse the scalp and hair without damaging them, and this is why the detergent is one of the most important ingredients of shampoo. Depending on the main detergent which determines the cleansing function of shampoo, shampoo products are categorized as general shampoo, shampoo for normal hair, oily hair, dry hair or damaged hair, two-in-one shampoo, deep cleansing shampoo, shampoo for babies, treatment shampoo, and shampoo for professional use, etc.

General shampoo can be used once a day, with conditioner, for every type of scalp. A mild surfactant is used as the main detergent.

Shampoo for normal hair is suitable for men whose scalp is moderately oily and who have not had their hair permed or dyed. Sodium lauryl sulfate as a surfactant of shampoo for normal hair has a good cleansing power but weak conditioning effect. Shampoo for oily hair consists of a strong surfactant, such as sodium lauryl sulfate or sulfosuccinate, focusing on the cleansing effect. Shampoo for dry hair or damaged hair uses sodium lauryl sulfate as the main detergent, which provides a weak cleansing power but a better conditioning effect.

Two-in-one shampoo is a combination of detergent and conditioner in one product, which can be used conveniently for dry or damaged hair. Deep cleansing shampoo contains sodium lauryl sulfate as the main detergent, which can also be used once a week for more thorough cleansing, especially after using products such as hair spray, gel or mousse.

Shampoo for babies is made from amphoteric surfactants, such as betaine, which has a weak cleansing power but causes no eye irritation, making it an appropriate choice for babies. Since no irritation is felt when shampoo gets in the eyes, it could remain in the eyes for a long time and causes harm. Care should be taken to prevent this.

Treatment shampoo products can be further divided into anti-dandruff, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itch shampoos, etc. Anti-dandruff shampoo contains ingredients such as salicylic acid, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole and ciclopirox that remove dead skin cells and have antifungal effect. Anti-inflammatory shampoo is comprised of tar, sulfur, corticosteroid, etc. and anti-itch shampoo contains menthol. Patients with a dry and itchy scalp need a shampoo that can moisturize and strengthen the skin barrier. Shampoo for professionals are the products used in hair salons for hair treatments such as perm or coloring, etc.

Among the treatment shampoo products, Nizoral shampoo containing ketoconazole has been traditionally used as an anti-dandruff shampoo. This product is effective against seborrheic dermatitis by relieving inflammation and controlling the number of Malassezzia, the main cause of dandruff. It comes in 1% and 2% concentrations. Although it is a shampoo product, it can also be used as an adjuvant for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor.

 

-To be  continued-

 

▶ Next Artlcle : #1-2. What we should know about shampoo